What a gem! This place was beyond expectation. The condo is clean and full of light. The salt-water pool (which I understand is going to be upgraded) was a quick stroll down the path. The pool and grilling area includes a hot tub, and plenty of tables and chairs to allow you to laze in the wide open space to enjoy sea, sky and stars—and grilled meals.
The community of guests was friendly and welcoming. I was traveling alone, and struck up many fun conversations with other residents and guests.
What really knocked me out was the black sand beach down the street. It was a 10-minute walk, (or a 1-minute car ride) down to Punalu'u Beach. I went down each morning to take photographs, mostly having the beach to myself. The blue ocean crashing on the coastline of lava rock is stunning and wild. But the swimming beach is very accessible, with friendly and attentive lifeguards. So I felt safe swimming and snorkeling. Of course, the turtles are a big feature of the experience, and when you spend the afternoon there, it's wonderful to watch newcomers delight in spotting their first turtle.
I was super excited to visit Volcanoes National Park, which is just 40 minutes north. Bring lots of layers, and prepare for wind and sprinkling rain. Once you leave the warm coast near the condo, you ascend to around 4,000 feet, and the Volcanoes Visitor Center near the Crater can be a chilly place. (My two layers were not enough so I had to buy a shirt at the gift shop). But if you enter the park and drive the 45-minute through the lava fields back to the coast—which is a phenomenal ride with about a dozen epic scenic spots along the way!—prepare to strip the layers back off, because it's very hot again near the ocean. Bring lots of water!
I had dinner twice at the Volcano House, which had tall glass windows overlooking the massive crater with active steam vents. (Don't worry, the volcano is safe, and is not active as in 2018). I got the delicious dinner salad with locally sourced produce and the fresh catch of the day. I was a repeat offender in consumption of the coffee cheesecake. But the view was really the highlight of the meal.
Tom and Christen were phenomenal hosts! They were super responsive, and provided a huge, detailed list of locally activities. Their care and attention to my whole experience was unparalleled. Not only did they offer warm and generous hospitality, their place really is exceptional. To have that gorgeous beach down the road, and the park just a quick drive north was all I wanted for my stay.
To be honest, I was really concerned about the weather. I'd spent my first three days in Kona—with blue-sky and warm sun—and was looking at the weather app for the nearby town Pahala which said rain, rain, rain for every day of my trip. I thought I would have to make day trips to the other side of the island to see the sun again. Not so! While we may have had quickly-passing rain showers on some evenings, or some passing clouds in the afternoon, the weather was lovely. So please don't be put off by whatever your weather app says. And for a white-winter-skinned Seattleite like me, it was actually great to have intermittent breaks from the blazing sun.
I came home, and began looking at return flights. So in short, highly recommended!