Ring Around the Island

Kona Chips were a big hit, too!

There was no need to get breakfast after we checked out of the hotel because R's cousin gave us a big bag of "made in Hawaii" snacks last night. Maebo's One-Ton Chips are my new favorite!

Before leaving Hilo, we stopped at Big Island Candies to buy some of their signature dipped shortbread cookies to bring home. Added bonus - free samples!

Last stop - Two Ladies Kitchen to fetch more mochi. Pre-ordering is definitely the way to go, since we could skip to the front of long line that had already started forming this morning. Their strawberry mochi is so good!

With Hilo in our rearview mirror, we started the drive back to the Kona side. Rather than taking the Saddle Road, which passes by Mauna Kea, we decided go counter-clockwise around the north side of the island through Honokaʻa and Waimea on Highway 19 instead. Following the Shaka Guide audio tour, we opted to check out the Onomea scenic drive. We stopped to view a waterfall, but had a bit more excitement watching some daredevils jump from the one-lane wooden bridge into the water below.

 

The tour put us back onto Mamalahoa Highway for a bit, before sending us mauka (towards the mountain) on another scenic detour. 

Waikaumalo Stream

Spam musubi, loco moco, mahi mahi plate, malasadas

In Honokaʻa, we stopped for lunch at Tex Drive In. Naturally, we needed to conduct a Saiki-delic taste test of their malasadas. 

Boys:  Punaluʻu, because their malasadas were heavier and the fillings were creamier

Me:  Tex, because their malasadas were lighter

R:  Leonard's Bakery on Oʻahu

Hmmm, I guess another trip to Hawaiʻi is needed for a truly fair comparison... 

Since we wanted to go snorkeling again, we stopped first at Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area, one of the largest white sand beaches on the island. However, it was pretty crowded, and there was very little shade.

So, we continued a little further south to Waialea Beach (aka Beach 69), which turned out to be a much nicer spot to park ourselves for the afternoon. The water wasn't as clear here as where we were yesterday, but we all had fun looking at fish and searching for turtles.

Yellow tang

Honu

For our last two nights on the island, we checked back in to the same hotel in Kailua-Kona where we started. And for dinner, we went to Umeke's Fish Market, another restaurant featured on DDD. The food was great, but our server, not so much...

Top: poke balls, macadamia nut-encrusted ono
Bottom: kalbi and chicken teriyaki