After you land at the Kona International Airport at Keahole, a short drive north will take you into north Kona, home of the finest resorts on the island. The Hualalai Four Seasons, the Mauna Lani, Kona Village and further north the Hilton Waikoloa Village.

The Kona Village Resort, built on the site of an ancient fishing village, 15 miles north of the airport, consist of 125 "plush primitive" that ched-roofed huts (hales), fashioned after seven different styles of Polynesian island accommodations.

The hales contain no television sets, radio, air conditioners, or even keys for the doors. Two miles down a road through lava from the Village, a gate house at Highway 19 lets no one in without approval by guests or management.

A perfect white sand cove rimmed with palm trees completes this secluded tropical world.

Many royal fishponds and burial caves, heiau and petroglyphs are hidden (although clearly marked) on the grounds of all major resorts on the coast. Also invisible along the coastline is a trail, the Ala Kahakai of smooth rocks built by ancient Hawaiians to ease the trip across island over rough lava rocks.

Beaches along the coast were frequented by Hawaiian alii at play, surfing like their counterparts at Waikiki. Later, cattle were run on the trail to docks at Kawaihae and donkey caravans carried salt to and from Kailua. This trail also passes along the edge of Kona Village Resort, past ponds, tide pools and lava tubes filled with clear water.