My husband and I “live” on the Big Island - written in quotes because I’m writing this from Indonesia, where our jobs currently are and where we have spent most of our working lives as expatriated Americans. But we chose the Big Island as our real American home many years ago, bought property there in 2002, and go back whenever we can. I am fiercely, fiercely in love with all that Hawaii has to offer.
Below is a small taste of my favorite places, excerpted from material I have sent to friends planning a visit (perhaps slightly out of date - this was first written in 2007, though I just tried to give it a quick update). Since our home is in Honomu, it kind of goes outward from there.
IN AND AROUND HONOMU
Honomu town: a line of small shops featuring local arts and crafts, jewelry, woodworking, the usual tourist stuff, etc. Ghastly prices, shuts down early, and at least a few shops will be closed at any given time.
Akaka Falls State Park: Two beautiful falls along an easy-to-walk rain-forested pathway.
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Restaurants in Honomu:** the local joints in town offer tasty fish sandwiches, hamburgers, pizza, “shave ice” and ice cream. Good bakery opens first thing in the morning. All spots close by 6 pm except pizza place which is open until 7 (it’s closed all day 1-2 days a week, though.)
EN ROUTE TO HILO FROM HONOMU
**Honoli’i Beach: **Not sure how that is fairly recently due to various storms. Traditionally it is a great place to watch surfers and search for sea glass.
Ethnic cemetery: This historic cemetery has Philipino, Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese sections and makes for an interesting wander.
“Old Mill” beach: A marvelously atmospheric beach (not found in any guidebook, and I’m not sure what, if anything, its real name is) with black sand, high surf, and the rotting out remains of an old sugar mill that was inundated in the 1946 tsunami.
**Lutkenhouse Botanical Gardens & scenic drive: **Private botanical gardens founded by a local rich guy
Food: Tom the Baker’s — you should not leave island without tasting his cheesecake.
IN AND AROUND HILO
Discovery Center: small but nicely done center for learning about atolls and coral reefs. You can try to manipulate objects using the mechanical hands of a submersible sub, just like the ones really used on the ocean floor.
Tsunami Museum: Excellent way to learn how various tsunamis, most notably in 1946 and 1960 but also in other years, have shaped the history of Hilo. I believe the 2004 tsunami exhibit is now up and running; don’t know if they’ve had time to add much about the 2011 Japanese event.
Rainbow Falls: There is almost always a rainbow gracing the falls at this scenic spot. There is also an enormous banyan tree that kids love to climb.
**Boiling Pots: **A scenic spot on the Wailuku River with a nice, abbreviated but steep hike (it takes all of about 5 minutes) you can take down to the water. You don’t have to take the hike to enjoy the scenery.
Hilo waterfront shops: Hilo fancies itself as something of an artists’ colony and a lot of the locally produced glasswork, painting, woodcraft, etc. is available in the shops here. You be the judge of its quality. T-shirts, surf gear, fabulous but pricy Japanese cloth, and other miscellaneous items are available as well.
Onekahakaha Beach: I love this little beach, and based on how popular it is a lot of locals do too, but truth in advertising requires me to add that (a) it is extremely shallow – better for splashing around than for actual swimming; (b) it’s rocky and there is algae/seaweed so you need tabbies and you can’t be the kind of person who flips out at the sight of green goo from the ocean. The cool thing about this beach is that gigantic breakers shield the inland swimming areas from enormous, threatening waves that foam impressively right behind where little children frolic in calm waters.
**Hilo Hatties: **Given that it is just a tourist trap, some of the merchandise is surprisingly good and a lot of the clothing is not half bad.
**Big Island Candies: **You can see the factory through large glass windows behind the store, and occasionally you’ll see a row of diligent little old Asian ladies hand-dipping chocolates. But the real point is to buy tasty candies and cookies made with local ingredients like mac nuts and kona coffee.
**Hilo Zoo: **More of a park with birds, monkeys and reptiles than a full-fledged zoo, this is a lovely spot for a stroll and a picnic. On Saturdays there are sometimes activities such as a petting zoo for children. The zoo’s pride (no pun intended) is a gorgeous white tiger named Namaste. No admission charge.
Mac Nut Farm: So lame, it is worth visiting just to shake your head in amazement that the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts company actually thinks their site is worthy of being a tourist attraction.
**Kaumana Caves: **Although you can simply stare at the entrances to this lava tube and leave, it’s much more fun if you venture inside and take a 20-minute, rather challenging hike over jagged lava boulders in the dark.
**Lyman Museum: **Apparently a very nicely done museum of traditional Hawaiian art and culture. But how would I know? I’ve never been there.
**Lili’uokalani Gardens and Banyan Drive: **An attractive Japanese garden to stroll through, and you’ll never guess what sort of trees grace Banyan Drive. Not all that exciting, but perfect for drive-through tourism.
**Kamehameha Statue/park/ museum: **A very nicely designed museum in this park.
Farmers’ Market: Every day there is always a smattering of stuff for sale, but the real market is on Wednesday and Saturday; go first thing in the morning to ensure all vendors are present.
**Imiloa Astronomy Center & Planetarium: **Regular shows at the planetarium, and exhibits that, thanks to the politics of local culture vs. astronomers on Mauna Loa, are prodigiously respectful of Hawaiian traditions. Small but appealing.
EN ROUTE TO AND IN WAIMEA
Hamakua Coast: The drive from Hilo to Waimea. Very beautiful with many gorges and ocean views.
Lapahoehoe Point: A pretty little spot made more interesting when you know that a school here was completely swept away in one of the tsunamis. A bronze memorial commemorates the victims by name, and you can still see the steps where the schoolteacher’s cabin stood until it was claimed by the ocean.
Waipio Valley: More stunning scenery. Hard-core hike to the bottom and back for those in good shape - otherwise just enjoy the scenery at the top.
Kalopa State Park: A pretty forested park with a nice 1-mile nature walk through the woods, but what makes it really great is the drive back down; the ocean views are unbeatable.
Hawaiian Vanilla Co.: haven’t been there in years but liked it way back when; see their website for more up to date info: http://www.hawaiianvanilla.com
**Kohala Park/Nature Center: **An initiative to create an area with only native Hawaiian plants (during 2006 while at nature camp, Charlie helped to weed out ginger, which is not native to the islands). Not worth making a special trip to see, but pleasant if you happen to be in the vicinity anyway.
**Waipio Valley Overlook (White Road hike): **A wonderful hike (about 45 minutes one way) through pastureland, woods, headily scented ginger, a flume, and past a lava tube or two, culminating in an awesome view of Waipio Valley if the weather cooperates. It rarely does; usually at least part of the hike will be in mist if not rain. It is still beautiful, but if you are opposed to getting wet you should skip this hike unless the sky is brilliant blue at the trailhead.
**Hike beyond Mud Lane to old oven: **A short (15 minutes? I forget) easy walk through beautiful Hawaiian forest to an old oven where Portuguese bread was once baked.
Restaurants: 50s Diner; several unremarkable but adequate restaurants in Waimea.
WAILOA/KONA AND ENVIRONS
**Anaeho’omalu (“Lone Palm”) Beach(es): **Start at a rocky but pleasant beach with good ocean swimming; you can hike a bit beyond where most people stop and find nearly deserted, stunningly beautiful beaches, one of which even has a hint of green sand. Sea turtles can frequently be seen in this area. Hike some more across not-too-onerous lava terrain to see remarkably large olivine crystals and arrive at a quiet, rocky pool (tabbies are a must and a floatation device would probably make the experience more fun).
**King’s Shops: **mid to high end shopping, including a tasty restaurant whose name escapes me.
Petroglyphs: easily observed on a short, easy stroll that starts near the King’s parking lot. (Lone Palm beach parking, King’s, and Petroglyphs are all clustered in more or less the same spot.)
Hapuna Beach and Spencer Beach: two “classic” beaches not far apart in the Wailoa area. Surf can be high sometimes.
Make your own rock graffiti: Hawaiians do and you can too.
**Onazuki Space Center: **At the Kona airport. A very small but well-done space museum with several hands-on exhibits. Check closing time (I think it is usually 4 pm). Not worth a specia ltrip - go there if you are in the vicinity.
Puuhonua O Honaunau (City of Refuge). Ruins of ancient Hawaiian village by the ocean.
**Natural Energy Lab: **A fun tour, and you know that your money goes to a good cause.
Sport fishing: Expensive, especially if you actually catch a fish since you are supposed to tip something like $100 if you get something. (Be sure to let the crew know before you start that you do want your catch – for obvious reasons most tourists let the crew have it.)
Captain Cook Monument: Take a tour boat (I don’t know how, I’m not into that kind of touristy thing, but Google is your frined) or hike down from the top. It’s only about 2 miles one-way; easy going down, hard going up if you aren’t a serious fitness freak, but there are beautiful views, a sense of history, and a real sense of satisfaction from doing the hike.
IN AND AROUND VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK (HVNP)
Mauna Loa Drive to the ML trailhead (on 11 near HVNP entrance): a scenic drive with stops at “tree pots” (where lava flowed around trees that later rotted away) and excellent views of Mauna Loa. Plan carefully if you want to hike - it can be anything from 3-4 hours of enjoyment to one overnight for the fairly fit to a hard-core, multi-day hike
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Volcano Winery: **Wine tasting available, though they’ve recently started charging for it. Not great wine, but a fun stop. I am partial to the wine made with jaboticaba, which is actually rather enjoyable if not exactly traditional.
**Kau Desert Trail: **See “fossilized” footsteps in volcanic ash and hike over extraordinary lava landscapes with lots of Pele’s hair and other volcanic phenomena. Not especially difficult, but if hiking for a couple hours in the heat is not your idea of fun, this hike won’t be either.
jaboticaba For just $50/night (maybe more now) you can get a cabin that sleeps four with an electric light, bedding, and a grill, right across from HVNP. Since the Park is open 24/7 and park passes are good for 10 days, this allows you to spend a couple of days going in and out of HVNP without having to pay multiple entry fees or drive back and forth. If the lava is cooperating and you can hike to see night views of glowing lava, it is even better. If you like to camp out with your own tent, it is practically free. We’ve done both - it’s all good.
**Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: **Endless opportunities for exploration ranging from drive-by tourism to short strolls to easy, moderate or challenging hikes. Start by seeing the Visitor Center, Jagger Museum, Thurston Lava Tube, Steam Vents, and Halema’uma’u Crater, taking a drive along Crater Rim Road and down Chain of Craters Road. (NOTE: Pele has her own views on this; available routes change all the time.)
Once you’ve covered the basics other recommended sites/hikes include Kiluea Iki trail, Devil’s Throat, Hilina Pali Road, and Mauna Ulu (this last one is closed in July 2007 due to Pu’u’o’o activity). Consult Park brochures or just drive around and explore. There is a petroglyph hike near the bottom of Chain of Craters – I haven’t done it yet but it looks like a fairly easy and interesting activity.
EAST/SE HAWAII
Lava Trees State Park: Weird tree-shaped lava formations, plenty of mongooses (mongeese?), and the mother of all coqui frog infestations. The gorgeous drive there through twisty roads under canopied old forest resembles an illustration out of an antique edition of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales.
Ahalanui Park (a volcano-heated pond at the edge of the ocean): Mmm, really warm pond water: can you say “bacteria count”? But the spot is interesting to take a look at. Locals swim there and apparently don’t die.
Red Road: Actually, I’m not sure if this is still in existence; I seem to recall it was paved over a year or two ago. The fine print in your rental contract probably forbids you to drive on it, although I doubt anyone pays the least bit of attention to this restriction (I didn’t, as I traversed it before we bought our car). It is a short stretch of road made from lava with a high iron content, and it actually is (was?) rather red.
Breath of Fresh Air: Here, an isolated spot where a fairly recent lava flow borders the sea, is where the prevailing winds carry the air over a longer distance of ocean than anywhere else in the world. Thus the breeze here is theoretically the world’s cleanest and freest of pollution. It’s also a great spot to collect tiny olivine crystals, that is if you are enough of an OCD sufferer to even contemplate such an act.
Kalapana/Kaimu Beach: There is a very pretty stretch of black sand beach here, virtually deserted except for the occasional fisherman. Not many years ago there was a town here; now you walk atop the 10 feet of lava that obliterated it. (Watch out for cracks and crevasses.) The famous photo of the school bus half-covered in lava was taken here. (I just learned this from Anthony and have not seen the school bus myself; it may be worth getting directions to exactly this spot, assuming it is practical.)
SOUTH OF VOLCANOES NAT’L PARK
**Punalu’u Black Sands Beach: **This is “the” black sand beach. One often sees sea turtles nesting here. If you park at the south end (near the restrooms) be sure to walk all the way to the north end with the lagoon, so you get a complete appreciation of how pretty the beach is.
**South Point: **Furthest south point in the US. People jump off the cliffs there all the time for reasons such as their 50th birthday. Tim, who turned 50 in August 2006, did it. Watch people conquer their fear! Be glad it isn’t you torn between looking cowardly in front of your friends and family, or jumping 40 feet into the surf below! Tim’s tailbone hurt for weeks afterward.
Green Sands Beach: A bit of a hike (about 60 to 90 minutes) past South Point, but well worth it. The sand is sort of pea-green, thanks to the high olivine content. You can swim here, but mind the surf. It’s a bit of a steep trail down to the beach itself so not suitable if you’ve got a bad knee or somesuch. Even from the top, however, you can appreciate the color of the beach and the amazingly sculpted cliffs.
Ka’u: You can drive around Ka’u and see the amazingly desolate lava flow where people have actually built houses.
KOHALA
Pololu Valley: more fantastic scenery. Not a bad hike down to the bottom if you are in okay shape.
OTHER
Mauna Kea: Awesome! There is a visitor’s center at 9,000 ft or you can go all the way to summit – not in a rental car, of course (you can theoretically do it on foot, but it is VERY strenuous). Tours are expensive, but good.
A good website:
http://www.hawaiiweb.com/html/hawaii.html
