The Big Island was the perfect first stop on our Hawaiian honeymoon, or ‘Wundermoon’ as I called it. One of the many things I adore about Matt is he’s a “mile-a-minute-traveler” just like I am so we crammed as much as we could into our Wundermoon. We did a ton of little things in addition to our bigger adventures, so I thought I would share a handful of photos from our bonus adventures and share a couple of favorites again.
One of my favorite things about the Big Island is the ever-changing landscape. I love the mountains, volcanoes, lavas, fields of flowers, shorelines, cliffs, rainforests… It’s unbelievable! We had pull over for this photo because I loved the clouds rolling over the green hills, the dark volcanic soil and these stunning pink flowers. So beautiful!
The landscape is just stunning. Plus, when you get closer to towns you can find all kinds of roadside stands selling fresh, local fruits. We stopped to get a pound of lychees which were just about to be out of season. So much yumminess!
This was the sunrise our last morning on the Big Island. I love beautiful skies and when the moon is out and glowing it’s even more beautiful!
‘Akaka Falls was stunning in every light. The soft, morning light [left] and sunrise [right] were both stunning. The middle photo is Matt + me at the Green Sand Beach. We hiked to his beach and marveled in the fact that it’s one of four in the entire world!
Being lovey-dovey on the Black Sand Beach. I just love this man + our adventures so very much!
Plane windows not only are wanderlusty for me, but now they make me think of Matt because he has this childlike-wonder about him when he looks out the window. It’s so adorable. We also got a little lounge-time in on the Manini’owali White Sand Beach over on the Kona-side [west side] of the island.
Manini’owali White Sand Beach – beautiful! I love the way that the white brings out the aqua in the ocean. It’s just so beautiful!
Being a coffee-lover I had to have Kona Coffee from the source! So, we stopped at the Kona Coffee Museum. It was free to enter and there were lots of different exhibits about the history of coffee, Mark Twain’s travels + experience with the coffee, loads of samples of teas + coffees and so much more! Matt sampled teas, not being a coffee drinker, and then I had to get an iced coffee to go!
The main reason that I wanted to visit The Big Island was Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and it was such a joy to see these volcano glow at night! So. Much. Magic.
I hope you enjoyed the first part of our Wundermoon and stay tuned for the next part of the Wundermoon series – KAUA’I!
Come along on my adventures by subscribing to my blog. Simply enter your email and get updates on new locations and experiences. [Subscribe below this post or to the right.]
23 Comments
Jen
August 30, 2016 at 8:11 pmBeautiful pictures! Congratulations on your wundermoon!
Paige Wunder
August 30, 2016 at 11:33 pmThank you so much, Jen! Have you been to the Big Island?
Vyjay
August 31, 2016 at 7:32 amThere are so many beautiful things in this Big island and must say you have captured them so well in the pictures. 🙂
Paige Wunder
September 1, 2016 at 2:10 pmThank you so much! I so enjoyed my time here and can’t wait to get back! Have you been?
Cori Carl
August 31, 2016 at 8:46 amLovely! One of these days I need to make it to Hawaii so I can say I’ve been to all 50 states! I love the coffee museum — I’ll absolutely have to go to that.
Paige Wunder
August 31, 2016 at 8:49 amThis was my 50th state! I put it off for last, not being a beach person, but there’s seriously so much to do and see here. It’s a nature-lover’s paradise! We hiked over 40 miles in our time in Hawaii!
Laura @ Grassroots Nomad
August 31, 2016 at 11:28 amWe’ve never been to Hawaii but I’m dying to visit all those volcanoes – they look incredible!!!
Paige Wunder
September 1, 2016 at 2:11 pmWhen you go, I think that you’ll just fall in love. I wasn’t expecting to and I think about going back all the time!
thetravelpockets
August 31, 2016 at 2:19 pmI absolutely love Hawaii and can’t wait to go back again. I didn’t get a chance to do some of the fun things you did like visit Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. I really want to go there next time. I also love coffee and really want to visit the Kona Coffee Museum. How did I miss that?!?!?
Paige Wunder
September 1, 2016 at 2:13 pmWhich Islands did you visit other than The Big Island? What was your favorite thing on the Big Island? The coffee museum wasn’t massive, but it was just off the side of the room. It was a few stories tall with a big porch that overlooked a small coffee plantation with their processing equipment. It was really cool!
aberkholtz
August 31, 2016 at 2:44 pmLooks gorgeous, OF COURSE! I love the big island, it was definitely my favorite of all the ones we went to! But that also mightve been cause we went to a nudist beach hahahahahah 😉
Paige Wunder
September 1, 2016 at 2:16 pmI didn’t even think to look up a nudist beach! Haha. That would definitely be a new experience for me! What was your favorite thing on the Big Island – other than the nudies of course 😉
Fern Coll
August 31, 2016 at 11:46 pmThese photos look awesome! Especially the beach ones. Looks like you had so much fun! 🙂
Paige Wunder
September 1, 2016 at 2:17 pmThanks! It was definitely a blast! I can’t wait to go back! Have you been?
wanderingwagarschristina
September 1, 2016 at 1:08 pmThe Big Island is so amazing. It looks like you had a lot of fun stopping at various beaches. I love how almost every beach there is photo-worthy.
Paige Wunder
September 1, 2016 at 2:18 pmYou’re so right! Plus, they’re all different colors! My next beach agenda is a pink sand beach! What was your favorite thing on the Big Island?
thewordhermit
September 1, 2016 at 2:37 pmHawaii Volcanoes National Park is at the top of my bucket list, but I’d happily spend a long time exploring the big island. Unlike you, I’m a slow traveler. You’re photos are stunning!
Paige Wunder
September 1, 2016 at 3:03 pmWe would love to go back and spend a long time, but it didn’t fit into our budget to stay in Hawai’i a long time, but we fit more into our 4 days than most people I personally know fit into 2 weeks! We loved our time there and can’t wait to go back!
thewanderlusteur
September 1, 2016 at 3:15 pmHawaii is definitely magical – Polynesian influences, yet with comforts of America. I’m a similar traveller – like to cram in as much sights as possible! 🙂
Paige Wunder
September 1, 2016 at 3:17 pmIt can be exhausting, can’t it? But I always think it’s so very worth it! What was your favorite thing in Hawaii?
Joella (RovingJo)
September 1, 2016 at 8:17 pmBetween the lychees coffee and views I am sold. How much time do you think is the perfect amount to see most everything but not feel rushed? I tend to struggle with this.
Paige Wunder
September 1, 2016 at 8:42 pmHaha! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. We did all of this and still had some downtime on the beaches and in Hilo in four days. We were up before the sun and went until the sun went down. But I feel we could’ve had even more time. I would say you can do a lot in four days, obviously, but I think a week would’ve been even better!
casstravels
September 4, 2016 at 4:01 amIsn’t Hawaii just amazing?! As a big traveller myself, I think it’s so great that you have similar travel styles! I am absolutely not a mile-a-minute traveller, and always feel a bit bad when I travel with one because I like to plod along slowly, somewhat unplanned! Great that you’re on the same page 🙂