Hawaii Lava Tube Campground

Until the early 1800s, Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park (50 minutes’ drive) was a sanctuary for people who had broken one of the ancient laws; if the culprit managed to make it to this outpost on the west coast of the island, they would be absolved. Today, visitors can admire carved statues of ancient Hawaiian gods, as well as looking out for native birds. A small beach fringed by tall palm trees and lapped by impossibly clear waters, La’aloa Beach Park (an hour) is also known as Magic (or Disappearing) Sands because at high tide the ocean covers it almost completely, leaving only a rocky shoreline. This is a popular spot for swimming and bodyboarding, and there’s usually a lifeguard on duty. In Kailua-Kona (an hour and 15 minutes), the pier is the place to start your sportfishing and snorkelling adventures. A former royal abode, Hulihe‘e Palace is an elegant mansion housing a museum with royal portraits and feather standards.