E komo mai! (Welcome!) all you brothers and sisters in love with beautiful Hawai'i:

There is a place where molten lava meets the Pacific Ocean. Where a snow-capped mountain climbs the clouds. Where cultures come together, slow dancing to a slack-key grove, finding harmony with the sweet whisper of a gentle trade wind. The island of Hawaii is far and away the rarest of tropical gems. Even the most stunning beaches become lost amongst the landscape; deposed by the intrigue of lush valleys, awe-inspiring waterfalls and yes, Kilauea, the world's most active volcano. Unfortunately, such extravagance usually comes with a hefty price tag. But thanks to some enterprising souls in the District of Kau in the land of Aloha on the isle of Hawai'i, it can be seen on a budget. For just $35 a night or $800.00 a month you can stay at the Hastings Hawai'ian Hideaway while enjoying everything the Big Island has to offer. Great place for the Nature Enthusiast & Pet Lovers. It's a no frills concept, but not at the cost of comfort. We are located south of Kona nestled on the side of Mauna Loa boasting views of the Pacific & the southern most tip of the U.S. Ka Lae Hawai'i. Our airy and spacious home offers a large private room with queen bed & a full-size bathroom equipped with a hot shower to wash the beach away. T.V., High-speed internet, free local phone calls & use of a full kitchen are just a few of the amenities provided.

With a whole group of travelers out there in the world, who don't have the money resorts and hotels require or would rather spend that money having fun. We're here to accommodate them so they get the chance to enjoy every aspect of this amazing island to the fullest.

And that could take some time as The Big Island of Hawai'i claims twelve distinct climate zones, ranging from Hilo's tropical rain forests on the east side, through the sweeping fog-laden ranchlands of Waimea, across the coffee orchards of Kona in the west, down south to where we live is the coastline of Kau where you can see Black and Green Sand beaches . If you can imagine it, it exists. Where else could you gaze at a snowy mountaintop framed by swaying coconut trees as warm, sea waters wash sand through your toes?

The Big Island of Hawaii is truly a diamond in the rough. Especially, when it comes to surf. Of course, no one here wants you to know that. Yet, when you consider that the island of Hawaii is more than twice the size of the other Hawaiian Islands combined, there may be plenty of room, and waves, to go around.

Unfortunately, surfing on the Big Island is not that simple. Due to it's massive size and open accessibility to swells from all directions, there are an abundance of spots. Accessibility to them however, is the main dilemma. Owning a four wheel drive vehicle on the Big Island is the choice of serious surfers. If you don't have one, then you're quite simply going to be left out. Kona has it's fair share of decent surf. That's the civilized world though. Head south towards South Point (the southern most tip of land in the entire United States), or north towards the Kohala Coast (an area rich with Hawaiian history), and the surf experience becomes slightly more hard-core. Big Island spots are often remote meaning supplies become a definite necessity. Water is a must.
Raised in Kona on the Big Island, Shane Dorian provided the first hint to the outside surfing world that the Island of Hawaii had potential. Just being from the island was good enough. No pro surfer of any caliber unless you count body boarder Mike Stewart before him has returned so much recognition to his home island of Hawaii. Dorian has also shown that the Big Island was a possible breeding ground for young talent. Since then, Kona's Conan Hayes has followed in his footsteps. Now, they're setting the ASP circuit ablaze. They met each other years ago when Conan bought one of Shane's old boards. The two have been friends ever since. Together, they rode the fickle surf around nostalgic Kona. ÒBanyan's,Ó a formidable left-right combination breaking over sharp, shallow water filled with coral heads, was usually the choice. Here, the local crowd in the water resembles V-land in nature.
 
Across the horseshoe-shaped bay is "Lyman's". Prone to frequent speed changes, it's a long, often sluggish, but big left. Performance is the name of the game at either spot, separated by some three hundred yards. Dorian likes to tell the story that most surfers, who have lived here long enough, already know about. An estimated twelve foot tiger shark lives somewhere in the bay, often causing a panic in the water for those surfers who don't know he's been there for years and has never harmed anyone. It's good to note that shark attacks have been virtually nonexistent here, probably because the island's surrounding waters are loaded with marine life........big marine life! An example of this are the major billfish tournaments that take place annually. Fortunately, sharks are not part of the hunted creatures. Most stories in Hawaiian history about the "aumakua", seem to originate from the Big Island. These were animal helpers who were half god and half human, usually in the form of a shark. With this in mind, hopefully all the Aumakua off the Big Island are friendly. While there has not been an attack here in recent memory, sharks can often be spotted in the lineups at more recluse spots, such as mystic Waipio Valley.

No names, no directions, no clues. They would prefer you found it on your own. That includes a spot in Kona with a slight resemblance to Back-door Pipe, where coconut palms sway in the warm trades, and wild parrots squawk incessantly from among the trees.  One surfer who has made a few visits here is Shuji Kasuya. Shuji made an appearance on the Big Island, and managed to get in some good sessions at Anaehoomalu Bay and Pololu Valley.

On the Big Island, there are river mouths, point breaks, beach breaks, and some very shallow, nasty reef breaks. Perhaps the most epic spot, a picturesque right surrounded by a lush, uninhabited valley, is only accessible by boat or helicopter. On the Big Island, one thing is for sure, don't expect to surf at a lot of places with white sand beaches. In fact, there may only be just one, Hapuna Beach along the Kohala Coast. At the southern end of this half mile long stretch of white sand is Hapuna Point, a lodging right that breaks up to eight feet. Hapuna, which means "Springs of life," in the Hawaiian language is hardly a secret. It's currently the number one rated beach in all of America. Having a world class surf point here only helps matters. The winter months here are the best, and the more west in the swell direction the better. The Point at Hapuna is actually a 114 mile paddle out from the white sand beach. You CAN however, surf at places with black, green, or even gold sand. How's that for variety Speaking of which, variety is the name of the game here, whether it's surf or the numerous other things one can become involved in.

Take snow boarding for example. When measured from their true base upon the ocean floor, both 13,680 foot Mauna Loa and 13,796 foot Mauna Kea would respectively, be the tallest mountains in the world. Major storms often deposit snow at the summit's top. It's a sharp contrast to be standing amidst the warm sand at Hapuna Beach, surfboard tucked under your arm, and gaze up towards two massive snow capped mountains. Then the thought hits you, "Snow in Hawaii?" Most surfers on the Big Island have discovered it's best to have a snow board on hand too. You surf in the morning and head to Mauna Kea for the afternoon thaw-off. What possibly could be better than that?

Maybe a day at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a world unto itself displaying the effects of over 70 million years of volcanic activity. This massive park defines eco-diversity, with environments that range from sea level to the summit of the earth's most massive volcano, Mauna Loa at 13,677 feet. All that and live lava shows for just $10.00 per vehicle (a seven-day permit), $5.00 for pedestrians or bicyclists. For other Island info visit http://www.bigisland-bigisland.com/Big-Island-Ezine.html

For more info about us go to. http://www.freewebs.com/alwazss1/. Looking forward to hearing from you @ our email address alwazss1@gmail.com or give us a call us @ 808... AND LET'S TALK STORY.......OH & REMEMBER IF YOUR WEST COAST TIME ZONE WE ARE 2 HOURS BEHIND & IF EAST COAST TIME WE ARE 5 HOURS BEHIND......

MAHALO NUI LOA

GEORGE & MARY