Top 5 incredible must-do activities on Hawaii’s Big Island

There are so many incredible things to do on the Big Island of Hawaii. Here is a list of 5 amazing activities we did that should be on your itinerary:

1. Manta Ray night dive. One of the most amazing experiences of my life. Read details here and watch some of my video below:

2. Swimming with wild dolphins in the ocean. I’m not comfortable with dolphins in captivity and so this was the perfect way to see these incredible animals. Many wild dolphin excursions just go to where they sleep during the day and bother the animals that way. We found an excursion that took the extra effort to avoid that by dropping us in the ocean along the dolphins’ path home from hunting. We swam with a pod of 50 wild dolphins and I can’t imagine any captivity dolphin activities beating that thrill. Read more here and watch some of my video below:

3. Snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay. The undersea landscape there inspired elements of Finding Nemo. There are so many beautiful fish and coral that this is a must for snorkel fans. Read more here and watch some of my video below:

4. Volcanoes National Park tour. There is so much to see on the island that taking a 10 hour tour might be the best way for get a nice overview of everything. The Volcano tours take you through several climate zones present on the island. Read more here and watch some of my video below:

5. Black Sand Beach at Punalu’u lives up to it’s moniker: the black sand makes for a unique beach worth visiting. Read more here and watch some of my video below:

Honorable mentions: Mauna Kea excursion and Hilo helicopter tour. We were booked on both of these (you have to book months in advance), and they were both cancelled at the last minute due to weather. The Mauna Kea tours give you some of the best star filled skies you will ever see when the weather cooperates. The helicopter tour we were booked on was on an open door helicopter that went in close to an active volcano. Unfortunately that tour is often cancelled due to rain.