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Discover a little piece of heaven when you check into one of these beautiful Big Island hotels.

Picture yourself lazing away the days in a hammock strung between two palm trees, with nothing between you and a perfect Kona sunset but the ocean. Or, perhaps you'd love an early-morning walk along the rugged Hamakua Cliffs, with hunchback whales, splashing around in the surf below, as your sunrise companions. However you spend your days, eventually you'll return to your "unplugged" hotel room, with an outdoor shower made of lava rock that's big enough for two and surrounded by fern-laced stones. Sound like your kind of honeymoon?

You can find low-key, natural pleasures like these on Hawai'i's Big Island, one of the most underdeveloped parts of the chain. Unlike Oahu, which is best known for the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, and busy Maui, full of crowded resorts, the Big Island is home to awe-inspiring scenery—and the place for a host of unparalleled outdoor adventures. The island is ideal for newlyweds looking for a honeymoon that's off the beaten path, and many say that a visit here feels like a trip back in time. Several hotels evoke this idyllic past: Read on to decide which heavenly hideaway strikes your fancy.

Past Perfect

One of the first resorts to make its home on the now-world- famous Kona Coast, Kona Village was built nearly 40 years ago, with exclusivity and privacy in mind. There are still no telephones, televisions, radios or alarm clocks in the 125 hale (Hawaiian-style thatch-roofed bungalows) that dot this 82-acre beachfront sanctuary, and a hand-painted coconut placed outside your door continues to serve as Kona Village's classic "do not disturb" sign. Complimentary activities include snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, canoeing and glass-bottom boat rides on turquoise-colored Kahuwai Bay. The hotel has lush lagoons and a Hawaiian-inspired spa and fitness center, and offers a lunch buffet that locals consider the best in the islands (think grilled lobster, fresh coconut and just-caught ahi). It all adds up to a timeless South Seas ambience found nowhere else in Hawai'i. So leave your cell phone behind—it's not allowed, and you probably wouldn't get service here, anyway—and surrender to a seaside couple's massage at sunset. Listen to the rhythm of the waves, and let the setting sun lull you into a state of relaxation. Then, return home to your hale, with just a tiki torch and the moon to light your way (konavillage.com).

The Royal Treatment

The 243-room Four Seasons Hualalai is located just a few minutes' drive down the "Gold Coast" from the Kona Village, and yet it feels like it's a world away. This resort is just what you would expect from a property in the tony Four Seasons chain, and it's a good choice for couples who want a vacation with a level of opulence befitting Hawai'i's ancient royalty. The resort has no fewer than five pools, including both freshwater and saltwater ones. Palm groves make the property feel secluded. Each of the elegant rooms has an ocean view, as well as creature comforts such as a whirlpool bath, goose-down duvets and a private lanai; many ground-floor units have outdoor showers made of lava rock. You can dine on Pacific Rim cuisine in Chef Alan Wong's Hualalai Grille, overlooking the Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and Mount Hualalai. Snorkel in King's Pond, which the resort stocks with manta rays and hundreds of brightly colored tropical fish, or visit the Kaupulehu Cultural Centre, an educational facility that provides a window onto the island's past (fourseasons.com/hualalai).

Range Rovers

Locals call the cowboy town of Waimea "Upcountry," and this part of the island is home to the Parker Ranch, one of the country's largest privately owned cattle ranches. Among the area's rolling emerald hills, you'll find the lovely Jacaranda Inn. Built in 1897 as a residence for the manager of Parker Ranch, this eight-room inn is the perfect starting point for those who wish to explore the majestic north shore. The inn's comfortable sitting rooms are filled with Hawaiian-Victorian antiques, and many of the guest rooms come with whirlpool tubs big enough for two. Every morning, innkeeper Mary Ellen Revana serves up omelets with ranch-style potatoes and island fruit. It's the perfect fuel for a day of hiking, horseback riding, or just relaxing with a book in one of the inn's many serene spots (jacarandainn.com).

Gimme Some Sugar

Along the Big Island's old sugar corridor, farther down the Hamakua Coast, remnants of Hawai'i's plantation past are preserved in rustic villages such as Honomu. This hamlet is home to one of the Big Island's most unusual accommodations: the gorgeous eight-room Palms Cliff House. The inn lies within minutes of Akaka and Rainbow falls and the old-fashioned town of Hilo, with its bustling farmer's market and lively arts scene—both must-sees for visitors seeking an authentic Big Island experience. Built in the style of the grand sugar estates of the 19th century, the Palms Cliff House is outfitted with modern luxuries such as air-conditioning, satellite TV, DVD players and high-thread-count Italian sheets. Since the inn is located atop a sheer cliff with unobstructed views of the Pacific, it's an ideal whale-watching spot during the winter months, and your balcony makes a perfect setting for enjoying a cup of Kona coffee at sunrise. In fact, you might never venture out of the room if it weren't for the inn's gourmet breakfasts (think Molokai sweet potato and basil frittatas) and afternoon tea, which features a mouthwatering tower of scones, tropical jams and clotted cream. Like the inn itself, it strikes just the right blend of luxury and authenticity (28-3514 Mamalahoa Highway, Honomu; palmscliffhouse.com).

Too Hot to Handle

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, the legendary home of Pele, Hawai'i's goddess of fire, offers hundreds of square miles of trails looping around untouched native Hawaiian rain forest. You can see lava tubes, steam vents and craters, as well as Kilauea, the most active volcano in the world, which has been erupting continuously since 1982. Think you'll be too tired to travel far after a day of hiking in the park? Book a room at the nearby Kilauea Lodge, located just outside the gate. Built in 1938, the lodge's main building and outlying cottages house 12 rustic, woodsy suites, each decorated with local artwork highlighting the volcano area's indigenous flora and fauna. Spend an afternoon in front of the hearth in the lodge's cozy library, or soothe your tired feet in the hot tub, located in the garden and surrounded by giant ferns. The lodge's restaurant, which serves venison, braised rabbit and Parker Ranch steaks, is an extraordinary destination in itself. Amazingly enough, the lodge is just a one-hour drive from the southern coast's jungles, just in case an active volcano isn't enough excitement (kilauealodge.com).

The classic Fijian honeymoon—white sand, blue water, a hut on the beach—lives up to just about everyone’s daydream. In Fiji, that thatch-roofed hut is called a bure, and almost every resort in the archipelago has at least one, whether it’s a guest room, a dining room or a spa.

These bure make Fijian resorts feel natural and rustic. But in the past two years, high design has hit the islands, resulting in several new resorts—and a style that’s more cosmopolitan. In your bure, in addition to a romantic canopy of mosquito netting over your bed, you could find chic silk throw pillows and an exquisitely simple duvet. True, you’ll have a direct view of the beach, but you may also have a Japanese-style tub in your bathroom and an infinity plunge pool on your deck.

Thankfully, all this modern design hasn’t translated into a loss of character. Instead, a unique kind of Fijian resort has emerged—one that mixes the islands’ traditional design style with sleek décor from all over the world. If you’re looking for elegance in the most remote, romantic setting, here are the newest places to go.

House of Style

TheRoyal Davui resort opened just a year ago, and already it’s the king of Fijian chic. The eight-acre private island, originally covered in dense jungle, has been sculpted into a terraced complex of 16 individual guest-room bure, which are connected by elevated walkways. The result: modern tree houses, set in the middle of the sea.

Privacy is the name of the game here, and the bure are designed for nesting. Each has an open-air, 800-square-foot floor plan in which the living room, bedroom and bathroom all overlook the lagoon. The bathroom is furnished with a Japanese-style vessel sink on a granite pedestal, a Jacuzzi tub and an enormous shower that's made for two. Best of all, with a touch of a button, the louvered shades on the skylight roll back and you can sit in your tub and gaze at the stars.

In the bedroom and living room, artfully arranged native shells add local flavor, just as the tribal art (think war clubs and cooking vessels) adds contrast to the sleek rattan furniture. Then there are the two decks—one with lounge chairs for private sunning, another with an infinity plunge pool. If possible, book one of the rooms in the #13-to-#19 range, since their pools get the most sunlight.

When you do emerge from your bure, you can lounge on the beach, snorkel or kayak around the island, go diving, indulge in a 50-minute outdoor massage at the spa bure or catch a film in the movie room (in-room TVs are a no-no at Fijian resorts).

Although you can order room service every night if you wish, you should dine in the restaurant bure at least once. Here, lanterns hang from the rafters and guests lounge on rattan sofas and armchairs. But the real draw is the food. The pan-seared swordfish, served with fennel, chives, orange and peppers and accompanied by a wasabi-dressed salad, is delicious and, as it is decorated with flowers, is also a work of art. At this high-style resort, you'll come to expect the most everyday things to be unexpectedly beautiful (royaldavui.com).

Lustrous Gem

The Pearl South Pacific, a hotel that reopened in February 2005 after a $75 million revamp and a name change—it was formerly known as Rae's South Pacific—is something completely new for Fiji. This Miami-style boutique hotel is the Fijian version of South Beach's Shore Club. Since The Pearl is on the main island of Viti Levu, home to Fiji's largest, most traditional hotels (such as the Sheraton Royal Denarau Resort and Shangri-La's Fijian Resort), it has caused even more of a stir than if it were hidden away on a small private island. This chic newcomer is front and center, for all to see.

The action is in the open-air lobby. Technically, it's part-lobby, part-bar, part-restaurant, part-lounge. In the bar area, a minimalist waterfall flows down the wall and mod chocolate-colored couches lie about, accented with fuchsia and cream pillows. In the lounge area, low, white, bed-style booths line the room, along with candlelit tables. The total effect: You feel as if you're at a chic urban bar instead of on a tropical island in the middle of the South Pacific.

Guest rooms, housed in a low-rise complex surrounding the pool area and small beachfront, are decorated in ecru, white and brown. The style is simple but modern and almost Japanese in its minimalism. Pacific Rim touches, like teak lounge chairs and sisal carpets over the dark tile, add a little Fiji to the mix. The best detail, though, is the private terrace with a day bed, where you can sleep beneath the stars.

Not surprisingly, the food is as trendy as the décor, with menus that highlight eclectic fusion cuisine. The Mantarae is the formal restaurant at the hotel; it has an open-air design and 270-degree views of the ocean. The chef dresses up local produce with flavors from all over the world. You'll find everything from steak topped with mandarin oranges and served with risotto cakes, to Malaysian-style chili crabs, to tempura lobster tail wrapped in seaweed. If you prefer simpler fare, you can find it at the hotel's bistro, which serves wonderful old-fashioned burgers

Outdoor activities include kayaking, tennis and scuba diving, and the resort plans to start construction on a spa later this year. For golfers, there's the 18-hole Robert Trent Jones Jr. course, and for those who want to just relax in the sun, the pool is certainly alluring.

Down on the beach, you'll find a fantastic bure bar—a true tribute to Fijian culture. Even this, though, drips with fabulousness, from the slate-lined outdoor lounge to the upstairs deck that offers a 360-degree view of the sunset. It's the perfect place to share an evening cocktail (Queens Highway, Deuba, Pacific Harbor, Viti Levu; thepearlsouthpacific.com).

A Shore Thing

Unlike the Royal Davui or The Pearl, the Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Island Resort has a long history. It's more than a half-century old, yet a recent renovation has allowed the property to mix its traditional rustic charm with a new design style.

Located on the large, northern island of Vanua Levu, the 23-acre resort has 25 individual bures, set in the dense jungle along the beach and connected by sandy paths. This gives the resort a Robinson Crusoe feel, and it provides you and your loved one an enormous amount of privacy. The original, two-story bures evoke an easy island vibe, with rattan furniture and tropical prints, punched up by colorful pillows. The key word here is relaxed, rather than decadent.

Which is why you should consider, for at least one night, upgrading to the new honeymoon villa, which blows hotel rooms around the world out of the water. This 2,000-square-foot bure consists of a complex of open-air rooms that surround a courtyard which has a small, exquisite pool. While the amount of space is impressive, it's the layout and the look that you'll remember. Every room offers a view of the beach, or of lush, tropical gardens full of pink frangipani. The raised master bedroom has a four-poster, mosquito-net-draped bed and a fabulous sound system. Across the courtyard are a full kitchen and a living room, furnished with sleek teak furniture and fabrics in the bright colors of the island. The massive indoor/outdoor stone bathroom features a soaking tub and a grotto-like outdoor shower, from which you have a view of your own private waterfall. You're never sure if you're indoors or outdoors because the two environments flow into each other so effortlessly.

Fittingly, the resort has a full-scale dive operation, which offers trips to a pristine reef, as well as all kinds of cultural activities, including group visits to local villages. The resort also has a medicine man on staff whom you can accompany into the jungle as he searches for plants and flowers to turn into healing remedies.

The food here is a bit more basic than at the other resorts, but every bit as delicious. (Picture a perfectly grilled whole snapper, moist and marinated in mango juice, or butterfish fillets served on fresh bok choy.) Many couples opt for a daytime seafood picnic on the resort's private island, which is a lovely way to spend the afternoon. But, whatever you do, be sure not to leave without arranging a romantic outdoor dinner for two at a table set up at the end of the dock. Here, you'll dine beneath the stars together and watch the moon rise over the Pacific (Savusavu, Vanua Levu; fijiresort.com).