Hawaii’s Big Island is the ideal paradise for a couple’s getaway. For visitors wanting to mix romance and repose with adrenaline and adventure, the island boasts a diverse landscape offering unique opportunities to reconnect with your beloved in an exquisite setting.
Whether it’s strolling hand-in-hand along a glittery green sand beach, night time swimming with massive manta rays or watching the sunset aboard a helicopter or catamaran, there are countless, incredibly romantic places to visit and activities to enjoy with your partner.
Here’s a selection of the most romantic ideas for a honeymoon on Hawaii Big Island.
Liliuokalani Park and Gardens
Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo is a beautiful Japanese-inspired park featuring rock gardens, pagodas, stone lanterns, arching bridges over koi ponds, and even a traditional teahouse. Couples can pack a picnic and stroll through the peaceful 34-acre garden before finding a spot to spread a blanket on the vast lawn.
Enjoy panoramic views of Hilo Bay from the edge of the garden or use the picturesque backdrop of bridges, ponds and sculptures to take memorable photos. Admission to the garden is free. For a more solitary experience, plan a visit during the week because the garden is popular with local folk on weekends.
Location: 49 Banyan Dr, Hilo, HI 96720, USA
Open: 24/7
Pololu Valley Lookout
Drive to Pololu Valley Lookout for spectacular views of Big Island’s dramatic northeastern Kohala coastline. The viewpoint lies at the end of Highway 270 in North Kohala. From here, you can see the blue ocean crashing into jagged rocks and enjoy inspiring vistas of the impressive, verdant sea cliffs.
Couples wanting a touch of adventure can take a short (25-minute) but steep hike past rows of ironwood trees down to a black-sand beach on the valley floor. The unspoilt shoreline and powerful waves will leave you awe. Inside tip for early-bird couples: the lookout is a superb spot to watch the sunrise. Arriving early also means you’ll have a chance of snagging a coveted parking space.
Location: 52-5100 Akoni Pule Hwy, Kapaau, HI 96755, USA
Waipio Valley
Waipio Valley was once the permanent home for Hawaiian royalty and is a breathtaking setting on the northeastern coast of the island. With untamed beauty of 600-meter cliffs, sublime beaches, wild horses, and spellbinding waterfalls and swimming holes, it’s perfect for a romantic excursion.
From the Waipio Valley lookout point, couples can hike down through the valley to reach a secluded black-sand beach. The 10-km roundtrip includes several vertical meters and isn’t for the faint of heart – but the trek does promise majestic vistas of this sacred place.
Location: 48-5561 Honokaa-Waipio Rd Honokaa, HI 96727, USA
Hit Big Island’s secluded beaches
Couples looking for a romantic beach day can consider Waialea Bay, also known as Beach 69, located on the gorgeous Kohala Coast. This rugged and charming golden-sand beach is lined with ancient kiawe trees which divide the sand into separate coves; creating a semi-private, all-day shady spot for couples seeking quality time together. There is also a mix of tide pools and rock formations teeming with sea life, so bring along your snorkeling gear.
For an adventurous day with stunning scenery, enjoy an 8-km roundtrip hike to Green Sand Beach situated inside the remains of an eroded volcanic crater, near the southern tip of the island. The beach’s magical and peculiar green sand is due to fragmented olivine crystals. If you arrive early, the remoteness of this beach means you may have the beach all to yourselves.
Get an oceanside spa treatment
Hawaii’s Big Island is home to some of the best spas in the world. Treatments here are unique since they incorporate local ingredients, tropical fragrances and even lava rocks. Couples wanting to escape their everyday routine and replenish their soul amid a backdrop of Hawaii’s stunning natural beauty can book a rejuvenating outdoor spa treatment at the ultra-luxurious Fairmont Orchid’s “Spa Without Walls”.
With the soothing sounds of waves crashing in the background, you and your partner will be treated to a Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage and an exfoliation of the back and feet. Up the romance factor and enjoy a bottle of bubbly after your massage.
Find Big Island’s gorgeous waterfalls
Hawaii Big Island boasts several impressive waterfalls. You can see 2 of the island’s most incredible waterfalls at Akaka Falls State Park. The 800-meter loop trail takes you through fantastic greenery to reach the 134-meter Akaka Falls which fiercely cascades into a deep gorge. Continue further along the path to observe the smaller yet beautiful Kahuna Falls.
Head to Rainbow Falls, just 5 minutes from Hilo’s historic downtown, in the early morning, and you might witness a rainbow in its waters. The picturesque spot with tropical vegetations makes it ideal for a romantic picnic. Adventurous couples can hike into the lush Waipio Valley to see the 440-meter Hi’ilawe Falls, one of tallest waterfalls in Hawaii, in all its glory as it tumbles over rocky outcrops into the valley.
Enjoy a romantic sunset cruise
A couple’s trip to Hawaii won’t be complete without a cruise to see the world-famous Kona sunset with your beloved by your side. During the unforgettable journey aboard a smooth-sailing catamaran, you can share a kiss or take photos of the fabulous Kona coastline as the golden orange sun sinks into the shimmering blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. If you’re lucky, you can watch dolphins racing alongside the boat. With a cocktail in hand, this is the perfect start to an evening in paradise.
Go night swimming with manta rays
With a wingspan reaching up to 5.5 meters, swimming with manta rays at night in their natural habitat is a thrilling experience – one that you and your partner will talk about for years to come. After a late afternoon boat ride along the Kona coast, you’ll reach one of the viewing sites. The manta rays feed on planktons which are attracted to the bright light brought by tour operators and come very close to the surface.
You’ll jump into the water with your snorkel guide and float while the majestic manta rays swim, somersault and perform a graceful nighttime ballet in the light below. Scuba divers often sit on the ocean floor and enjoy the action from below. Only certified scuba divers can join a night dive.