Current Press Kit

HAWAI‘I ISLAND’S FEEL-GOOD FACTOR

Mālama ‘āina/Mālama kai (Care for the land/sea)

Hawai‘i’s Big Island – Vacation on Hawai‘i Island by mixing a great time with good deeds. Sojourners are frequently taking breaks from lū‘au, surf lessons and shopping to lend a hand to local causes. These voluntourists are spending their getaways combing the Waiōhinu-Ka Lae coastline for marine debris alongside Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund biologists, restoring dryland forests with Tropical Reforestation and Ecosystems Education Center Hawai‘i, as well as recording endangered humpback whales sighted from shore during the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary’s ocean counts. The motto is simple: mālama ‘āina/mālama kai.

Those staying at the newly refurbished Keauhou Beach Resort (www.KeauhouBeachResort-Hawaii.com) enjoy the sapphire sea of Kahalu‘u Bay while contributing to the environmental improvement and cultural presence of one of the island’s most popular attractions. They are taking away a sense of place and a feeling of investment by becoming part of the community.

At Keauhou, a piece of Hawaiian history is being restored one rock at a time. Kamehameha Investment Corp., owner of the 309-room hotel, is rebuilding several heiau (ancient temples) and sacred sites along the shore. The restoration project allows visitors, students and residents to soak up the sunshine while perpetuating and learning about a cultural practice.

Resort staff also participate in weekly Reef Teach programs, emphasizing proper reef etiquette in the waters fronting nearby Kahalu‘u Beach Park. Their enthusiasm and knowledge is contagious, often spread again by its guests and other beachgoers. This effort is part of the Keauhou Beach Resort’s ongoing commitment to protect local resources and bring people closer to marine life in order to instill a strong appreciation of this special place. And, ongoing, free educational programs are offered to the public through an existing memorandum of agreement with the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Travelers with noted eco-tour operator KapohoKine Adventures (www.kapohokine.com) are gaining greater insight into the places and people they visit on holiday. They leave with the satisfaction of getting off the grid, and supporting those they meet. During its luxury excursion, Secrets of Puna, guests visit the remote Puna District, where lush jungle spills into the beautiful and wild coastline. They hear stories from former residents of Kalapana, who witnessed their homes being destroyed by Kīlauea’s 1990 eruption, and then visit Kaimū, the once-beautiful black sand beach now entombed in lava. At a working macadamia nut and honey farm, they later enjoy a picnic lunch, complete with locally grown ingredients and refreshments.

Some people think the beauty of the Big Island lies in its pristine, remote beaches, tumbling waterfalls or smoldering sunsets. Others like the jungles of East Hawai‘i, the southern moonscapes of cinder cones and barren lava, or the paniolo country’s rolling green hillsides. But the true-blue naturalists at Hawaii Forest & Trail (www.hawaii-forest.com) reckon “there’s not a better place to witness the timeless battle between the elemental forces of fire and water than at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.”

As such, Hawaii Forest & Trail employees and guests have been actively involved in preserving the spectacular natural environment inside the Park (Hawai‘i’s only World Heritage Site, and a UNESCO International Biosphere Preserve.) The company adopted two of the Park’s Special Ecological Areas, or Stewardship Plots, which are designed for research on alien plant invasion, which has a disruptive nature on Hawai‘i’s environment.

During its Kīlauea Volcano Adventure, Hawaii Forest & Trail gives its guests an opportunity to help the native rainforest by removing kāhili ginger and other invasive species in the plot.
Passion and dedication to heritage conservation are fused into the multi-award-winning company’s ecotourism experiences. Owners Rob and Cindy Pacheco believe that taking care of the natural environment is an integral park of being good stewards of the earth. Whether on a nature walk, bird-watching or star-gazing adventure, a better understanding is gained.

Hawaii Forest & Trail, KapohoKine Adventures, and Keauhou Beach Resort are three of many environmentally dedicated companies on Hawai‘i’s Big Island. How can travelers find out more? The Big Island Visitors Bureau has just launched Green Hawai‘i, a new microsite highlighting sustainable tourism on the Island, www.BigIsland.org/ecotourism. The Big Island is the only island in Hawai‘i with a website dedicated to sustainable tourism.

Stephanie Donoho, Tourism Specialist for the County of Hawai‘i’s Research and Development department, says the purpose of the site is to publicize the eco- and sustainable tourism opportunities available on Hawai‘i Island.

“The Island of Hawai‘i is one of the world’s premier ecotourism destinations and we want to help travelers to craft their stay in the most sustainable manner possible—whether its by learning about eco-friendly accommodations, voluntourism activities and events, or how to recycle during their stay,” Donoho said.

NOTE: BIVB recognizes the use of diacritical markings, i.e., glottal stop (‘), macron (ā), in place names of Hawai‘i, such as Kīlauea. However, BIVB respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.

Media Contact: Jessica Ferracane, Irondog Communications, (808) 895-5740, Jessica@irondogpr.com