he home of the Fire goddess Pele, Hawai‘i, the Big Island, lives up to its name. This is the ultimate Hawai‘ian island of superlatives. It's the largest island in the Aloha State (at 4,038 square miles, it is twice the area of all the other islands combined), the youngest island geologically (only 800,000 years old), and the fastest-growing (in both landmass and population). It has the tallest mountains, the only active volcano, the greatest number of climate zones, the biggest ranch, the largest coffee and macadamia nut producers, the most lava fields, the most deluxe resorts, and the best diving. It even has snow skiing for the intrepid during the winter months (yup, it's true). A trip to the Big Island is a must. While it sounds like a cliché, there is something for everyone here.

About the size of the state of Connecticut, the Big Island, from the visitor's perspective, is basically made up of the Kona (North and South) and South Kohala coasts, with Kailua-Kona acting as the main hub for activity on the island. North Kona and South Kohala are where some of the state's largest and most deluxe resorts are located (green oases amid massive black lava fields) as well as some of Hawai‘i's best golf options. North Kohala is a mostly mountainous peninsula which until recently consisted of ridiculously scenic pastures (it was called Hawai‘i’s Swiss Alps); it is now scarred with ultra-rich developments. We adore the wonderfully idyllic town of Hawi, at the tip of the peninsula, which has so far resisted the carpetbaggers from beyond. The misty Parker Ranch/cowboy town of Waimea, also in North Kohala, still has lots of character and cattle. The northeastern, windward side of the island is called the Hamakua Coast and is filled with deep river valleys (including the magical Waipi‘o Valley), waterfalls, lush cane fields, and forests. At the eastern end of this coastline is Hilo, probably the only true and authentic Hawai‘ian city in the Aloha State and home of the fabulous Merrie Monarch hula festival. It also gets over 120 inches of rain a year, which is why it has been able to escape the development of the sunny, leeward side. South of Hilo is Puna, another favorite of ours, with a rugged coast, lava flows and formations, verdant vegetation, black-sand beaches, some of the world's purest air, and better weather. Upslope from Puna (at 4,000 feet/1,219 meters) is Volcano, the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and Madame Pele’s lair. The south Ka‘u district is mostly arid and unpopulated and frequently subject to vog (volcano-caused smog). In the middle of this massive island sit two of the world's largest landmasses and the North Pacific's highest mountains, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. With these mountains come 11 of Earth's 13 climate zones (from tropical rain forest to subarctic tundra). With that kind of diversity, it's easy to see why there are so many things to see and do outdoors. Hiking, skiing, biking, horseback riding, deep-sea fishing, and volcano watching are just some of the many options available. Not bad for one island, huh?