Hawaii Island, known to almost everyone as the Big Island, is larger than all the other Hawaiian islands combined and holds the widest range of climates and prices in the state. It is where people go when they want land.
Hilo and Kona Are Different Worlds
The island is split by Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, and the two sides could not be less alike.
- Hilo, on the east side. Genuinely wet, one of the rainiest cities in the United States. Green, lush, low key, with the island’s main hospital, the university and the county seat. Property is the most affordable of anywhere comparable in the state.
- Kailua-Kona, on the west side. Dry and sunny, more resort and visitor oriented, with higher prices and a different pace.
- Waimea and the north. Upland ranch country, cool and green, a genuine surprise to people who expect only beaches.
- Puna, south of Hilo. The most affordable land on the island, and the area where lava zone risk needs the most attention.
- Volcano. High elevation, cool, close to the national park.
Lava Zones: The Thing to Understand Before You Buy
The US Geological Survey divides the island into lava hazard zones numbered 1 through 9, where 1 is the highest risk. This is not an abstraction. Zone ratings affect the availability and cost of homeowners insurance, and some lenders will not write mortgages on properties in the highest risk zones.
This is why land in parts of Puna looks remarkably cheap compared with anywhere else in Hawaii. Check the zone rating for any property before you get attached to it, and confirm insurability early rather than late.
Vog, the volcanic haze from ongoing activity, is also a real factor for people with respiratory conditions, and it affects the Kona side more than Hilo.
Work
The economy is spread across tourism on the Kona side, agriculture including coffee and macadamia, healthcare and education around Hilo, and the astronomy facilities associated with Mauna Kea. It is thinner than Oahu but broader than Kauai.
Getting Your Belongings There
The Big Island is unusual in having three commercial harbors, so the right routing depends on where you are actually going.
- Hilo serves the east side and Puna.
- Kawaihae serves the north and Waimea.
- Kona serves the west side.
Shipping to the harbor closest to your delivery address saves both time and trucking cost. See container shipping to the Big Island, or go direct to Hilo, Kona or Kawaihae.
Vehicles can ship inside the same container as household goods. See car shipping to Hawaii.
Before You Commit
Spend time on both sides. People who visit Kona and buy in Puna, or the reverse, frequently discover they chose the wrong climate. Check lava zone and insurance before making an offer, and factor the driving distances in, because this island is genuinely large.
Our guide to the cost of living in Hawaii covers the running numbers, and moving to Hawaii covers the full timeline.
Ready to Move
We ship containers, vehicles and household goods from the mainland to every Big Island harbor. Call 800-671-0924 for a quote.
