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Thread: Is 4WD necessary on the Big Island?
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Old Feb 27, 2012 | 1:22 pm
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puchalskir
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Originally Posted by wharvey
Only a few places where you really need one:

1. If you want to go up to Mauna Kea on your own with the guided tour... where you get to go into one of the observatories. They require you to have an SUV to be part of the caravan.

2. If you want to go down into Waipio Valley.... I will remember that experience forever... just beautiful.

Otherwise, not worth the cost... unless you can get a steal for the vehicle like we did over our Anniversary in November.
I agree to the above. I was there two weeks ago and got an SUV so I could drive to the Mauna Loa Observatory and do some hiking. We didn't need the SUV, although it made it easier to go over the potholes.

In general, it is unnecessary to have an SUV unless you were purposely off-roading or doing 1 or 2 above. Also, gas is around $4.50 a gallon.

Rich
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