Travel

OceanGalz: An Underwater Exploration

A Gallery of Two Girls in Love With the Ocean Article by Julia Silva Kurppa | Photography by OceanGalz Maria Millan and Isa Lassinaro, owners of OceanGalz, met in Hawaiʻi and quickly became friends as they learned to freedive together. “We were the first in the water and the last ones out,” Maria recalls. Their social media page started as a way to share diving videos and arrange beach cleanups; today, their online community has surpassed 420,000 followers. Hawaiʻi served as the gateway to...

Life + Culture

Explore Slowly With Care and Aloha

Paddle Out to Observe Angelic Sea Creatures and Discover Hawaiian History the Eco-Conscious Way Article by Margaret Kearns | Photography by Anelakai Adventures Lifelong waterman, Iko Balanga, founder/owner of Anelakai Adventures in Keauhou, grew up spending nearly equal time on his native Oʻahu island’s Windward Coast and Hawaiʻi Island’s Kona Coast. “The ocean was my life—surfing, outrigger canoe paddling and fishing. At the time, I was also developing deep respect for Hawaiian values...

Life + Culture

True Vision

An Ophthalmologist's Journey From War Zone to Calling Hawaiʻi Home Article by Nathan McQueen | Photography by Ewalina Photography It is easy to miss Eye Center of Hawaiʻi in Kona if you aren’t looking for it. Located off Queen K, the blue building is the only indicator that it is there. Despite its subtle appearance, extraordinary things are happening inside. Founded in 2001, Eye Center of Hawaiʻi has multiple locations on Oʻahu, Maui, the Big Island, and Kauaʻi. At the Big Island location...

Food + Beverage

The Coffee Farmer Who Almost Wasn’t

Tommy Greenwell—A Kona Legend Still Dreaming Big Article by Nabil Abu-Assal | Photography by Anna Velichko Tommy never planned to be the fourth-generation steward of Kona’s most storied coffee farm. After four decades of farming, he’s ready to start anew. Tommy didn’t grow up dreaming about coffee. He grew up on a dairy in Waimea and a cattle ranch in Kona, took apart every toy he had before he ever played with it, dreamed of diesel engines, and was halfway through college in Oregon when his...

Fitness

The Gentle Martial Art

Building Confidence, Character and Discipline With Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Training in Kona Article by Margaret Kearns | Photography by Fletch Photography Kailua-Kona business owner Horlando Monteiro was born in the Amazon Rainforest and raised in Brazil’s oceanside city of Natal. Growing up there, he says, he was a “scrappy young kid” often engaging in street fighting with friends. Today, that scrappy kid is 31 years old and respected as one of his generation’s top contenders in Mixed Martial...

Life + Culture

The Hunter’s Legacy

Justin Lee Walks the Narrow Path of Masculinity by Stewarding His Family and Home, From Mountain Heights to Ocean Floor Article by Julia Silva Kurppa | Photography by Various Photographers “In the ocean, everything is amplified,” says Justin Lee. Lee remembers the day he discovered his son’s name while diving with a dear friend, Mike Hong. It was a joyous day spent floating in the blue. “I was trying to shoot this ‘ahi, and I missed a layup of a shot. The first thing that hit my ears was Mike...

Entertainment

Fiction That Shakes

Kona Resident and Prolific Author N.T. McQueen Answers Questions About His New Book, Never Hide From the Devil Article by Matias Arredondo | Photography by Fletch Photography Born and raised in Northern California, Nathan McQueen earned a Bachelor's in Literature and a Master’s in Creative Writing from Sacramento State University. In 2021, his family moved to Kona. Though he has taught at eight different colleges and universities in both California and Hawaiʻi, his favorite place to teach and...

Home + Design

Choose Supporting Yourself

Living Edit’s Founder Serves the Big Island and Beyond Article by Matias Arredondo | Photography by Anna Velichko After completing the KonMari® process, Laurel Tincher realized her work went far beyond organizing. It was mentorship. Clients weren’t just looking for someone to tidy their homes; they were seeking clarity, calm and a sense of control during moments of transition. She opened her home to share her experience with Kona Coast Magazine.  My home is a living example of how the KonMari...

Life + Culture

Portraits of Impact

A Tribute to the Women Edifying Our Community. Introducing Kona Coast’s 2026 Women of Influence Article by Julia Silva Kurppa | Photography by Fletch Photography CINDY ROBINSON MULLEN Global ambassador for the END Fund, chair of the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle, and a leader within Queen’s Health Systems and North Hawaiʻi Hospice. What draws you to philanthropy work? It’s simple and empowering at the same time. Give what you can: $10, 10 minutes, or 10 “thinking of you” messages...

Wellness

Waves of Womanhood

The Inspiring Story of Rebekah Moyer, Where Personal Growth, Motherhood and Content Creation Collide Article by Emily Ordoñez | Photography by Cadencia Photography Ever since moving to Hawaiʻi in 2020, Rebekah Moyer has become an influential local figure through social media. Rebekah is a multi-passionate woman who not only wears but also integrates all her many hats into a wholesome, balanced and inspiring lifestyle.  Rebekah is a breath of fresh air, creating relatable, attainable content...