Book Kailua-Kona hotels

In Kona, Hawaii, you can get sporty in the wind and waves or chill out with seahorses. Oh, and do we need to mention that the tropical weather in this region makes for a fine cup of coffee? And you thought the local surf crowd was fuelled by a good night’s sleep and vitamin D! Got a few days off? You could call out and camp out in your backyard for a weekend, or you could book a holiday to Kona and hang 10 with dolphins and watch the sunset over Kealakekua Bay. No contest.

Located on the west coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, Kona is divided into a North and South District, comprising several towns, including Kailua-Kona, Kealakekua, Honaunau and Honalo. You’ll have no problem finding accommodation in Kona’s waterfront areas, as luxey resorts and cosy bungalows line the sandy coast. Wanna see the other islands? Book other Hawaii hotels and explore the “Aloha State”.

Things to Do in Kona

In Kona, dolphins are a big deal. You can even swim with them in the district’s largest city, Kailua-Kona, with the help of island guides. So, watch a few episodes of Flipper in preparation for making new mates. If you’re thinking, “that’s nice, but where’s the coffee?”, wander south to the village of Captain Cook, home of Kona Coffee Living History Farm. You can explore the region’s Japanese-American heritage and slurp down some samples of premium joe. Once you guzzle the world-class Kona brews, you'll never look at your morning Nescafe the same way again. When you’re all keyed up on the caffeine, head to the beach for snorkelling, windsurfing and getting your lazy on. Which beach, you ask? Snorkellers can hit up Honaunau Beach in South Kona while North Kona’s Kua Bay Beach is a quiet local favourite with calm currents. After watching the sun set over the water, get back to Kailua-Kona, a city with a hopping nightlife. Close down the club, then close out a whirlwind trip in one of the Kona hotels near the airport. Pro tip: If you indulge in a few of Hawaii’s special mai tais, don’t forget that coconut water and bag of beans you picked up at the Kona Farmers Market.

Getting To & Around Kona

Touch down at Kona International Airport (KOA), about 12 km north of downtown Kailua-Kona. Unless you want to give yourself over to laid-back “island time”, driving wins out over public transport. Lucky for you, lastminute.com.au has some fantastic car hire deals, too. So fill the boot with your snorkelling gear and cruise over to one of those beachfront hotels in Kona, stat.

Best Time to Visit Kona

The weather is tops year-round, but you might want to plan around festivals like King Kamehameha Day Celebration in June and the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival in November. So when is the “best time” for you to sip a darn good cup of coffee and swim with dolphins and seahorses? “Any time” would be the correct answer. We’ve got candy-sweet deals on Kona accommodation and airfares. Book your flights to Kona now and get going.