Highlights and activities popular on the Big Island include snorkeling, deep-sea fishing (best in summer), horseback riding, swimming, shopping, beach combing on white, black or green sand beaches, golfing on any of the 18 golf courses, hump- back whale-watching (between December and April), and of course, watching the constant erupting actions of Kilauea Volcano, best viewed from a helicopter.

( For the latest data on the Volcano, visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Headquarters and Eruption Update )

Two other events on the Big Island, although perhaps, not quite as well-known as the exploding volcano, are worthy of mentioning: The Ironman Triathlon World Championship, held on the Big Island in October 11, 2003 this year, and the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival usually held in April.

Other attractions include stimulating Kona coffee-tasting tours, photogenic botanical flower gardens, numerous art centers, well-stocked museums, beautifully restored historic homes and the star-gazing Onizuka Space Center.