The first time we visited the big island of Hawaii, we began our descent into the Kona airport and I was horrified. I remembered a friend telling me not to freak out when I first saw the island. It is, she told me, much more beautiful, up close and personal. 

As we got closer to landing, I looked down and thought, "Dear, God, this looks like a nuclear war zone." Again, I remembered that my friend C.J. had told me not to let it bother me, that the landscape didn't look friendly, but that I would fall in love with the big island. I didn't believe C.J.; to me, this place looked so ugly.

A week later, you could not have pried me out of my little beach house on Hawaii, not even with a crowbar. This island is an enigma. It's made of lava, but when you are on her fabulous beaches, the lack of real sand doesn't even come into the picture.

Rent a private apartment, house or condo on this island. Get to know the place where the water sweeps over the lava rock onto the beach. It's truly magical. 

Puako Beach is the home of the sea turtles. The snorkeling here is amazing, the best of any spots that I have snorkeled on any of the Hawaiian Islands. Particularly for timid swimmers or children, the extremely shallow water is a fabulous and safe place to see a myriad of sea life.

Each morning, we would sit and watch for the turtles to bob up and show their little heads in the surf. I swam every day waiting to see them. Some of the turtles, known as honu to the locals, were small, but there were those as big as a coffee table. It's a bit daunting to come nose-to-nose with one of these huge animals in the water, but they are docile and sweet and protected. After you spend days watching for them, then finally have a chance to swim near them, you understand why this amazing, almost prehistoric-looking sea animal, should be protected.

If you read this, and you go to Puako Beach, please treat it as you would your own home. Go to see those you will grow to love there, but leave no footprints of your own behind you.

This tidbit of real travel advice was contributed by Erica Jobman. 

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