Ocean
Manta Ray Night Snorkel
Float above lit ocean water after dark as Kona's resident manta rays somersault inches beneath you, the Big Island's single most unforgettable hour.
Culture
Hawaiian Tea Farm Tasting
Hawai'i Island's volcanic soil and mountain mist grow tea worth crossing the island for. Tour the garden, learn the craft, and taste small-batch leaves at the source.
Few people know Hawai’i grows tea, but the wet, high ground on the island’s east side, cool nights, volcanic soil, and constant mountain mist, turns out small-batch leaves with real character. A farm visit walks you through the garden and the drying and rolling that follow the harvest.
The reward is a tasting flight at the source, white, green, and black from the same hillside, plus a farm store to carry some home. Our concierge pairs it with a Hawai’i Volcanoes day, since the two sit on the same misty side of the island.
Good to know
Is it worth the drive on its own?
Most guests fold it into a Hawai'i Volcanoes day, since the tea farms sit in the cool, misty uplands on the same side of the island. Our concierge builds the loop so nothing feels rushed.
What does the tasting include?
You get a tasting flight of small-batch leaves grown on the same hillside, often white, green, and black from a single garden. Many farms also have a store where you can carry some home.
How long does a visit take?
A garden tour and tasting typically runs about an hour to ninety minutes, walking you through the growing, drying, and rolling that follow the harvest. It is an unhurried, hands-on stop rather than a quick one.
Do we need to book ahead?
Yes, these are small family farms that welcome guests by arrangement, so we suggest calling a couple of days ahead. We are glad to help you set up a visit and fit it neatly into your day.
What should we wear?
The upland farms near Volcano sit high and misty, so it runs cooler and often damp compared with the coast. Bring a light layer and closed shoes for the garden paths, especially after rain.
More ways to spend the day
Culture
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau (Place of Refuge)
A sacred place of forgiveness on a lava point of carved ki'i, royal fishponds, and swaying palms. One of Hawaii's most powerful cultural sites, and its best preserved.
Ocean
Kealakekua Bay Kayak & Snorkel
Paddle a glassy marine sanctuary to the Captain Cook Monument, where spinner dolphins pass and the reef drops into some of Hawaii's clearest water.