Hawaii’s Port of Kona

The Port of Kona or Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii

Hawaii’s Big Island

It does seem confusing as the name of the island group is Hawaii, the name of the state is also Hawaii and the name of the island chain’s largest island is Hawaii too. This Pacific group of islands sits over a strong geological “hot spot” where magma erupts from the sea floor forming new land out of the volcanic cones. While the “hot spot” is fixed the Earth’s crust is moving north northwest leaving a chain of new islands behind. The newest and largest island in this chain is “The Big Island” of Hawaii which also explains why it is newest and is still dotted with a series of active volcanos.

Kona is one of the towns on Hawaii’s biggest island and it is the most undeveloped.

Kona is a favorite stop for cruise ships visiting the “Big Island” of Hawaii. Famous for its coffee, beaches and Volcano National Park on the island.

Where the Tenders Dock

There are no docking facilities so cruise ships anchor out, using tenders to get ashore. The tenders will dock right at the intersection of Palani Road and Ali’i Drive in the heart of town. Ali’i Drive runs along the waterfront and there are a number of restaurants and shops. Going straight up Palini about a mile will bring you to a Walmart, Post Office, Grocery and a Home Depot.

Transportation

The actual town is small and pedestrian friendly. If you want to get out into the countryside the best option is to rent a car which are available at a few agencies right in town.

Wheelchair Accessibility

Disembarking – This is normally a tender port as large cruise ships cannot be accommodated at its piers. Wheelchair bound passengers will encounter challenges both in getting on tenders as well as disembarking at the pier.

Port City Characteristics – This port has an average wheelchair infrastructure and the port area has moderate inclines in sidewalks. Intersection crosswalks may have curbs or other wheelchair obstacles.

Currency

Hawaii is a state in the United States and the currency is the U.S. Dollar. ATMs are readily available and most credit cards accepted.

Attractions

Kailua-Kona is a town on the west coast of Hawaii Island (the Big Island) with a few sites located near town. Hulihee Palace is a former royal vacation home dating from 1838. Mokuaikaua Church, from the 1800s, is Hawaii’s oldest Christian church. On Kailua Bay, reconstructed thatched houses at Kamakahonu National Historic Landmark are erected on the site of King Kamehameha I’s residence. There are a number of good coral reefs which located just off Kamakahonu Beach. Kona is also near to Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park with some nice hiking trails.

The “Big Island” of Hawaii is the largest and southern-most island in the State of Hawaii. It is home to The Volcano National Park which includes Kīlauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world’s most massive shield volcano. The other major town on Hawaii is Hilo on the southeast coast and another favorite stop for cruise ships.

Todays Featured Poster • Blue Mountains, Australia

The Blue Mountains are less than a two hour train trip out of Sydney making them an easy day trip. Known for soaring sandstone spires and ridges covered in native bushland. Visiting this wilderness area you’ll find quant mountain towns, Aboriginal rock art and the iconic attraction Scenic World with its cable cars.

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Emergency Travel Kits

We’re now getting back to traveling and we’re heading to Europe in just a few days, so it’s time to pull out our travel packs and take inventory. Our trips are usually from about two weeks to over a month and we always carry an emergency kit. Often the contents can seem trivial but experience has taught us some good lessons.

What To Include

We recommend that you keep an assembled collection ready to go so you don’t need to start from scratch before each trip.

Everybody has their own unique requirements but if you haven’t thought about what you might need while traveling here we offer some suggestions.

Eyeglass Repair Kit – Seems trivial but if you wear glasses and one of those tiny screws comes out and gets lost or a nose pad comes off you could have a big problem. A decent kit takes up no room and costs only a few dollars.

Anti-Bacterial and Bandaids – No brainer here. Again individual packets of Anti-Bacterial and a few bandaids take up no room and cost very little. Throw in a few packets of antiseptic wipes too.

A Miniature Tool Kit – There’s a whole world of pocket multi-tools out there to pick from. My favorite is a capped metal tube that holds a few screwdriver tips, a tweezer and a couple of allen wrench tips that mount on its end. It’s a little bigger that a fountain pen. We’ve stopped carrying those multi-tools in our backpack after TSA has confiscated a few of them. Now we keep one slipped into a suitcase pocket.

A Compact Flash Light – pick out a good one. I prefer one that has a white and a red light because it makes it easy to get around in the dark without waking your companion.

A Small Super Glue – You won’t appreciate this until you need it. Buy a multi-pack and carry one without opening it. If you need it this can be a lifesaver from broken glasses to a loose show sole. Military medics understand the importance of this one.

Odds & Ends – There’s a lot of ideas on add ons and I’ve got my favorites. A small magnifying glass, Q-tips, tweezers, single use eye drops, and a small pill bottle with an assortment of OTC meds*.

I keep a small plastic box ready all the time for a short trip and a larger zipper case for trips of several weeks. It helps to keep them up to date so you don’t have to think about what to take and where it is.

*For meds I include several pills of each that includes:

  • Imodium
  • Pepto Bismo
  • Asprin or ibupofin
  • A cough suppresent
  • Anti-acids
  • Decongestants

Most of this can be collected from your home medicine cabinet. For longer trips we also carry a bigger selection of meds to get us through a case of the flu or an infection and for more information on this CLICK HERE.

Todays Featured Poster • Saint Augustine

Perhaps a bit touristy, St. Augustine is still a historic town that was founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers. It is the oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in the United States with more than its share of interesting sites and attractions.

These giclée prints are available in several sizes and are custom printed for each order on archival paper using fade resistant inks. Perfect for adding travel memories to any decor.

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Port of Call Tenerife, Canary Islands

Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands

West of southern Morocco in the Atlantic Ocean sits a cluster of volcanic islands called The Canaries. The Canary Islands feature a rugged volcanic landscape known for the black and white sand beaches. Tenerife, the largest island, is dominated by an active volcano Mt. Teide, which has its own astronomical observatory and is part of Teide National Park. Tenerife hosts a huge pre-Lent Carnival each year in the capital of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Where Your Ship Docks

Most cruise ships will dock at the piers in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. There are no cruise terminals or readily available public facilities at the pier. While docked in the city it is still a fair walk to reach the central business district. At times there are free shuttles available to get out of the port area.

Wheelchair Accessibility

Disembarking – This port has a developed cruise ship pier but the ease of disembarking varies by the individual ships gangway designs. For passengers using wheelchairs there can be a moderate ramp incline to deal with but the distance from the dock into town can be significant.

Port City Characteristics – This port has an average wheelchair infrastructure typical of large cities. The port area has moderate inclines in sidewalks but it is some distance to the CBD. Some intersection crosswalks may have curbs or other wheelchair obstacles.

Transportation

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

The island does have a good bus system (CLICK HERE) that uses a pass card, the Ten+ Travel Card. It can be used on most all bus routes. The plastic card itself can be purchased at various outlets around the island for €2 plus a €5 minimum charge amount. The island of Tenerife is a large island covering almost 100 square miles with a trip from one end to the other being about fifty miles.

Because of the distances that you need to cover to see the island on a short visit it’s recommended that you rent a car or take a tour

Currency

The Canary Islands belong to Spain and are part of the EU making the local currency the Euro. Credit cards are widely accepted but you will need to use the Euro for cash transactions.

Attractions

Africa Market

Don’t miss an opportunity to just stroll the streets of Santa Cruz just a up from the cruise docks. There are a number of good cafes and restaurants, cafes and shopping with a city market called the African Market featuring its own restaurants, cafes, along with stalls of produce and crafts.

The Canary Islands are a favorite holiday destination for Europeans, particularly the British. It features a good selection of fine restaurants along with a thriving wine industry with a number of vineyards of note.

Because of the volcanic nature of the island there are a number of interesting sights focused on the geology. Visit the Cueva De Los Verdes, lava-formed tunnel which features guided tours. Also the Jameos del Agua, a volcanic cave system with dining & music that opens each day at 10 am.

Blessed with a near perfect climate, Tenerife has a number of good beaches like Playa de Amadores, a busy beach for swimming and sunbathing. There is also Palmitos Park, a botanic park with an aviary & dolphinarium or Siam Park a Thai-themed adventure water park.

For additional information one of the best, in depth, online guides to the Canary Islands is located HERE.

Todays Featured Poster • Kilauea

Kilauea Volcano dominates Volcano National Park on Hawaii’s Big Island. Constant lava flows pour off the islands southern coast constantly adding to the shoreline. Day and night boat tours pull in close to the pouring lava as clouds billow up from the sea.

These giclée prints are available in several sizes and are custom printed for each order on archival paper using fade resistant inks. Perfect for adding travel memories to any decor.

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