Kona: Which Big Island Town Is Best. Choose Kona for its hotels and dry climate, Hilo for its hiking and rainforests. Or, rent a car and visit both.
Which airport is better Kona or Hilo?
Practical Differences Between Kona And Hilo AirportsHilo International Airport is located in Hilo Town on the east side of the island. In general, you'll want to keep in mind that Kona is sunnier and more popular with visitors. With that comes convenience, more activities, and a plethora of things to do nearby.
What makes Hilo special?
Downtown Hilo is the island of Hawaiʻi's biggest small town, featuring centuries-old wooden storefronts—many of which are on the National Register of Historic Places—housing a variety of sophisticated galleries, shops, restaurants and cultural sites.
Is Hilo or Kona better?
Is Hilo Hawaii touristy?
Fewer Resorts and Tourist Attractions than KonaHilo benefits from this general lack of major tourist activity, but the natural beauty, abundant attractions and incredible food present in Hilo bring visitors over that direction anyway.
What is special about Hilo?
A busy farming and fishing area in early times, Hilo evolved into a commercial center for the sugar industry in the 1800s. Downtown Hilo was built around its crescent-shaped bay and became the seat of county government. Today, Downtown Hilo is a charming town offering museums, art galleries, shops and restaurants.
Is the drive from Kona to Hilo safe?
The most direct route is the Saddle Road. It goes up in altitude between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, and so can experience fog. While the road itself is "safe", you should know that there are no lights and it is very very dark there. We usually advise people not to make this drive at night because it is so dark.
Is the drive from Kona to Hilo easy?
The fastest way to Hilo from Kona or Kona to Hilo is the Saddle Road route. If there's no traffic it will take approximately one and a half hours to to drive from downtown Kona to downtown Hilo without traffic. This is a great way to go if you don't intend to stop for food and you just want to get there.