One should definitely visit all the areas of the Big Island, time permitting, but no single factor will affect your vacation or honeymoon experience more profoundly than where you choose to stay. We're often asked for our opinion on this topic, so here goes...

The "Kona side" is the dry, sunny side of the island, where you'll find the charming village of Kailua-Kona, diverse dining and shopping options, world-famous sandy beaches, and spectacular ocean sunsets.

The Kohala Coast north of Kona is host to several sprawling resorts and convention hotels, known for the highest room rates in the Islands. The surrounding geography is typified by desolate lava fields, providing a stark contrast to the scattered landscaping inside the resorts.

The central Kona area is the home of numerous mid-market condo developments and a handful of older hotels, set in a bustling urban/industrial environment. These accommodations are close to golf courses and department stores, but grappling with the challenges of burgeoning traffic noise and high-density living. Though the temperatures at the shore are quite hot, not all condo complexes feature air conditioning.

South Kona is dotted with Bed and Breakfast Inns (B&Bs), as well as a few vacation rentals. B&B accommodations range from a bedroom in a private home to free-standing units, with limited or nonexistent privacy. Rates include a simple breakfast, usually continental-style.

In contrast, a vacation rental is a separate dwelling with a kitchen, usually offering all the comforts and amenities of a full residence. Rates are "European Plan" (no meals included), leaving guests free to prepare their own meals and/or explore West Hawaii's numerous dining experiences.

The "Hilo side" is the wet, rainy side of the island, with average rainfall of 180 inches or more. The city of Hilo boasts the Big Island's biggest population center and oldest industrial district. Unfortunately, East Hawaii is currently plagued by an epidemic of Puerto Rican Coqui frogs, which emit a shrill piercing sound that makes sleeping difficult for some people.

The pastoral Waimea district, known as "Paniolo" country, has no ocean access and limited lodging options. Home of Parker Ranch, the world's largest cattle ranch, the climate is typified by persistent wind and turbulent, unpredictable weather.

The Hamakua coast, along the northeast part of the island, until the 1990s was covered with sugarcane plantations. Often windy and rainy, the area hosts a small number of basic B&B accommodations on converted pasture land.

South Point is a highly secluded agricultural area, known for its strong, driving winds and the remnants of a never-completed resort development.

In the Volcano area are numerous lodging options inside the park and in neighboring Volcano Village, ranging from inexpensive lodges with basic accommodations to a handful of high-priced vacation houses. Situated at an altitude of 4,000 feet, this area is usually chilly and often rainy. Hapu'u (Hawaiian ferns) are the predominant form of vegetation.

We think our special slice of paradise in South Kona offers the ideal fusion of climate, temperature, tropical ambience, and close proximity to the joys of the Kona Coast. And, of course, romance...

After all, that's why we live here ourselves.

Your hosts, Susan and Steve