Big Island Active and Adventure Travel Guide

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Big Island Active and Adventure Travel Tips

By Ben Sumner

The Big Island of Hawaii should be on any road biker's dream list. Join a tour, such as Kona Coast Cycling Tours, peddle along the Ironman route from Kailua-Kona to Hawi, or embark on your own adventure-on-wheels around the island.
With miles of lava fields and rainforests to explore, not to mention waterfalls and caves, hikers will have plenty to take in as they trek through the island's amazing landscape. The Big Island is home to 11 of the world's 13 climactic regions.
Outrigger canoeing is the Big Island's top competitive sport, and beach enthusiasts will find the Big Island to be a haven for snorkeling, scuba diving, and surfing.
Adventurers who want to ride the Hawaiian range on horseback will find many options on the island, particularly the Waipi'o Valley.

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Feature Articles

Island Hopper, Island Hiker
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Paths to the Past
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Don't just hike—follow in the footsteps of famous explorers and naturalists
GORP Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - Backcountry Hiking
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GORP Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - Hiking
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GORP Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - Scenic Driving and Biking
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Practical Advice

Rising to the Challenge
How do you learn to conquer a snow-covered mountain—and your fears? Simple. Go with Wyoming's Exum Mountain Guides, the leaders in mountaineering training.
How to Build a Snow Cave
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Ask ten people how to make a snow cave and you'll get ten different answers. Winter-survival expert Greg Davenport, 49, ends the debate. Here's his definitive guide to making a bomber backcountry bunker.
What Andrew McLean, Ski Mountaineer, Brings
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McLean, 47, is one of the world's most accomplished backcountry skiers, with first descents on every continent—and more than 100 total. This spring, he's off to Greenland for a few more. Here's what he's packing.
Playing It Safe
Tout, scam, trickery, pickpockets, or downright theft—any one of 'em can turn a trip of a lifetime into a lifelong lesson. Here's how to avoid bad experiences.
Fix a Busted Tire with a Buck
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Flatten your bike tire on a thorn and you can patch the inner tube or swap in a new one—no problem. Damage the tire itself (say, by tearing your sidewall on a sharp rock)—much bigger problem. Here's a quick field solution to keep you on the roll.

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GORPtravel Adventure Trips & Guided Tours

Hawaii Three Islands Hiker
The World Outdoors
from $3698, 8 days
Hike the lunar landscape of Haleakala Crater and the verdant, soaring cliffs of the Na Pali Coast. Trek near colorful Waimea Canyon and stark...
Hawaii: Volcanoes and the Kailua-Kona Coast Hiker
Timberline Adventures
from $2195, 6 days
Vast, surreal lava fields streaming from towering, massive mountains that rise from the ocean floor; a lush remote valley whose parameters are...

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Gear

What You Need: Ski Mountaineering
The gear you need to strap on, pack up, wear, and shed to get up—and back down—a serious mountain.
Gear of the Year
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Wilier Triestina Izoard
Women's Road Biking
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Race Upgrades
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KTM Adventure 990
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Expedition Ready

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Fitness

Four Steps to Peak Agility
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Without agility, working out is just bodybuilding.
Cutting-Edge Sports Gear
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The athletic equipment that made the cut for our second annual celebration of the best in design and technology.
Revolutionary New Gear
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Outside's guide to the best new concepts in gear, garb, human performance, and green.
Are the Mountains Killing Your Brain?
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Alarming new science shows that thin air can wreck brain cells—at lower altitudes than you'd think. Here's how to protect yourself.
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Attractions

Kealakekua Bay Historical Park

Pu'uhonoa Road and Mamalahoa Highway
Kealakekua, Hawaii 96750

Expert Rated & Recommended

Native Guide Hawaii

HC2 Box 6908
Keaau
Hawai'i, Hawaii 96749

Description: Join your friendly, native Hawaiian host, Warren Costa, for a day of learning, sharing, and true... Read More

Editor Rated & Recommended