South Kona is quiet and relatively rural. Much of the farmland is in leasehold status, which explains why this part of the Big Island has remained rather untouched by development. Tour one of the coffee farms to find out what the big deal is about Kona coffee, and enjoy a free sample while you’re at it. A 20-minute drive off the highway from Captain Cook leads to beautiful Kealakekua Bay, where Captain James Cook arrived in 1778, dying here not long after. Hawaiian spinner dolphins visit the bay, now a Marine Life Conservation District, nestled alongside high green cliffs that jut dramatically out to sea. Snorkeling is superb here, so you may want to bring your gear and devote an hour or so to exploring the coral reefs. The bay is normally extremely calm.