Join us on the Hoku Nui, our luxurious 50-foot catamaran for an award-winning snorkel or manta ray tour. Our water adventures are a must-do when on your vacation on the Big Island. Sea Paradise’s tours are unlike any others, with an friendly, attentive and knowledgeable crew, who is well-versed in marine life matters as well as local history.
The Hawaiian Islands are one of the most remote locations and is a result of a geological hotspot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There is a unique eco-system with some species that are not found anywhere else on earth. The islands are 2,390 miles from the West Coast of the mainland and 4,000 miles from Tokyo.
Have you ever wondered what the Big Island was like before it opened up to tourism? As there were no commercial flights to the Big Island in 1927, the only access was Interisland Airways which started in 1927 bringing early tourists from Oahu. Transportation during that time was by boat or horseback riding.
The landscape during that time was much the same as today, with volcanoes, black sand beaches and lush rainforests. The island was less developed with fewer roads and some areas were inaccessible. The population was around 70,000 with most people living in small towns or villages.
The Big Island was populated mostly with native Hawaiians. Many of the population were cattle ranchers owned by a mix of descendents of Hawaiian and European settlers. The sugar industry was also very significant during that time attracting a workforce of other ethnicities including laborers brought in from Asian countries such as Japan, China, Korea and the Phillipines under contract labor systems.
Missionaries arrived on the island in the 1800’s and established schools and churches. Their descendents most likely continued living on the island. Shopkeepers and other small businesses and restaurants served the local communities in the villages.
Today, flights from the mainland can take several hours which makes it a significant undertaking to travel to this very special destination!
