Hawaii:  The Kohala Peninsula

Having spent most of my time of the lush, tropical island of Kauai, the first time I visited the Big Island of Hawaii, I was shocked by the abundance of black lava rock in Kona its the surrounding areas.  I wanted to find the palm trees and green tropical growth I was used too.  If upon arriving in Hawaii you feel the same way, consider a trip to the north end of the Big Island to the Kohala peninsula.  The region up there is both lush, historic, and full of surprises.  

If you are in Kona, you can turn left and head north onto the Queen Kaahumanu Highway (HI-19).  You will follow HI-19 for 26 miles and then turn left onto Akoni Pule Highway (HI-270).  Follow HI-270 for a brief 1.5 miles stint and you will need to take a slight right hand turn.  You will still be on HI-270 and now it’s a straight shot for 18 more miles.  It should take you slightly under 1 hour to reach the Kohala Peninsula from Kona and the trip will consume 46 miles.

The first cool thing you will come to is the old plantation town of Hawi.  Hawi (and its neighboring town of Kapa’au) has undergone a surge of growth recently (2008) as a new generation of artists and entrepreneurs have filled these towns with new shops, cafes, galleries, bookstores and a variety of other interesting shops.  While in Hawi, check out such places as the Kohala Coffee Mill.  Local silk painter, Karen Rosen, serves up espresso and locally made ice creams on tables which she has painted herself while upstairs you will find an art gallery and delicious fudges imbued with local flavors such as coconut and passion fruit.  Tired of the same old chain stores?  Check out Kohala Winds of Change which offers the unusual combination of fine teas and acupuncture, or how about Mother’s Antiques, Imports and Fine Cigars where you can find imports of all types.  Feel like a meal on the contemporary side?  Check out Sushi Rock where they feature “New Wave Sushi” along with standards and even a vegetarian menu.

Two miles down the road from Hawi, you will arrive in the town of Kapa’au.  Kapa’au is often missing from standard road maps due to its small size but it still has a very nice vibe.  Here’s a weird story:  in 1878, a ship carrying a bronze statue of King Kamehameha I caught fire and sank near the Falkland Islands.  A copy was ordered which was placed in Honolulu and still stands there today.  Diving fishermen later recovered the original statue sunk off the Falklands and it eventually ended up in tiny Kapa’au as that was Kamehameha’s original birthplace.  A great photo opportunity.  Across from the statue, you will find the Kohala Book Shop in the historic yellow and green Nanbu Building which is Hawaii’s largest new and used bookstore and is a great place to get lost for awhile.

As you leave Kapa’au, you will come to the funky Makapala Store on the roadside.  This colorful little store was once part of a plantation camp and is so old that it still has the old hitching post next to the stand-up bar.  This is a nice place to stop for a refreshing smoothie or light lunch.

Four and a half miles outside of Kapa’au you come to the end of your journey as the road simply ends at the Pololu Valley Lookout.  For those of you wanting lush and green, this is it!  You can park and soak in the view of the Kohala Mountains as they meet the sparkling blue water.  Starting with Pololu Valley, you can see seven very difficult to reach valleys ending with the Waipi’o Valley, all of which are absolutely breathtaking.  To give you an idea of how remote and wild these valleys are, Hawaiian lore says that the ancient Hawaiians hid Kamehameha the Great here when he was first born.  A prophecy said that he would be a “killer of chiefs” which meant his life was forfeit if found.  This was the best place they could find to hide him to the first five years of his life.

If you are feeling rather sporty, from here you can hike down the switchback trail to Pololu Beach below.  The hike takes about 20 minutes and covers some 400 feet.  Some find it a bit strenuous but they are rewarded with a serene setting on a fine black sand beach.  The locals say this is not a good place to swim though.  If you want to take a dip, avoid this hike and try Keokea Beach Park about one and a half miles back towards Kapa’au.

Now, after a wonderful day of checking out historic buildings, cool local art, lush green views, wondering around lightly populated black sand beaches and eating a few fine meals, it’s time to hop back in the car and head home as the sun sets with a fine memory of a day well spent in one of the more hidden spots on Hawaii.

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