KAILUA-KONA — It’s a debate as old as time.
Well, maybe not as old as time, but definitely old enough to qualify for an AARP card. And it can be summed up in one simple question: Which of Hawaii Island’s two most popular destinations — Kona or Hilo — is superior?
For Mike Jeffress, a 14-year resident of the island who’s spent nearly half that time behind the bar at Humpy’s Big Island Alehouse in the heart of Kona mingling with globetrotters and new arrivals, the answer is pretty simple.
He likes his island locales like he likes his eggs — sunny-side up.
“Sure, Hilo is a better spot,” Jeffress said, “if you want to be in the rain.”
The instigator of the most recent iteration of this hotly contested debate was an article on Travelmag.com posted in early February, which surveyed 50 travel writers, photographers and “selected professionals” to determine Hawaii’s most charming towns.
Hawaii Island towns dominated the list, claiming 4 of the 10 spots. Please ignore for the moment that Hawi was ranked the most charming of any Big Island destination, securing third place.
In the interest of clarity, let’s just keep this particular argument confined to Hawaii Island’s longest-standing grudge match: fourth place Hilo vs. fifth place Kona.
But, for the record, Naalehu and its monkeypod trees rounded out Hawaii Island’s honorees, finishing in ninth.
Hawaii Island’s Visitors and Convention Bureau Director Ross Birch went the politically correct route, choosing not to express whether he felt Kona was slighted with a ranking one spot behind Hilo and two back of Hawi.
“I am very impressed that our island as a whole has 4 out of the 10 towns,” Birch wrote in an email to West Hawaii Today. “I am a little disappointed Honokaa did not make this list (this is where I live), but understand we did not have our own top 10 list.
“We are very fortunate,” he added, “we do not have to choose (between Kona and Hilo).”
But Lucas Colby — formerly of Arizona, who’s been flipping burgers at his father’s restaurant in Kona for a year and a half in between bike rides down Alii Drive to relax on several of Kona’s “pristine beaches,” which he said were “far superior” to those Hilo could offer — was aghast when he heard Kona finished behind Hilo.
“I’m shocked, floored even,” Colby said, setting down his spatula and grabbing the edge of the table, presumably to avoid collapsing into a heap of angry, befuddled tears on the floor in front of customers at Island Ono Loa Grill in Coconut Grove. “I can’t see why someone would choose Hilo over Kona. If you like lush rain forests and that’s your thing, OK, but other than that, what does Hilo have that Kona doesn’t?”
He answered his own question before another could be asked.
“Sharks,” Colby said. “I hear there are more sharks on the Hilo side.”
Sharks aside, there are arguments to be made for both the windward and leeward destinations.
Hilo is more of a college town, while Kona has the feel of a resort destination. Hilo lays claim to majestic waterfalls, while Kona dominates the beach scene. Hilo may boast more of a traditional Hawaiian feel, but the commercialization of Kona has greatly aided Hawaii Island’s tax base and improved or maintained several areas across the island.
Different strokes, and all that.
But Jeffress made one point particularly relevant to the traveler — being windward side, Hilo also has the hurricanes. So the question, he explained, is do you prefer raincoats or bathing suits? Without doubt, a relevant inquiry.
“Plus,” he added, “we’re the only side with Costco.”
As far as Hilo’s weather, Travelmag’s review was quick to point out there was plenty of Kona-like weather over there, as well.
“Don’t fret,” it wrote, describing the east side staple as brimming with young energy and farmers markets that add character and charm. “There are plenty of sun-kissed days to enjoy here too, which may well explain why it made it into our top ten.”
But Eric and Brandy Fischer, who travel frequently to Hawaii Island, said they too prefer Kona. An often overlooked upside, they explained, is the international airport.
Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, to access Kona Village one had to either come by boat or fly into the area’s one small airstrip, Birch said. At that time, Hilo was already developing into a bustling hub of tourism for one reason — the volcano — which has been an attraction since visitors began frequenting the islands.
Vog, a volcanic emission, is the downside of having a volcano with geological acid reflux gurgling and belching in your backyard. However, the sometimes dense haze can frequently be observed annoying residents and tourists alike across most of the island, making its impact on one side compared to the other something of a scratch.
Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kirstin Kahaloa said more people arriving directly into West Hawaii via the international airport may help Kona make a lasting impact on visitors as they likely get to visit it first.
That, plus the fact that those surveyed for this article all live and work in Kona, probably helps explain why the comments appear to favor Kona over Hilo — apparently in direct opposition to the results of Travelmag’s survey.
However, Birch was quick to point out something that may have initially been overlooked when the rankings first came out.
While Travelmag’s piece ranked Hilo in fourth place and Kona in fifth, Birch said upon closer examination, Hawaii’s most charming towns are listed in the article in alphabetical order and likely aren’t reflective of specific top 10 rankings.
Oops.