Fierce waves behind me in Laupahoehoe on the Hamakkua Coast. We learned about this tiny fishing village from a fellow guest at a B&B we stayed at earlier in the week in South Kona. With the strong winds and the crashing waves, it's not hard to imagine the deadly 1946 tsunami that struck at this very spot, killing many people including 23 children and four teachers. A memorial now stands where the school once was.
Tag Archives: big island hawaii
Moving from the dry to the wet on the island of Hawaii
As promised, we drove through several distinct microclimates today as we moved from South Kona on the Big Island’s southwest side to the North and then northwest area, driving north on 190 to Waimea and especially during our drive north from there on 250 to Hawi. At one point, we seemed to be driving on the border between two very different lands. To our right was Ireland with a touch of Arizona – dazzlingly bright emerald green high rolling hills with the occasional grazing cow and prickly cactus. To our left was Wyoming with a touch of the moon – an arid flat valley stretching out to the ocean filled with sand-colored scrub and black volcanic rock. Wow!
We also moved from sun and heat to rain and fog and then, just in the knick of time, sun – as we set off on a hike down into the dramatic Polola’a Valley – a series of high cliffs jutting into the ocean and just beyond, former bits of the island now marooned as enormous jagged boulders in the ocean. The hike was a little terrifying – okay a lot terrifying – because it’s muddy at the best of times and REALLY muddy right after it’s rained – and it was all down hill winding down a cliff covered with tropical vegetation. I did my little old lady steps and leaned so heavily on a wooden walking stick that by the end I had a few splinters in my palm. I only fell once and fortunately it was in slow mo into a muddy earthern surface rather than the other option – a muddy rock. By the time we got down to the pristine black sand beach at the bottom I was drenched with sweat – more from anxiety than the heat. But the views were worth the saturated shirt, muddy shorts, legs and sandals.
We marked our triumph with – what else – an ice cream cone in the funky western town of Hawi – at the local Tropical Dreams ice cream shop which produces a dazzling Tahitian Vanilla, among other flavors. We drove a bit south and then east to Honoka’a – on the north of the Hamakua Coast. And now I’m in a lovely room in an old plantation style house in the countryside – the Waipo’o Wayside B&B. More refined than our last b&b and we’ve traded in the sound of roosters for the strange chirping of tree frogs.
Filed under Hawaii
Adding to list for Hawaii’s Big Island: Polulu Valley and town of Hawi
A fellow blogger recommends the Polulu Valley in the northern tip of the Big Island. I’ve checked it out and definitely on our list now, thank you very much.
Here’s her thoughts: Polulu Valley….we are so glad when we added it to our things to do!! The Highway 270 up in North Kohala dead ends into this beautiful valley lookout. You can hike down the cliff to beautiful black sands with some green in it. Not very crowded at all. We wish we had brought lunch with us so we could just enjoy sitting by the water! If you google it, you can see some great pictures of it.
And here’s what Lets Go Hawaii has to say:
Polulu Valley, where North Kohala’s main artery, Hwy-270, comes to a dead end, is the last of the chain of inaccessible valleys, and for the moment is every bit as pristine as Waipio. The fear of tsunami, which led the Hawaiians to abandon these once densely populated valleys, is probably their best defense against the rapacity of the developers.
The morning is the best time to visit this picturesque perch overlooking a stretch of sea cliffs. Pololu valley is located at the end of Highway 270 in North Kohala. On your drive up Highway 270, be sure to stop for a look-see and a wonderful bite to eat in the quaint town of Hawi. The highway ends at the picturesque lookout for the Pololu Valley. At the top you can look down onto the Pololu Valley and a beautiful black sand beach.
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Hints for Hawaii – Big Island and Oahu!
This from a friend in the know…
On the Big Island, we really liked the west coast area around Kona. It’s very different from anything else I have ever seen: black sand beaches, lots of black lava rocks, etc. You can see the place where Captain Cook was killed, too. Hilo is a dump, in my view. Rainy and bad hotel options. The national park is cool, and there is a good chance you will see lava flowing. We felt we pretty much saw the park in one full day. We are big Maui people. It’s our favorite island.
In Honolulu, I would recommend the royal palace. Jackie and I both toured it and found it very interesting. It’s basically in downtown. The area where you are staying in Honolulu will be busy and crowded, but also fun. We like a restaurant called Duke’s that’s right on the strip. Basic food at reasonable prices, and a good salad bar. Climbing up to the top of Diamond Head in Honolulu is also fun, and not that hard. We really like a place called the Side Street Inn in Honolulu. Great, local asian food that only the locals know about. It’s in a bit of a spotty neighborhood, but very good food. Go early, so you have a better chance of getting a table. If you want to see the apartment where Obama grew up, it’s pretty easily found, too. Just a couple miles from where you will be staying.
The island hops on Hawaiian Airlines are really easy and usually on schedule, if that’s how you are getting between places.
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