Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, an Island Paradise on the Big Island of Hawaii

Ahhhhh, Hawaii .A paradise that never disappoints. This time we headed to the Big Island for an amazing stay in Kona. We chose the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, an oceanfront oasis, situated on 29 acres of the Kohala Coast. A perfect spot offering a relaxed atmosphere where you can indulge in many activities, or nothing at all and love every minute of your experience. Classic Vacations offered us a package that included breakfast daily,a perfect way to begin the 1st day of our vacation. After breakfast, we made our way to Mauna Lani Bay's Francis H. I'iBrown championship golf course. We had been told that it was rated among the most beautiful resort golf courses in the world but found it to be more incredible than we anticipated. It was tough to keep my eye on the ball with the splendor of the ocean views and intricacies' of the ancient lava rock formations. Needless to say, my score did not reflect it as my best round of golf, but I think it was the best round of golf I have ever had! We spent hours of our vacation relaxing on the beach, eating fabulous meals, and sipping exotic cocktails and partaking in the many complimentary sporting activities at the Mauna Lani, but the highlight for me was the Zipline Adventure! In addition to offering some of the best hotels and vacation values in Hawaii, Classic Vacations also has a concierge department that assists you finding unique adventures in and around the islands. Through them, we booked a zipline canopy tour. Climbing inside an off-road 6WD vehicle, we made our way up the North Kohala mountainside. Clipping onto the zipline and plunging ahead, I experienced some of the most exhilarating moments of my life. We soared high above lush gulches on eight separate runs. We passed over a 200 ft suspension bridge that crossed over a beautiful fern grotto. After a brief stop for a lite sampling of locally made snacks, we clipped the harness' back on and zipped to the end of our run, seeing unparalleled views of the Waianaia Gulch and the Pacific Ocean, whcih were truly breathtaking! The only thing left to do was hit the world class spa at the Mauna Lani Bay. The garden area of the spa resembled a quaint Hawaiian Village with a thatched hale where we benefited by several of the exquisite treatments offered from the spa menu. Boy was my body happy! Topping off the trip, the Mauai Lani Bay offers a special event on the closest Saturday of every full moon. It is called the Twilight at Kalahuipuaa. We got lucky that the full moon was fully aglow during our last night there. They held the event at the Eva Park Woods Cottage. It is always hosted by a charming local historian named Uncle Danny. We settled in at about 6pm and for the next two hours were treated to local stories and legends of the magical Hawaiian Culture. There was wonderful live music provided by local musicians and they even gave hula lessons! It was a special treat that wrapped up our trip perfectly. So, as I said before... ahhh, Hawaii... a paradise that never disappoints!

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