The Kona Coast--One Hawaiian word everyone seems to know is Kona, probably because it's synonymous with great coffee and big fish -- both of which are found in abundance along this 70-mile-long stretch of black lava-covered coast.

A collection of tiny communities devoted to farming and fishing along the sunbaked leeward side of the island, the Kona Coast has an amazingly diverse geography and climate for such a compact area. The oceanfront town of Kailua-Kona, a quaint fishing village that now caters more to tourists than boat captains, is its commercial center. The lands of Kona range from stark, black, dry coastal desert to cool, cloudy upcountry so fertile that it seems anything could grow here. And it does -- glossy green coffee, macadamia nuts, tropical fruit, and a riotous profusion of flowers cover the jagged steep slopes. Among the coffee fields, you'll find the funky, artsy village of Holualoa. Higher yet in elevation are native forests of giant trees filled with tiny, colorful birds, some perilously close to extinction. About 7 miles south of Kailua-Kona, bordering the ocean, is the resort area of Keauhou, a suburban-like series of upscale condominiums, a shopping center, and homes in the seven-figure range.

Kona means "leeward side" in Hawaiian -- and that means full-on summer sun every day of the year. This is an affordable vacation spot; an ample selection of midpriced condo units, peppered with a few older hotels and B&Bs, lines the shore, which is mostly rocky lava reef, interrupted by an occasional pocket beach. Here, too, stand two world-class resorts: Kona Village, the site of one of the best luaus in the islands, and one of Hawaii's luxury retreats, the Four Seasons at Hualalai.

Away from the bright lights of the town of Kailua lies the rural South Kona Coast, home to coffee farmers, macadamia-nut growers, and people escaping to the country. The serrated South Kona Coast is indented with numerous bays, from Kealakekua, a marine-life preserve that's the island's best diving spot and the place where Capt. James Cook met his demise, down to Honaunau, where a national historic park recalls the days of old Hawaii. Accommodations in this area are mainly inexpensive B&Bs, everything from the very frugal Japanese Manago Hotel to the very classy Horizon Guest House. This coast is a great place to stay if you want to get away from crowds and experience peaceful country living. You'll be within driving distance of beaches and the sites of Kailua.