The airport carved out of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa lava flows looks like its in the middle of giant tar wasteland. There have been spectacular attempts to breath life into this wasteland. Hapuna Beach just north of the airport is considered one the most beautiful beaches in the world. Some of the best golfing in the world is to be found. But the Big Island by law has been dulled down.
All street lights are the Island are dulled down to shades of yellow to protect the observatories.
However, we got a big time bounding by visiting the Wai'po Valley on the northeast coast. It is hands down the most beautiful place I ever seen in my life. There's an unremarkable picnic shelter there. The big payoff is a black sand beach with perfect body surfing waves and the payoff of payoffs a waterfall that flows into the ocean. A trail zig zags up the next cliff and on into the Waimo Valley.