Hawaii's Green Sand Beach

If you don't have a 4x4 vehicle, you can walk to this beach from South Point. It is 3 miles each way, no shade, no facilities. Bring lots of water and your walking shoes. If you don't want to hike and still don't have a 4x4 vehicle, there are some very nice taxi drivers who will drop you at the beach for a fee.

We think it's great that so many people are discovering this unique and wonderful beach, but want to remind folks about a few things. Please don't remove the green sand from the beach. We know it is pretty and special, but if everyone takes some, there eventually won't be any left at all. Also, this area of the island is the site where the first Polynesians landed in Hawaii and is a very special place for the Hawaiian people.

Want to do something great for Hawaii that shows you really care about our lovely islands? Bring a bag with you when heading out for Green Sands and help pick up some of this trash.

Most of this trash washes in from the ocean, but since we all want to enjoy this beautiful coastline, why not help keep it beautiful?

Mahalo!

Got great pictures of your adventures around the Big Island? Submit them to BigIslandMotorcycleCo [at] yahoo.com and we'd love to publish them here on our blog!

Insider Tip of the Week: whales, whales, whales!

The humpback whales have officially returned to Hawaiian waters! During winter the humpbacks migrate down from Alaska to birth their babies in warmer seas. The Kona coast of the Big Island is a great place to catch some whale action. Humpbacks are known for their spectacular breaches (jumps out of the water) so you won't want to miss it!

The best way to experience whale watching is to get up close and personal on a boating adventure. No matter your boating style, we can book a great whale watching excursion for you! There are big boats, small boats, fast boats, and calm boats, let us set you up! Come on in to the shop any day from 9:30am-7pm, call us at 808-886-2011 or write to BigIslandMotorcycleCo [at] yahoo.com

Are you more of a landlubber? Lucky for you there are some breathtaking whale watch spots right on the shore and we will be happy to point you in the right direction, just come on in and see us, maps are free!

Insider Tip of the Week: know your lava flows

What's a trip to the Big Island without a visit to the volcano? Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is enormous and deserves a full day of exploration. You may be surprised to hear that the actual lava flow viewing area is located outside the national park near a town called Kalapana. Not only that, but the flow moves around frequently and sometimes doesn't flow at all. So get in the know and call ahead of time to get information on where and when you can see the flow:

Civil Defense Recorded Lava Hotline:
808-961-8093

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, recorded update:
808-985-6000

Another option is to take a guided tour that will take you directly to all the great sites, drive you around, and even feed you. A major plus in going with a tour is that you do not have to navigate Hawaii's very dark (no street lights) roads at night, as night time is the best for viewing the lava.

Lucky for you, we can book volcano tours right here at Big Island Motorcycle Co. or set you up with a motorcycle to cruise out there in style. It happens to be one of the best rides on the island.

To make a reservation call 808-886-2011 or write BigIslandMotorcycleCo [at] yahoo.com

On the road again

My husband is an avid motorcyclist and this blog came about because together we own a motorcycle tour company on the Big Island of Hawaii. We want our customers to be able to get to get to know us and give us feedback on what they want in a tour. And as always we are more than willing to share vacation tips and advice.

Like I said my husband is an avid motorcyclist. The truth is it had been nearly four years since my last ride on a motorcycle when I went for a spin on the Yamaha he recently got for me. "You need to get back on the road," he said. And he was right in so many ways. Heart pounding and knees shaking I climbed on for that first ride. Even though it was only around the block I was reminded that there is nothing else in the world like motorcycling. The rush, the confidence, the speed, the joy. Boy had I been missing out.

So I was a little rusty, and I got chased by a killer dog, and I killed the engine a few times. It's ok because I know that with a few more days of practice I'll be out on the open road and loving it.