Hilo Side to Kona Side (Kailua, Mountain View: rent, hotel, house)

[IdahoJohn]

Hello All, I've been reading the threads for about a year and find many interesting and informative. I belong to the ranks of many who ask the same question you see over & over again about moving to "paradise"..( Wish I read previous threads to avoid cyber embarassment!)..Anyhoo what I was wondering is if many people from the Hilo side commute daily to the Kona side for work....I'm planning a trip over to scope out some areas of interest...Thanks for any info...PEACE, John

[KoaKine]

Aloha,
depending here you are its up to a 2 and a half hour drive each way. My wife works in Hilo has a work mate that lives in Kohala but she only comes in 2 -3 days a week.

[mdand3boys]

The bus runs from Hilo to the various Waikoloa resorts 6 days a week. The schedule coincides with the shifts at the resorts. The bus is free - but it is a long trip. The bus does not utilize Saddle Road.

[Balad1]

Don't even think that commuting from Kona to Hilo is practical. Two and a half to three hour is optimum.

It's called the Big Island for a reason.

[franklin42]

When you say "Kona side" do you mean Kona town? Or are you talking about the Kohala coast with all of the resorts? I know many people who commute from Hilo town, Keaau and even Mountain View to the resorts 6 days a week. They tell me it's about a hour and half drive(accidents and traffic will add to that). It's another 30/45 minutes from the Mauna Lani/Hilton/Marriott to Kona(sometimes longer with traffic). I don't know anyone who commutes from Hilo to Kona though. Either way it's a looooooong drive.

[Galactastica]

if my expirience helps, i worked on Mauna Kea one day a week, driving from Kailua-Kona on the upper road to saddle road, half way to hilo then trek up the mountain. Even though that is only half the way of the fastest drive, i would not ever want to do it 5 out of 7 days for work. and i like the drive! i'm always excited because it's so beautiful. but the weather can be awful and it's slightly dangerous. unless it's a can't pass up job and a can't pass up living situation, i would just look for a new job or house a little closer to the more important of the two!

[hotzcatz]

When the price of gas goes up there will be help wanted ads in the Kona paper and none in the Hilo paper.

There aren't as many people commuting as there used to be because the hotel occupancy is way down. Somewhere around fifty percent or some dismal figure.

IMHO, you will have a much better chance of a good transition if you move to Hawaii instead of moving to "paradise". That whole concept of paradise gets folks expecting bizarre things.

[William Leland]

John, there are people that do this but don't. I think there is more employment opportunites in Kona, if you're seeking a job. rent for a while. Wife and I've been here 1 year Keaau, near Hilo. Love these islands