Our experience of Hawaii was enhanced by the RCI accommodation we took—the Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Waikoloa Beach Resort. Once at the reception, we checked in. The hotel concierge was extremely amiable and friendly. Our apartment was fully furnished and equipped. Sitting on the terrace, we could see the blue waters of the swimming pool luring us to relax in it and on the other side the beautiful landscape of the golf course invited us for a game. It was like having one’s own personal home in Hawaii!

We loved waking up early in the morning and cooking our own breakfast, after which we would set out sightseeing for the rest of the day. The hotel organised a very helpful briefing session for all the guests on the morning of the first day, where we picked up some useful tips on what to do and where to go. That done, we were now set to take the Big Island by storm! The sightseeing was as variegated as the island itself ranging from active volcanoes spewing lava and lush botanical parks to black sand beaches!
The Hawaiian Island’s archipelago has four historically active volcanoes with only the Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island currently erupting. Kilauea started erupting in 1983, and can be viewed from the Volcano National Park. A four-mile hike that takes approximately 2 hours is all it takes to view the spectacular lava flow: hot, bright orange molten lava flowing into the ocean, peeping through a thick cloud of white smoke. It is advisable to wear sturdy walking shoes, and carry along a flashlight and loads of drinking water while on the hike.

Some of the other attractions here are the Crater Rim Drive where it’s possible to walk into many gigantic volcanic craters; the Steam Vents where one can actually smell and see the sulphur fumes simmering out from inside the earth; the Jaggar Museum, and the Thurston Lava Tube, where you can actually walk through a solidified lava tube!

About an hour’s drive from the volcanoes is the Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden. It is a rainforest-like area showcasing the island’s rich natural flora and fauna. Over 90 per cent of it is endemic and is found nowhere else on the earth. 

The Dolphin Quest at the Hilton Waikoloa Village was extremely exhilarating. Watching turtles wading in the water and dolphins jumping up into the air was quite a treat. One could even click an intimate moment with a dolphin in your arms!

We spent the whole day at the magnificent pool at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, which was designed somewhat like a Disney-style amusement water park with waterfalls and diving slides. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves coming down the slide over and over again, and finally came back to our apartment exhausted. Imagine our delight when we found on our arrival, that the bathrooms had been cleaned, the linen changed, and rooms all spruced up as if elves were on duty in our absence! Kudos to the efficient housekeeping services at HGVC!
But there was still more to be done. The day, being the 4th of July, better known as the Day of American Independence, there was a whole evening of fun awaiting us. Beautiful Hawaiian dance lessons really made the evening unique and pleasurable. Our next stop was the King’s Shops to watch the popular fireworks. Finally, we went back to the Hilton Village and had a grand dinner at an oriental restaurant. We took an in-house ferry from the hotel lobby to the restaurant, and returned by an in-house monorail. What an experience!