Tips for planning, traveling and visiting Kona, by Iván Álvarez and Jaime Menéndez de Luarca

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Iván Álvarez and Jaime Menéndez de Luarca will compete this year for the sixth time in Kona, both being the first Spaniards to achieve it in the age group category.

Past Ironman of Lanzarote, Iván Álvaréz achieved the first place in the 40-44 age group while Jaime Menéndez de Luarca He was fourth in the same group. With these results both managed to qualify for the sixth time for the Kona World Cup.

Who better than them to give us some Tips on how to plan the trip, how to choose the flights, who places to visit in Kona, how to stay there, etc ...

For you which is the best airline to fly? Why?

James: Normally any of One World.

Ivan: To go to Kona what there is ???? Normally any of One World. The one with the best connection without too many scales. In my case I usually do, Madrid-European City, London or Paris type. After Los Angeles and Los Angeles-Kona. We are talking about some 24h.

In the 5 times that I have gone I have done the same, I leave Madrid at 8 in the morning on a Wednesday and I arrive the same day at the 20h. They are 24h flight and taking into account the 12h hour change that we won on the way, I arrive the same day.

Can the 100% be assured that the bike arrives?

James: If you travel with time the bike ends up arriving.

Ivan: The important thing is to travel with time. The bikes are usually lost in Los Angeles and San Francisco, as was my case, it took me 3 days to arrive, but it arrived.

When you have time to get the ticket ... What is the best date?

James: The bills barely oscillate. Approximately 1.100 € without rare scales

Ivan: There is hardly any price difference in getting them out 6 or 2 months before. 1.100 € is the optimal price with flight 2 scales and flight 24h.

What type of accommodation do you recommend? Hotel, apartment, camping? Can you share? Which is the most economical?

James: Kona has 3 seasons; Low, High and Ironman. If you look for economics in quotation marks you have to go to 50 kms. The best thing is a shared apartment between 4 people that can cost 200-300 dollars day and make life there.

Ivan: I recommend apartment, these are big and with all kinds of details. The prices are very high can range between 200 to 300 dollars per day. In many of them is included the cleaning that is usually every 2-3 days.

Can you recommend us a place to stay on the island?

James: Emdeko's house is very well and with White Sands Village family

Ivan: I recommend to the triathletes who are going for the first time, to stay by There Drive, the atmosphere is very authentic and is close to the Pier. Nor do I advise being too close to the goal, it can be stressful. The perfect distance to my liking is between 3 to 5km of the Pier.

What places do you recommend to visit in Hawaii? What should we not miss ... both sporting and extra-sports?

James: At a sporting level, it is enough to go out to train at the Pier, at the Kona Aquatic Center or with the bike on the Queen K or running on Alií Drive, which we will see at a show and nearby professionals at all times. At extra-powerful level, Waipio Valley and Mauna Kea

Ivan: At a sporting level, swim at the Pier and at the Kona Aquatic Center. Running along there Drive and also approaching by car to run in Energy Lab, is one of the hot spots and will give us some confidence the day of the race.

 By bike I recommend reaching the turning point in Hawi, it is the 88 Km (return by car). Going to shoot for the Queen K is also very mythical with a brutal environment (do not get warmed up that goes very fast)

As a tourist, do not miss out: dive with striped blankets at night, visit the Volcanoes Park (when possible), go to turtle beaches (respect the distance please), have a natural fruit smoothie with a good salad At Lava Java, go swimming with dolphins to Capitan Cook Bay, go up to Mauna Kea and get lost in Waipio Valley.

If the pocket allows us to spend a few days in the neighboring island Maui "you will not regret"

Photo: Ironman.com / Iván: More Sports Lanzarote SSC / Jaime: Laura Cervero Fernández