The satin palette of a Pacific sunset spreads across the sky, in exotic shades even Gauguin never imagined. Before you, on a sea-side Lava Lounge table, another "Sinking Sun" to refresh the palate...

As evening approaches, you savor a delicious Pahui'a seafood dinner by Chef Ahmad Sleiman, the ocean view vying with this award-winning restaurant's namesake aquarium. Or perhaps you'll enjoy a more casual repast of Hawaiian regional cuisine made famous by chef Alan Wong, at the Hualalai Grille, finishing with the freshest of Kona coffees.

Sounds like a dream? It's your reality—at the Four Seasons Hualalai resort, on the northern Kona-Kohala coast of Hawaii's "Big Island." The Hualalai resort nestles within a "very lush, very green" tropical environment, observes Lake Shore Travel specialist Vivian Rubenstein, who recently enjoyed her own Island vacation there.

"Hualalai was so beautifully relaxing and stress-removing," Vivian recalls. "Serene, peaceful, and luxurious... To me, it epitomizes what Hawaii is."

White sand beaches meet the sea mere steps from Hualalai's spacious, tropical bungalow-inspired accommodations, genuinely Hawaiian in design and furnishings. Some suites even feature lava-rock outdoor showers. The luxuriant spa pampers guests, including athletes who've just conquered the 18th hole on the ocean-side Jack Nicklaus signature golf course or triumphed in a sun-drenched tennis match.

Feeling adventuresome? Rent a car at nearby Kona (the name means "lava"!) and explore the Island. Spectacular Kilauea rises above Hawaii Volcanos National Park, where fire goddess Pele sparks almost continuous eruptions. Akaka Falls tumbles over 400 feet down to the cool, moist fern and bamboo forest floor. Puako Petroglyph Archaeological Park preserves ancient Polynesians' ideas in stone.

Mauna Kea's balmy slopes nurture the most aromatic Hawaiian coffee beans, near the "cow town" of Waimea, home to the famed Parker Ranch. Go whale-watching, or snorkeling, or deep-sea fishing! Enrich your Island explorations by visiting the Hualalai resort's own Ka'upulehu Cultural Centre. Indulge yourself touring the Island's many art galleries, or shopping in the upscale Waikoloa center.

The Big Island of Hawaii has it all, complete with the clement weather Midwesterners crave. Temperatures average a high of 80º and a low of 69º in February, the coldest month! Hawaii is also the driest of the archipelago's tropical islands. Vivian confirms, "Hualalai is an all-year-round destination."