The Big Island is known for its nightlife like the Big Apple is known for its surfing: There may be some, but you have to go in search of it. Big Islanders are largely an early-to-bed and early-to-rise bunch (that way they can catch the best early-morning-hour surf, of course), and most places close around 10 p.m.

Sunset cocktails are mostly what pass for nightlife in the Big Island, followed by dinner and maybe a moonlit stroll. An excellent choice for doing just that is Huggo's on the Rocks (75-5828 Kahakai Road, Kailua-Kona, 808-329-1493; www.huggos.com/all/ rocksdefault.htm), a casual joint right on the water where you're encouraged to kick off your flip-flops and walk barefoot on the sand as you sip a Kona Mac (macadamia nut liqueur and Kahlúa blended with ice cream). Footwear is required at the Lava Lounge, on the upper level of Pahu i'a in the Four Seasons (72-100 Ka'upulehu Drive, Kailua-Kona, 808-325-8000; www.fourseasons.com/hualalai), but not at the resort's Beach Tree Bar, which is right on the sand.

Instead of drinking it in on the oceanfront, Captain Beans' Polynesian Cruise (866-898-2519) gets you tipsy out on the water. The booze cruise plies you with unlimited cocktails and mediocre food. There's also a super-campy adults-only show that nobody would stand for on land. But being on a boat and drinking add appeal to almost anything.

After loosening up with some drinks, you may want to bust a move. So head to Lulu's (808-331-2633; www.lulushawaii.com). Aside from its inviting open-air deck, Lulu's is Kona's top club, with DJs spinning dance tracks until 1:30 a.m. or beyond; downstairs in the same building is Durty Jake's (808-329-7366), the dive bar you go to when you tire of yelling above the pulsing techno beat or just need a sports score.

But if you're looking to party Hawaiian-style, don your tropical-print best and go to a luau. The premier luau on the Big Island is held Wednesday and Friday nights at Kona Village Resort (Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway, Kailua-Kona, 808-325-5555, 800-367-5290; www.konavillage.com), complete with a succulent kalua pig slow-roasted in a traditional underground Hawaiian oven. The food is uniformly excellent, as is the service, and the show is well-narrated and culturally authentic enough. Reserve in advance; this show sells out. It's the hottest slice of nightlife in town.

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