South Kona has many great restaurants, from casual to fine dining, but sometimes, at the end of a long day of adventures on the Big Island, staying in and grilling out sounds even better. At Horizon Guest House we offer an alternative to restaurant dining – our very own BBQ area. Located right next to the infinity ...

Photo credit: www.historickailuavillage.com For one Sunday afternoon every month Ali’i Drive in Kailua-Kona’s historic village is closed for traffic and the street transformed into a vibrant, pedestrian-only marketplace. The Kona street market is known as the Kokua Kailua Village Stroll and makes for a great way to shop, dine and buy locally made produce – ...

Photo credit: Horizon Guest House The Big Island of Hawaii is famous for many things but perhaps one of the most popular and unique attractions is the manta ray night dive. Don’t worry if you’re not a certified diver – snorkelers can still experience the thrill of being close to these majestic creatures. Why are ...

Not sure what car to rent on the Big Island? Confused over whether to rent a Jeep or a convertible? We take a look at the options and tell you what you need to know. Big Island rentals Photo credit: Kona Airport Renting a car while staying on the Big Island of Hawaii is essential ...

Captain Cook Monument trail / Photo credit: Lang Parker Stretch your legs and work off those holiday cocktails by taking a hike during your stay on the Big Island. There are plenty of spectacular hiking trails on the Kona Coast – these are our top 5 1. Captain Cook Monument Trail The Captain Cook Monument ...

Photo credit: TK Noodle House Looking to eat out in South Kona? Check out our top five restaurants in the area. Whether you crave a classic burger and fries, fresh sashimi, or something spicy, it’s all here on the Kona Coast. 1. Rebel Kitchen This local favorite serves a selection of salads, sandwiches and burgers, ...

Photo credit: Marco Garcia / New York Times The summit of Mauna Kea is a favorite tourist attraction, either to see a spectacular sunrise or sunset, or to stop by the visitors’ center to make use of the free telescopes to view the night sky on clear nights, as well as listen to an informative ...

Mango varieties If there’s one fruit that is most associated with the tropics, it’s the mango. If you live in an area like Hawaii, where mangoes are grown locally, people almost always have their favorite variety. Some 40 different varieties are grown on the islands, and of these there are about 10 which produce the ...

Cycling is a big part of my life and a great way to keep fit. Here on the Big Island of Hawaii there are plenty of places to cycle. One of my favorite routes is from Kona, north to Waikoloa. It’s approximately 50 miles and it takes me about 3 hours to complete the ride. Bicycle ...

Pig board showing example of ‘compression or fire’ very rare even for curly koa To the casual visitor, Hawaii is sunshine and beaches. But it’s more than that. If you visit often, or for long enough, or are lucky enough to live here, you’ll discover a unique product that is grown only in Hawaii (endemic) – ...

French toast under lights There are two recipes which are considered the ‘most asked for’ from guests who have stayed at Horizon Guest House. The first is usually the whole grain hot cereal which we featured in an earlier blog post, and the second, is our delicious Portuguese sweet bread French toast. The Portuguese sweet bread I ...

The rare white sea urchin. Kona Coast. 40 ft depth. Photo credit: Clem Classen Diving in Hawaiian waters, whether it’s snorkelling or scuba, has always been regarded as one of the must-do diving experiences. But if you have ever dived in other locations around the world it may not be what you expect… *hint: it’s ...