The Big Island of Hawaii - Waimea & N. Kohala
Ranked #40 in Travel & Places, #2,677 overall
Welcome to the Big Island of Hawaii Circle Island Tour
Hele Mai! Hele Mai!
The Big Island of Hawaii, also named Hawaii, is the most diverse of all the Hawaiian Islands. You can travel around the Big Island of Hawaii in one day and go from white sand beaches to snow capped volcanoes; from cacti on cattle ranches to tropical rain forest; from black beaches to green sand beaches; and then on to live erupting volcanoes. All in one day!
But wait! You don't want to do it all in one day! Relax, take your time, enjoy! There is so much to see and do on a Big Island of Hawaii Circle Island Tour!
It is well worth it to take your time and plan on staying for a while. There are so many unique and interesting things for you to enjoy while visiting Kailua-Kona of the Big Island of Hawaii. You don't want to just drive around the island without stopping and miss it all!
You will want to slow down and absorb the beauty; slow down and experience the diverse cultures and life styles; slow down and savor the exotic tastes and aromas that the Big Island of Hawaii has to offer. Each part of the island that we visit has something different to experience; something different to cherish; and something different to create memories for you to take home with you!
This is a Hawaiian Hale (House)
Tradition Requires You Remove Your Shoes Before You Enter
Eh! No Forget!
You Gotta Remove Your Shoes Before You Go Inside
Big Island of Hawaii Circle Island Tour Part 1 - Waimea & North Kohala
We Have Expanded
This lens grew so large that I was forced to break the tour into 6 segments to make it easier to view. Be sure to catch each bus (lens) to see a different part of the Big Island of Hawaii on each one. Below you will find the links to the next 6 parts of the tour and on the bottom of each lens you will find a link to the next bus (lens) in line to board to continue around the island.In this lens we will cover the northern part of the Big Island of Hawaii. We leave from Kailua-Kona and head north to Waimea..
Please remember to click the link at the end of the lens to continue to the next part of the Big Island of Hawaii - the Hamakua Coastline.
Maholo nui loa,
June - Kona Girl
Big Island of Hawaii - Part 2 - Hamakua Coast
Big Island of Hawaii - Part 3 - Hilo
Big Island of Hawaii - Part 4 - Volcano Area
Big Island of Hawaii - Part 5 - South Kona Coast
Big Island of Hawaii - Part 6 - Kailua-Kona
Keali'i Reichel Sings "Kawaipunahele"
Kailua-Kona
It was a different climate and a different time. The aloha spirit was everywhere and the ohana (family) and the aina (land) were the most important things in our lives. When the fish were running and the taro and the breadfruit were plentiful; we were happy. We didn't ask for much and we didn't need much. Life was much simpler back then.
Come back often as I add more information about my home, the Big Island of Hawaii.We will start the Big Island of Hawaii Circle Island Tour, by heading north to Kohala, where I will tell you a little about the diversities of this wonderful land that is my home. Kailua-Kona will be covered once we go around the island in Part 5 & Part 6 of our tour.
The Towns We Will Visit in Route to North Hawaii
North Kohala
Mahalo & Aloha!
North Kohala Map
The map will show you the area that we are going to visit today. This is the most northern point of the Big Island of Hawaii.
Hele On to Kohala
Onward To Kohala
We will begin our tour by leaving Kona and taking the lower road known as the Queen's Highway, driving northwest to Kohala.We will pass Honokohau Harbor and the Kona Airport. This strip along the beach use to be quite desolate. We would camp at Pine Trees where we would fish and swim, my uncles would play music, my aunties would cook and we would party!
Now there are huge golf courses and resort hotels. The hillside has exploded with the construction of million dollar homes. Instead of continuing along the beach road we will head mauka (towards the mountains) traveling north east through the "Beverly Hills" of Kona, Kona Palisades, until we get to the Mamalahoa Highway and head north toward the district of Kohala, and more specifically to Waimea - Kamuela.
When we return to Kona from the Circle Island Tour, we will revisit the beach road then on the last leg of the Circle Island Tour.
MAUNA KEA
Mauna Kea Observatory
Taking a side trip off the Mamalahoa Hwy. to Saddle Road, we can see Mauna Kea which is the highest mountain in the world. Yes, even taller than Mount Everest by 10,000 feet, to a total of 32,000 feet, with 13,796 feet above sea level. Mauna Kea, which is actually a dormant volcano, is measured from it's base, just as Mount Everest is, however; it's base is partly below sea level. It is the only place in the world that you can drive from sea level to 14,000 feet in 1-1/2 hours.At the summit of Mauna Kea is the Mauna Kea - Observatory, home of the world's largest astronomical observatory for optical, infrared, and submillimeter astronomy, with telescopes operated by astronomers from eleven countries. There are currently thirteen working telescopes. In ancient times our ancestors navigated by the stars that you can see from this observatory.
At the 9,300 foot level is the Ellison Onizuka Institute for Astronomy. These facilities were constructed in 1982 and were named in honor of Ellison Onizuka, the astronaut from Kealakekua, on the Kailua-Kona side of the Big Island, (where we call "up mauka). Ellison Onizuka was one of the astronauts who died on 28 January 1986, when the U.S.S. Challenger exploded 1 min. 13 sec. after launch. The Onizuka family still operates their general store on the old Holualoa Highway (Route #180) by the coffee farms of Hualalai mountain.
During the winter we actually have snow at the top of Maunakea. When I was young, and when my children were young, during the Christmas season, we would pack up the 4-wheel drive vehicles with a cooler full of food, thermoses full of coffee and cocoa, and make the trek to the summit to play in the snow. We would make snowmen, go sledding on pieces of cardboard and have snowball fights. After lunch, when the coolers were empty, we would refill it with snowballs. We would then drive down the mountain and go to Hapuna Beach where we would throw snowballs (which by then had hardened into iceballs) at our cousins on the beach. Auwe! Only in Hawaii!Please go to the Mauna Kea Observatory Website and click the link that says "The White Mountain" to learn how we Hawaiians treasure Mauna Kea.
Photo from Sparky Leigh
Snow on Mauna Kea
On a Clear Day....
Photo by Donna62 at Flickr
Our winter playground for family outings before going to the beach.
Hawaiians in the Snow
What happens when Hawaiians encounter snow....
Photo and caption by Charley Marley
"This is the average scene up at Mauna Kea when it snows....
Cold cold weather - check
Boardshorts and rubber slippers - check
Cooler with beer - check
Boogieboard, err, Hawaiian snowboard - check
Shovel to take home snow - check" ~ Charley Marley
Only the Finest Kona Coffee
Get Your KOA Kona Coffee Here!
Click here to see more of the KOA Kona Coffee Farm at my Big Island of Hawaii - South Kona lens.
WAIMEA - KAMUELA - KOHALA
Jacaranda Inn in Waimea
At Parker Ranch
Photo by The Jacaranda Inn
Stay in a garden cottage at the Hawaii's historic Ranch Estate of the Jacaranda Inn in Waimea at Parker Ranch. Rooms and bungalows are exquisitely remodeled ranch house and bunkhouses. It's a favorite of the star gazers visiting the Onizuka Observatories at the top of Mauna Kea. It is a superb homebase for your Hawaii vacation on the Big Island, that is not very well know to the average tourist, making it a bit more exclusive, yet very affordable.
Everyone of their rooms are so beautifully romantic, that it is difficult to decide which one I like the best. I love the cottage with it's river stone fireplace and the beautiful view off the lanai that overlooks the Kohakohau Stream and the Kohala Mountains. It is rather large just for two people, though, as it has 3-bedrooms.
Hibiscus Room
Jacaranda Inn
I fell in love with the whimsical shabby chic feel of the Hibiscus Room.
Visit the Jacaranda Inn Website for more information. Have a look at the rooms there and you decide which one you like the best.
A "must have" for breakfast at the Inn is their famous French toast made with Portuguese sweetbread and a pot of Kona Coffee. Yummy!
(BTW - I am not affiliated with the Jacaranda Inn. I just know that it is a place you would love to stay while visiting Hawaii.)
Parker Ranch
As we travel north on Mamalahoa Highway through Kohala to Waimea, the most northern part of the island, we drive through terrain that will remind you of the deserts of Arizona or New Mexico. You will see cacti, pampas grass and tumbleweeds for as far as you can see as we begin entering the Parker ranch area.Parker Ranch is the largest cattle ranch in the nation. Yes, it is even larger than Star Ranch in Texas. Parker Ranch got it's start in the early 1800's, but didn't become a full working ranch until around 1840. The ranch spans almost 180,000 acres, which is about a third of the islands land mass. It is also one of the country's oldest ranches, with almost 170 years of history.
As we get closer to Waimea, you can see the desert-like region changing into soft, rolling green hills of pasture land. Paniolos, Hawaiian cowboys, can be seen riding the range herding their cattle. The paniolos were herding cattle years before the first cowboys appeared in the Mainland. We can say mahalo, thank you, to the Spanish, Latin American vaqueros that came to Hawaii from Venezuela,
It was these vaqueros that came and taught the Hawai'ian people the roping and herding techniques to manage the wildly aggressive black longhorn cattle that had been running wild on the island. The Hawaiian name, paniolo is a derivative of the word espanoles. Interestingly, the word cowboy, in the American West, came from the word gaucho, of the South American cowboy, from Argentina.
Paniolo Herding Cattle in the Ocean
Photo by Arcives of the Honolulu Star Bulletin Newspaper
Transporting cattle was all done by ship at one time. The cattle had to be lifted by cranes onto and off of the ships. First they had to be herded through the sea water to the ships where the were hoisted on board. When disembarking, the were lowered into long boats one at a time. Often they didn't make it to shore in the small boats and had to be herded in the ocean to land.
Paniolo Lowering Cattle into Long Boats
Ikua Purdy
Hawaii's Most Famous Cowboy
This is a little history about Ikua Purdy from the Paniolo Preservation Society in Waimea-Kamuela.
"Ninety-one years ago, Waimea's Ikua Purdy stunned the American West by winning the 1908 World Roping Championship in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Ikua remains Hawai'i's most famous paniolo. His riding and roping skills are legendary. "We sing his praises and boast about his skills in cowboy songs and hulas. His prowess with the kaula ili (rawhide lariat) is recounted during talk-story sessions at brandings and gatherings......"
Who Was Ikua Purdy?
To Read More, please go to the Paniolo Preservation Society website.
Parker Ranch Rodeos
Every year on July Fourth and Labor Day the Parker Ranch holds it's own rodeos; Through out the year they also host smaller amateur events at the Parker Ranch Rodeo ArenaThe Parker Ranch Rodeo area is also home to a race track, polo fields and bandstands. Huge dining tents are put up for the events which really make the rodeos, polo games and races great fun days. The rodeo arena has long been used by Big Island paniolo, family, friends, and fans for days of fun competition.
Parker Ranch also accommodates private parties on the ranch. No group is too. large or too small. The ranch has seen many a wedding party over the years!
While visiting the Waimea/Kamuela area you can take a tour of Parker Ranch with the Parker Ranch Cattle Country Tours. You can get more information by visiting their website at:
Parker Ranch Cattle Country Tours
They also offer horseback riding and hunting trips. When my family has gone hunting in the Parker Ranch area, they have come home with pheasant, wild turkey, grousse, quail, wild boar and wild goat. There is still wild cattle running around the mountains too.I had a stand-up freezer outside my kitchen door that was always full of game and fish. The only way you could starve on the Big Island is if you're too lazy to pick the fruit that grows wild, or to go fishing and hunting!
KAMUELA
District of Waimea, Big Island of Hawaii
The closer we get to Waimea, the higher in elevation we will climb, and the warm temperature can change drastically, to a much cooler, misty and foggy climate. The cooler weather supports a different eco-system than the desert-like, cattle country area we just traveled through.Looking makai (towards the ocean) you will see a lush, deep greenery that stretches out past the sloping pasture land, to the cliffs overlooking the deep blue ocean. The contrast of the green against the deep blue with the white crest of the waves and the sparkling from the reflection of the sun on the waves, takes your breath away with the beauty and expanse of it all. The change from the desert like region that we just left behind is quite a remarkable, yet drastic change.
Coming into Waimea the scenery changes again as Waimea is home to many varieties of pine trees, eucalyptus and hard wood trees; such as koa trees, ohia, and iron wood pine. You can smell the pine and the eucalyptus mixed in with the scent of the koa wood and sandlewood trees, wild ginger and gardenias. Heavenly. The scent alone carries you into another realm. The bright colors of the Bird of Paradise, orchids, hibiscus and hundreds of different varieties of ferns are everywhere showing through the fog that rolls in most every afternoon.As you enter this northern town, you will notice an odd cross between an old Western town and Polynesia. You can still see hitching posts in front of some of the restaurants, saloons and the bank. As you will notice in the photo below, the jungle gym at Kamuela Park has stirrups for handles, and one of the town stop signs reads "Whoa!" instead of "Stop".
Waimea has grown extensively over the last decade or so as it now has two stop lights, instead of just one, and new shopping centers and homes have been developed. The homes being built in Waimea are $300,000 and up fee simple homes. These homes are being advertises to mainland people, not to the local island people.
Hawaiian Style Cafe - Kamuela
The Best Local Food on the Big Island
Photo by Click Here to Learn More
Real Da Kine Hawaiian Food
Photo by Selvin Chance
Want to try some real Hawaiian food? Stop at the Hawaiian Style Cafe. This is were the local people eat. Very unassuming place, low cost and plenty food. This photo shows a "plate lunch" of Kalua pig, Lomi Lomi salmon, Chicken Luau, Chicken Long Rice and Poi.
There is usually a line and you have to add your name to the wait list (no one will tell you this), but it is well worth the wait. There is only one counter and a few tables and chairs. All the food is home grown, made in Hawaii, and local style.
They serve a mean breakfast too! Try the Portuguese sweetbread French toast.
Address: 64-1290 Mamalahoa Hwy, Kamuela, Island of Hawaii, HI 96743
Phone: 808 885 4295
Gifts from Kohala for You or Your Friends
The Music of Kohala
The Best Places to Eat in North Kohala
This is a photo inside of Tako Taco Taqueria in Kamuela.
These are the best places to eat that I know of in Northern area of the Big Island. A few of my favorite places that were the oldest in Kamuela closed down this year because of the down turn of the economy.
If you have a favorite place in North Kohala, be sure to add it here. If they don't have a web site, why not create a lens about them and add the link here? Just click here for a free Squidoo account to start creating your Hawaiian Restaurant lens today!
Please only links about Kohala, Hawaii. Anything else will not be approved and will be deleted. Sorry, but that is what this lens is about - the North part of the Big Island of Hawaii. Not bingo games, not gambling, not Internet marketing and not Australia - only the Northern area of the Big Island of Hawaii.
The Bamboo Restaurant
Find the real Hawaii at the restaurant voted " more...2 points
Zest Artisan Kitchen
We offer the Finest, Freshest, Local ingredients a more...1 point
Pico's Bistro
Take out or eat in food in Kapa'au, Hawaii.0 points
Peter Merriman's
Welcome to Peter Merriman's, the home of Hawaii Re more...0 points
Huli Sue's
This is a Texas barbecue restaurant in Kamuela Haw more...0 points
Tako Taco Taqueria
Tako Taco Taqueria in Kamuela does not have their more...0 points
What's Happening in North Kohala Today?
- VIDEO: Kohala Middle students at President Obama's Science Fair
- WASHINGTON, DC : A great opportunity for some kids from North Kohala who visited Washington DC recently. Four Kohala Middle School students had the honor of presenting their exhibit called ?Improving the Environment One Community at a Time? for ...
- Environmental Projects Shine at the White House Science Fair
- Improving the Environment One Community at a Time Isabel Steinhoff, Rico Bowman, Genevieve Boyle, and Mina Apostadiro, of Kohala Middle School in Kapaau, Hawaii, took first place in the grades 6 to 8 division of the Siemens ?We Can Change the World? ...
- Big Island fire crews put out North Kohala wildfire
- By AP A wildfire in North Kohala burned about 15-20 acres yesterday morning, causing a traffic slow down. Fire officials say the fire started after 6:00 am Wednesday morning near mile marker 14 on the makai side of Akoni Pule Highway at the south end ...
HAWI
Historic North Kohala
Now we will head on to Hawi in North Kohala through the Kohala Mountains.
Hawi Town
The Most Northern Town on the Big Island
Hawi is a huge town of around 1,000 people, give or take a few, and is the birth place of King Kamehameha I. At one time this part of the island was quite a bustling center of Hawaiian culture and population because of the Kohala Sugar Plantation. Once the plantation shut down, many people moved away to either Hilo or Kona to find work.Today Hawi, and its' neighboring towns of Kapa`au and Makapala have become artist colonies. Many of the local residents now consists of the artists, those that are seeking alternative life styles, retirees and the Hawaiian families that have lived in the area for hundreds of years.
Hawi is a quaint, colorful little village with unique shops, art galleries and restaurants. You can find some really beautiful, unique pieces of artwork in this little town. The most happening place in town for night life is the Bamboo Bar & Restaurant, which also serves some very good food with a Asian-tropical flair. Entertainment at night can range from fabulous Hawaiian music to to local acoustic guitarists.There is also a coffee/ice cream shop, called the Kohala Coffee Mill, which is pictured above to the left (Photo by Step It Up 2007); a bakery; a sushi bar, called the Sushi Rock, which is pictured below on the right (Photo by SmokingDuck); a Mexican restaurant; a natural food store; a book store; a tattoo parlor; the local general - grocery store and a post office in town.
Activities around Hawi include hiking and biking. A little ways down the road, at the beautiful black sand beach of Pololu Valley the ocean activities include kayaking, deep-sea fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and whale-watching. The town is laid back, the people are warm and friendly and the last time I was there, the beach wasn't crowded at all. Quite a lovely, serene place. Bamboo Restaurant & Bar
Haw'i's Largest Restaurant and Nightly Party Place
This is the most happening place in Haw'i. Great food and great parties! Plenty of local entertainment in the evening.
Zest Kitchen
55-3435 Akoni Pule Hwy
Hawi, HI 96719
(808) 889-1188
Zest Kitchen Store Front
Photo from Zest Kitchen
The Menu Changes Daily
Photo from TheNormalVegan
Photo from Zest Kitchen
While Visiting Hawaii Don't Forget Your Camera
Review of the Canon PowerShot A590IS 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Canon PowerShot A590IS 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Amazon Price: $349.99 (as of 02/13/2012)
Hawi Wind Farm
Hawi Renewable Development, located at Upolu Point in North Kohala, began producing wind power in 2006. It provides power for Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO). Upolu Point is considered to be one of the best places in the U.S. to have a wind farm because the wind is constantly blowing there. Come to think of it, I can only remember a hand full of times being at Upolu Point when the wind wasn't blowing.It is difficult to realize how large these wind turbines actually are. When standing close to one, the sound of the blades can be pretty scary.
Watch the video below and you will get an idea just how windy this area actually is.
KAPA`AU
The Village of Kapa`au
A Little History of Kapa`au
Kapa'au in North Kohala is another very small, quaint town. It is the site where the original Kamehameha the Great statue is erected.In 1878 the statue was commissioned for the coronation of King David Kalakaua. The statue was cast in Paris and put on a ship for Honolulu in 1883. Unfortunately, the ship was lost at sea along with its precious cargo. Another statue was cast and was sent to Honolulu, where it arrived safely and was placed in front of the Judiciary Building, where it remains today. The original statue was discovered in the Falklands and salvaged. It was then shipped back to Hawaii and erected in the little town of Kapa'au, just a short distance from King Kamehameha the Great's birthplace.
Every year on June 11, on every island, Kamehameha Day is celebrated. Every King Kam statue on every island is covered with long leis and a parade is held in his honor. All of the beautiful floats in the parades can only be made of natural materials such as flowers, plants and seeds.A royal court is elected to oversee the day's festivities. Everyone in the court dresses in the costumes of old Hawai'i. Each island is represented by an elected princess who wears the color and flower of the island she was chosen to represent. The selected women will also ride in the parade on horseback along with their troops. The riders are called pa'u riders. A pa'u is a sarong style skirt that is worn by woman horseback riders. The pa'u in the color of the island being represented is fashionably wrapped around the pa'u rider and she is then adorned with leis and lei po'os (head leis) made of the flowers of the island. The women, along with their troops, will then ride on horseback in the parade. Often at the end of the parade there is hula dancing in the king's court . Each princess, or pa'u rider, will dance a hula for the island she is representing.
Once the parade has ended the celebrating begins and can carry on for days. There are luaus, arts & craft fairs, and hula dancing. Everybody eats, drinks, dances, plays games and music and just has a good time.
Pa`u Rider
Princess from Lana'i
Photo by Enolarama
The Lana'i Princess pa`u rider is wearing leis of the kauna`oa, that represents the island of Lana'i, also known as the native dodder (cuscuta sandwichiana). It is a rare species that can be very difficult to find.
Go here to learn more about the Kauna`oa Plant
Kapa`au Banyan Tree House
Every Little Bit Helps
Use a canvas tote bag that has an Aloha print and everyone will want to know where you got it!
POLOLU
Pololu Valley Mountain Range
Pololu Valley Hiking Trail
Hiking in Pololu Valley on the Pololu Trail
Pololu Valley is the end of the road for the northern tip of Hawai'i. It is a gorgeous valley, but the hiking can be treacherous. The Pololu Trail in the valley is part of the Old Government Road that leads to an area called Awini where Kamehameha I was hidden from enemies in his early childhood. In 1758, the year in which Kamehameha is believed to have been born, his mother gave the infant to a chief who carried him to safety, through Pololu to remote Awini.The trail begins where the paved Akoni Pule Highway ends at the top of the cliff. At the top you can look down onto the Pololu Valley and a beautiful black sand beach. The trail which runs in a steep zigzag down the vegetated 420-foot cliff face, can be dangerous at times, although hiking down the trail is a favorite pastime for adventurous visitors to the area. Very few tourist will venture into the rough country farther south into the interior of the valley.
When Hiking in Hawaii
Bring.....
A backpack to hold your stuff.
Mosquito Repellent - The mosquitoes in the rainforest are wicked!
JanSport Classic SuperBreak Backpack
Protect Yourself from the Skeeters
Zip-line Across the Pololu Valley Canopy
There are outfitters that will take you into the interior of the valley where you can cross swing bridges and zipline over the tree top canopy of the rain forest. If you are afraid of heights don't try this as the swing bridges can be very scary to people with altitude phobias. If you are more of the adventurous type, you will love this!
Wear sturdy hiking boots and bring along a light jacket or hoodie as it can be damp and rainy in the valley.
View of Pololu Valley Black Sand Beach
Photo by Kona Boy
This is coming down the main trail to the beach. If you stick to this trail that goes down to the beach the hike is a short one on a steep decline. The return trip back up the incline can be strenuous if you are not in good shape. The swimming and surfing at the black sand beach is wonderful, and you will seldom find a crowd. The beach is surrounded by the majestic lush green cliffs of the valley.
Pololu Valley Black Sand Beach
Photo by Burkhard Gauss
This is a very secluded black sand beach that has some really good skin diving and fishing spots. While swimming or camping on the beach, beware of the Portuguese Man-o-War. These beautiful blue jelly fish often make their way to the beach when the tide brings them in. They are beautiful with the different shades of blue that appear iridescent in the sunlight, but they pack a terribly painful sting that can temporarily paralyze. Do not try to rub them off with sand if you do find yourself wrapped in ones tentacles. Doing this will rub the poison into the skin quicker. Human urine is the quickest temporary relief. You may have to make an emergency stop at the hospital for a shot if paralysis does start to set in or the pain becomes too severe.
Portuguese Man-o-War
Photo by Marcia Salviato
The Portuguese Man o' War (Physalia physalis) - We call this marine creatures jelly fish, but they really are not. They look like jelly fish and sting like jelly fish, but they are actually a siphonophore - a colony of four kinds of minute, highly modified individuals, which are specialized polyps and medusoids. Read the Wikipedia section for more information.
You Can Get Keali'i Reichel's CD's Here!
Keali'i Reichel's 1st Album - Ke'Alaokamaile
Review:
By writing and performing pieces in the old language with authentic instruments, he voices the real strength of his people. This is something that must be preserved. The beauty and strength of our culture is self-evident. If you want to hear some fantastic Hawaiian music, chanting and heartfelt aloha, you will want to add this CD to your collection of Hawaiian music!
Ke'Alaokamaile
Keali'i's 2nd Release - Lei Hali'aLei hali'a means "to be surrounded in memories"
Review:
This beautiful music is sung in the traditional Hawaiian style. The music is more heartfelt, expressive and emotional than anything in English. Keali'i Reichel is helping to preserve the Hawaiian culture by donating a portion of his proceeds to educational programs for the children of Hawai'i to keep the aloha spirit alive through its children.
Lei Hali'a
E O Mai - Keali'i's third albumReview
The title track is one of the most perfect songs to listen to. I could listen to Keali'i sing all night and I wouldn't get tired of it. He is a perfectionist who as a Kumu Hula (hula master), establishes great flow to his beautiful music.
E O Mai
Ke'AlaokamaileThe Grammy-nominated Ke' Alaokamaile is the Keal'i's tribute to his family, singing about his ancestors and his own life so far.
Ke'Alaokamaile
MAHUKONA
Mahukona Beach Park
Photo by Hawaiigaga.com
We are now backtracking through Haw'i to go to the other side of the northern tip of North Kohala. There are several small beach parks along the way. There is Kapaa, Mahukona Beach Park and Laupakai Beach Park.
We are by passing Kapaa and heading to Mahukona.
When You Go to the Beach in Hawaii
Wear What the Locals Wear
The Best All Terrain Soles Hawaiian Sleepahs
Don't look like an IT (Independant Traveler) otherwise known as an 'Idiot Tourist'. Be Cool and Wear what the Locals wear on their Feet to the Beach in Hawaii.
Click Here for Full Details:
Scott Hawaii Kamuela Flip Flop ~ All Terrain Sole
A Brief History of Mahukona
In the late 1800's North Kohala, at Mahukona, was a main shipping port for sugar cane, In 1889 a light house was built to accommodate all of the shipping vessels coming into port. The fog during the winter month's can get quite heavy, along with the rough seas, making it difficult to navigate the huge ships. Once the last sugar plantation was shut down, the thriving seaport, ceased to exist, however, the old pier from those by-gone, plantation days is still there. During the winter months the ocean becomes inaccessible, due to the high surf, but is still one of the best places to go to whale watch.Regardless of the name, Mahukona Beach Park has no beach.The shoreline is very rocky, but it does have sparkling clear underwater visibility which makes it an excellent place to go snorkeling, diving and fishing. Divers love it here. There is a shipwreck a little ways out that divers love to explore. The ship was an inter-island steam ship, the S.S. Kauai. The ship sank on 12 December 1813 off of Mahukona. The ship's freight consisted of supply cargo for the sugar plantations, and passengers. The mooring pins broke during the winter's high surf and sank in the storm.
Camping is allowed, and it is a fantastic place to camp, while getting some diving or fishing into the schedule. I have always loved pitching a tent and spending a few days there, getting some diving in while catching some fresh fish with a spear, for the evenings dinner. It is a very relaxing spot and the diving is just awesome. Often you can swim with the bottle nose porpoise or watch the humpback whales birthing their young.
Not too far from the beach you can hike to the Maka O Hule Heiau. This heiau is called the Stonehenge of Hawaii. Watch the video below to learn more about it.
Dolphin Hand Carved in Hawaii
One-of-a-Kind Carved Dolphin
Click Here for Full Details:
Dolphin Sculpture On Drift Wood Base - Hawaii Dolphin
Maka O Hule Point: Navigational Heiau
Stonehenge of the Big Island, Hawaii
What is Happening in Kohala Today?
Continue on to Part 2 of Our Tour of the Big Island of Hawaii
Big Island of Hawaii - Hamakua Coast
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Mahalo Nui Loa!
Please bookmark my lens with my bookmarking manager!
Kipa Hou Mai!
(Come Visit Again)!
Aloha,
June (Kona Girl)
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LaraineRose
Jan 28, 2012 @ 3:47 am | delete
- Aloha, My husband and I have just spent about one hour reading this lens, watching the videos and wishing we were there. We have been to two of your hawaiian islands but not to this one. Right now, we are having very cold weather where I live in Canada and the thought of a vacation where it is warm really appeals to us. I will be reading your other lenses on your island soon. Angel blessings.
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KonaGirl
Feb 8, 2012 @ 11:06 am | delete
- Mahalo nui loa for the blessing, Lorrain. I am so glad you enjoyed your visit.
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40kTerrain
Jan 26, 2012 @ 11:27 pm | delete
- Konagirl -- this is a fantastic lens! I love the Big Island and dream of going there again. Thanks for putting together such a nice page that makes me feel like I'm there, just a little.
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AlleyCatLane
Jan 26, 2012 @ 9:15 pm | delete
- Had no idea there was snow in Hawaii!!! Or so much diversity in the environment. Fascinating. Hope to visit one day. Blessed.
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KonaGirl
Feb 8, 2012 @ 10:53 am | delete
- Mahalo nui loa for the nice comment and blessing!
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DeannaDiaz
Jan 20, 2012 @ 11:33 am | delete
- What a beautiful lens! I would love to visit but here I am stuck in the the Caribbean! Come and visit my Dominican Republic sites!
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krakensquid
Jan 16, 2012 @ 3:54 am | delete
- Perfect lens!
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Irenemaria
Jan 8, 2012 @ 5:21 pm | delete
- A very very interesting island. Reminds me a lot of The Canary Islands where I lived. Made a lens about "my" island Fuerteventura. Thanks for all your really nice photos
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BlueTrane
Jan 4, 2012 @ 8:51 pm | delete
- I love the Big Island...returning this summer...after reading your lens I realize I haven't even scratched the surface of what it has to offer. Thanks!
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skiesgreen
Dec 20, 2011 @ 9:52 pm | delete
- You were blessed to grow up in such a wonderful place. Thoroughly enjoyed the tour and the videos. Hugs
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Aloha! My name is June Parker. I am from Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawai'i.
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