Mother Nature has been generous in her gifts to this island but also ample in displaying her rugged beauty. The Big Island proudly wears 300 miles of beautiful coastline like a crown, inset with both white sand and black sand beaches. And it shines in the still active and awe-inspiring volcanic activity that brings so many to these shores. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The Big Island is also the youngest in the Hawaiian chain, and is, in fact, still expanding. Since its eruption in 1983, Mount Kilauea has been adding thousands of cubic yards of lava to the island almost every day. Be sure to enhance your vacation with a visit to this awesome spectacle of nature.

Sometimes remembered for its coffee, the area around Kona on the dry, sunny west coast of the island has all of the shopping, fine dining and nightlife the discerning traveler could desire. The eastern side of the island is wetter and is decorated with tropical rain forests. In fact, eleven of the world's 14 known climate zones can be found on Hawaii. This startling range of climates can take you from rain forest to desert and from tropical beaches to snow capped mountains.

America's orchid capital, the city of Hilo on the island's east side, has the perfect conditions for growing tropical plants and is renowned for its botanical gardens. The Big Island also has the honor of being America's furthest southern point and the world's tallest mountain, Mount Kea, which reaches 33,476 feet from the ocean floor to its peak high above the island

Also known as the Orchard Isle, the Big Island is larger than all the rest of Hawaii's main islands combined. This means a little advance planning is a wise idea to get the most of your time here. Begin your journey to these lush mountain vistas and sunny shores within these pages.