Moving to the Big Island (Hilo, Kaneohe: rentals, hotel, month-to-month)

[ocdirtyjerz]

Aloha
I Googled "moving to Big Island" and came across the sites postings.
I just took a job offer working over on the Big Island and was wondering where people recommend me to live.
I want a safe, clean, beautiful town with nice friendly people. I currently live on the North Shore, Oahu. I truly love this place. Is anyone familiar with the NS? Is there places similar to this type of community?
I love to surf, fish, dive, golf, and everything with the ocean and nature. I enjoy good people and a positive environment. I have always lived steps away from the beach my entire live and looking to continue.
I would appreciate everyone's honest opinion with do s and don't s.
Mahalos

[leilaniguy]

Which side of the island is your work on? I ask because a Hilo-Kona commute is long.

[Kohala Coast tennis]

What is your rental budget? Go to westhawaiitoday.com if you will be working on the leeward side. Fridays and Sundays are good days to start watching available rentals in the classifieds. A good map to get (at Longs Drugs) is the Ready Map Book of West (or East) Hawaii. It's not perfect but it's the best map we have. It indexes by subdivision and streets, and will help us answer your question.

[hotzcatz]

If the beach is important, find out the which sub-divisions which have beaches accessible. Most of the island does not have easily accessible beaches. Hilo has rocky coastline and rocky beaches with a few spots of sand. Hamakua is almost all cliffs, Kawaihae has some beach, Puako is rocky but has some beach, Kona has some beach access. The Southpoint side of Kona might have the most beach access.

[ocdirtyjerz]

The entire island.

Originally Posted by leilaniguy

Which side of the island is your work on? I ask because a Hilo-Kona commute is long.

[hotzcatz]

If you are going to be working all over the island, then pick either port, Hilo or Kawaihae, to ship your stuffs to and find a rental near there. If you get a month-to-month rental you will be able to find the place you want to live soon enough since you'll be working all over the island and see everything pretty quick.

Rentals are usually cheaper outside of Hilo over near Pahoa or in the Puna district but they are also wetter. We also have the vog to worry about these days, too.

How far do you want to be from shopping areas? Depending on how frequently you go to town to buy things, you may want to take the proximity of stores into consideration, too. Some folks in my area only go to town once a week because it takes an hour's worth of driving, several gallons of gas and pretty much all day to go to town.

Hilo and Kona have the most stuff. Many of the "towns" shown on the map are merely post offices or a post office with a few other things but not a complete "town" so don't trust the maps for what's available.

How about flying over for a weekend and checking things out? You'd be able to find a rental you liked and have a place to ship your stuff to and figure out your new P.O. Box and all that other good stuff.

[ocdirtyjerz]

Yeah, I do plan on flying over in the beginning to work. I don't like places that don't have natural lush settings. I like shops within 20 minutes, not an hour. I am basically looking to live in a place very similar to the North Shore, Oahu. I was thinking about Waimea, BI. I was also thinking about HPP. I think thats whats it called.
I also like the places that have marines, small fishing towns. Any recommendations?

[hotzcatz]

Puna, Hilo, Hamakua, Waimea are all lush and green. The other side of Kona gets green, too. Between Kona and Southpoint can be quite green and has access to some beaches.

The only marinas are Hilo harbor which is very small about the size of the one in Waianae or Kaneohe, Kona harbor over by Kona airport with loads of small charter fishing boats similar to Kewalos, Kawaihae Harbor which is a commercial port with a small amount of private boats. The canoe folks are at some different beaches since they don't need deep water. There is a small Hawaiian fishing type village over between Kona and Southpoint although I forget the name.

Shops within twenty minutes are going to limit your areas of choice. Hawi might be more North Shore Oahu like than Waimea. Waimea is a cow town, no beach in sight. Hawi has water access in a couple places, is lush and not over busy. HPP doesn't have any beach access except to a tiny spot, no harbor and the stores are at the outer range of your twenty minutes, I think. But come look, you will probably find somewhere comfortable.

Oh, "shops" is also a variable term. If you are looking for the big box places like Costco, Safeway, Longs, WalMart and such, then your choices are either Kona or Hilo. Those are the only two places which have the big stores. There are smaller stores, mom-n-pop variety stores, smaller grocery store chains and such in the smaller towns and villages such as Keaau, Waimea, Pahoa, Pahala, Hawi, Kapaau, Naalehu, etc. Most folks end up going to either Kona or Hilo occasionally for some reason or another.

What will you be doing for work?

[Kapalua]

Just slipping in here. I use to reside on the island of Maui for 21 years, Feb. 1, 1978 to November 8, 1999. Miss it like crazy and the local style music. I did get a free trip to the Big Island November 1985, drove from Kona to Hilo, I never seen so much LAVA ROCKS in my life. So Kona has really grown now, with more stores and a COSTCO'S! So how is the tourist business there? Maui is not doing so good, 40% Occupancy in the hotel and for this winter season the same. How are you holding up on the Big Island?

[ocdirtyjerz]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

What will you be doing for work?

Outside sales.

I am not sure the last post fits in. I'm not interested in tourism. I would ratgher not be near tghat, Thats why I stay were I am.

I did find some of these places:
Keauhou Bay
Makaiwa Bay
Pepe'okeo Scenic Drive
Waipi'o Valley

I will be there searching, but for the most art I need to work on my days over there, not just look for spots to live. I have always grown up by the beach and I'm heavy involved with the ocean's activities.

Its seems many people don't seem to know of any places similar to the NS here. Perhaps there insn't. For the people from the mainland. Do you find any towns like Breckenridge, CO? Peaceful, beautiful, friendly, clean, upper middle class?....