Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
climbrunride
Trad climber
Durango, CO
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 3, 2008 - 03:51pm PT
|
My wife and I will be in Kona for about three days next week, then Kauai for several more days. I'm wondering about tips for good scuba dives in Kauai, nice hikes, any bouldering, other cool things to do, good eating spots, etc.
Any good info not found in the tour guide books would help. Thanks.
-Marty
|
|
L
climber
If only I could remember....
|
|
Marty,
Incredible snorkeling at the Captain Cook Reserve just south of Kona. Dolphin pods of 70 and more in the mornings, black mantas and sea turtles in the afternoon.
Fantastic pancakes and papaya at the Aloha Cafe in Captain Cook.
More unbelieveable snorkeling at the Coral Castles area around the City of Refuge, south of the Captain Cook Reserve. I've had sea turtles the size of small European cars come and hang out with me for an hour at a time.
Also, did some amazing night swimming with black mantas just off the cliffs by the Kona Surf Resort. It was closed the last time I was there, but the mantas were still coming in. You might check it out.
Laura
|
|
AbeFrohman
Trad climber
new york, NY
|
|
snorkelling at city of refuge was sick.
mexican food in Kona was GREAT. so was all the other food we ate.
|
|
shwilly
Trad climber
vegas
|
|
hike the naapali coast on kauai. absolutely amazing.you can make it a day trip to the first valley. take a left and check out an amazing waterfall. or overnight and do the whole trail. change your life. watch out for those chickens. they are the king of da road there.
|
|
Brian Boyd
Trad climber
Scottsdale, AZ
|
|
Yo Marty! For Kona, the beach at Keahou is also great -- lots of turtles:
We were 100% unsuccessful on the manta dive.
Please post a TR when you return.
|
|
climbgreen
climber
|
|
Kauai and Big Island--two of the most amazing places!
On Kauai--
Defiantely go to Waimea Canyon. There are several great hikes particually the Canyon Trail to Waipo'o Falls is a nice day hike.
Tha kalalua is incredible, however you need to get permits if you are doing the entire trail. The trail is incredible however, in recent years has been overused and many hikers have not followed the Leave No Trace Principles.
The Big Island is amazing. If you have time, go to Mauna Kea and also to see Kileaua at dusk!
A great resource is the Ultimate Kauai Guidebook and Ultimate Big Island Book. This is where we got much of our information when we have gone on several trips to Hawaii.
Have a wonderful time!!
|
|
the Fet
Knackered climber
A bivy sack in the secret campground
|
|
Yeah
Captain Cook Reserve - very nice and pretty unspoiled
naapali coast - did a day hike in from the North, awesome.
Keahou - rent a surfboard at the beach.
Waimea Waipo'o Falls - is this the one from the beginning of Fantasy Island? Da Plane, Da Plane. We hiked down and swam under that one. Killer.
Helicopter Trips on both islands are well worth the $$. Especially the big Island now that you can't hike to the lava flows. A few years ago we hiked in and stuck egg whisks in the molten lava for keepsakes, probably the coolest thing I did, but off limits for now due to where the lavas flowing.
Good waterfall hikes by Hilo on the big island too.
Mauna Kea is cool but not worth the time IMO with only a few days. Maybe you could do one of the night group trips.
|
|
lars johansen
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
|
|
Get with the program Marty and take up surfing. What's a trip to Hawaii without getting your head bashed on a reef.
Have fun and DON"T get injured.
lars
|
|
climbrunride
Trad climber
Durango, CO
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 3, 2008 - 04:45pm PT
|
Great info. Thanks. Keep it coming...
|
|
TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
|
|
Good Big Isle advice from 'L'
The 'Big Eye' is to big to scratch at in a few days (or years for that matter).
But here's some more suggestions to consider-
If you are near captain cook/Kealakekua bay, then certainly take the time to visit the 'painted church' and coffee country in south Kona.
Other beaches worth checking out:
The beach just north of the Kona harbour.
Get there by just driving around the north side of the harbour and park, then walk north along the coast through the Kiawe trees a few 100 yrds.
(quick and easy to get to)
North Kona coast going north:
'Maklawena' and 'Kiholo' beachs is some of the most beautiful on the planet, but huge approach
Further north, almost to Kawaihae:
"69's" beach. So called because it is at the 69 mile marker.
This beach can be found about an 1/8 mile south of Hapuna beach.
Start at Hapuna and you can swim around the point at the south end of Hapuna, over to "69's" or...
Drive out of Hapuna beach parking area going south on a lumpy dirt road. Over the hill and down a ways you will see a road cutting off towards the shoreline, without 4X4 park at the turn off and walk from there, Maybe 1000 yrds to the beach.
(not so quick to get to, not a lengthy approach but totally worth it)
If you have the time to take the drive up the coast along the Kohala coast to 'Hawi' then certainly do so. A good loop is leave Kailua kona in the morning, do Hapuna and explore 69's early mid morning. I would suggest visiting the 'Pu'ukohola' heiau in Kawaihae as it is very historic and of massive volume, however I have a better suggestion.
Good views are available from the beach just before and the back side of Kawaihae harbour. Pu'ukohola is a grand heiau but I would save the time to visit a more impressive one later in the day.
On the south end of the Kohala coast:
Continuing up the Kohala coast stop and swim again at 'Mahukona' the old shipping center of the Kohala coast.
Continue on north and take in the incredibly impressive 'Mo'okini' heiau, noted as birth place of king Kamehameha. This is a very intence place and considered a 'must see'!!!
The town of Hawi is very quaint and almost forgotten by time.
On the return to Kailua Kona, go over the Kohala mnts and down through Waimea, home to some of the worlds finest 'Paniolo' or cowboys.
From Waimea, take the 'high road' back to Kailua Kona. You did the coast on the way up, by going high road back you will get one of the finest sunsets imaginable!
If you have the time to get to the Hilo side, worth while destinations in Puna:
-The Volcanoes park of course !
-Mauna Loa road at north/mauka end of the park.
-'Red Road' tour, start at Kalapana, Kalani Honua, Kaimu bay/beach, the 'steam vents' and 'hot pond', cape Kumukaha and on through "wa'awa'a" to the Hawaiian Beaches subdivision. Through the subdivision and then back up to the highway at Pahoa. wa'awa'a is not to be missed!
-A special treat if you have the time...
ask and find out about the 'Pele cave' in Kea'au. This is a prenominal lava tube/ cave. It has an incredible rock formation inspiring the name. It can be traversed for miles to the north east/ towards the ocean. If you get into the tube and have time, food/water and head lamps then you can hike it under the highway and well into 'Paradise Park' subdivision. You can pop out and a number of ceiling openings along the way. It is an amazing adventure, if you do it just trust that the way will 'Go' when you get to some of the improbable passages through collapse ruble (very exciting).
~~~~~~~~~~~
Kaua'i
Besides the usual, Waimea canyon, the Pali overlook, the west side and north shore beaches...
Ask the locals how to get too:
-the 'Slippery slide' outside Kapa'a on the east side.
-'Secrets' beach in Princeville, near Hanalei bay is awesome, easy to get to with a little car parking shananigans, but well worth it as a snorkel spot!
-The 'Blue Room' !
Out past Hanalei bay going towards the end of the road at Ke'e beach there is a beach along the way named Ha'ena. At Ha'ena is the 'Dry cave'. You can't miss this as it is right along the road. However, just past there and just before Ke'e is the 'Blue Room' a total MUST DO!!!!
For special eats on Kaua'i:
Hamura's saimen house in Lihu'e, go there at 2 am for a gut busting cultural experience.
"Bubba's Burgers" in Kapa'a, a ledgendary burger joint where they "cheat lawyers and drunks"
Both of these eateries are "must do's" or you did not really visit Kaua'i ;)
|
|
Gunkie
climber
East Coast US
|
|
1. Go to K-Mart or Wal-Mart. Ask for their best boggie board. Then buy it.
2. Go to a place that has waves and find the most popular spot / the spot that has the most surfers [ask the salesman while in the big-box store]. Then find the closest spot that has only a handful of surfers. You'll be able to find this place by looking around a rock point. The spot will be located in front of rocks and probably in a small cove which is not overly visable from the public areas.
3. Put some reef booties on and a pink rash guard. Make sure you have *no* kick fins.
4. Hop down joyfully to a rock ledge directly in front of the floating surfer pack with your new boogie board, still in the cellophane wrapping. Make sure you have a bright beach towel along with you; it might come in handy later.
5. Gleefully, unwrap the boogie board and leave the wrappings on the rock ledge.
6. do your best to paddle straight out through the peak and into the pack.
Now you'll either get washed into the rocks / reef or make it out to the line-up. You should hope to get washed into the reef. If you're that lucky, use that beach towel to wrap up your wounds and find a hospital to stich you up after your wound has dried a bit. Get a tetnus shot and possibly a course of antibiotics. If you're not so luck and find yourself in the midst of a floating wolfpack, make sure you drop into a wave right in front of the gnarliest looking guy already standing on the wave. It's the best way to say 'hi' to the locals.
--- the above is for entertainment purposes only
If you want to surf, there are plenty of surf shops that offer first time 'learn to surf' packages. You'll have fun or possibly make your wife angry.
|
|
ydpl8s
Trad climber
Denver, Colorado
|
|
If I were you, I would go to Volcanoes National Park and go for some hikes, especially across the lava, and back into the jungle. You will feel like you are on another planet!
Oh yeah, Maui Wowie aside, my vote is for Puna Butter, just don't plan anything else after that sampling.
|
|
ryanb
climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
Make sure you still have a ticket... a friend of mine flew to the big island for a conference over the weekend and has been unable to get a flight home since Aloha and ATA both went under this week.
There are worse places to be stuck... but still.
|
|
crusher
climber
Santa Monica, CA
|
|
LAVA!!
Not sure if you'll have time, only being on the Big Island for 3 days - it's a 2 hour drive down to the lava flow from the Kona area, but if you can get down there at dusk (so it's nighttime and dark by the time you get to the actual flow, if it's still where it was a couple of years ago) and hike out (take your head lamps if there's not much of a moon) - it's an absolutely incredible experience. The lava is right there - going into the ocean, hot spots under your feet, steam rising from crevices...you can definitely get yourself into some trouble out there and the rangers aren't necessarily around "protecting" tourons from themselves. Lava shelves do collapse and people have died...so use caution. But wow!
Apparently it's going off pretty good right now. It takes about 1.5 - 2 hours to get out to where the flow is from where you park, but it's worth it. You're walking out over the old flow - so the terrain is rough and after the first probably few hundred yards there were no more "markers". There is no "trail" per se. Approach shoes (or sneakers) are best, not flip flops.
We also drove across the "Saddle Road" which the car rental companies tell you not to do. It goes between Mauna Kea and Mauna Lani. We drove up to the top of Mauna Kea. THAT was cool. There are all sorts of telescopes and observatories up there - you really feel like you're on Mars. It's a crazy feeling going from true sea level to that height - views were unreal. You'd have to check but I think it's the Univ. of Hawaii observatory that several days a week has the telescope open to the public (and that might be at night of course). The drive up to the top is a little dicey - you're in the clouds, part of it a dirt road and it's slippery. The car chokes in the altitude. But again, worth it! I'll try to post some photos of this later, I'm not on my home computer.
For an amazing meal (not cheap) go to the Hualalai Grill at the Four Seasons.
There is a Costco right near the airport (assuming you're flying into Kona) for food, wine, etc.
Waipo Valley (North of Kona) has some wonderful hikes - we did one on the rim rather than having to pay to go down into the Valley - it's some heinous, steep 4WD road.
We snorkled at Captn. Cooks and found it to be completely over-humanized. However if you can go super early in the morning you may catch the dolphins and see more fish (i.e. before the boats get there and crowd the place).
|
|
Jordan Ramey
Trad climber
Oklahoma City, OK
|
|
Here is my TR that I never finished writing. I figured it may at least amuse someone other than me. The beach Malakawena was my favorite chill spot. Hawi on the North point of the Big Island had an awesome sushi place called "sushi on the rock". Pu'uhonau o Honaunau (place of refuge) has super easily accessible great snorkling. High country horseback riding was cool as well (http://www.panioloadventures.com/);. They pretty much let you run all over the place with the horses as long as you can still see the group. The botanical garden in the rainforest outside hilo was freakin' awesome too. The greeter wandered around with us finding fresh fruit and such for us. The apple bananas rock. Just steer clear of "resort land" and the rest of the island is simply amazing.
Hawaii 10/20-27/2007
Our trip started off without a hitch as all trips to Los Angeles International Airport do. Up and showering at 4:30am gave us plenty of time to take off by 5:00 for our 8:00am flight. After 30 minutes of mostly traffic free driving we arrived in time to park our car in Row 22 (read 3 miles from the actual airport). After driving through the lot for 20 minutes, we finally found an open space, hopped the shuttle and were off to the airport. As we got out at terminal 7 we noticed we had about 1:45 before our plane taken off, which gave us roughly 45 minutes to check our bags. The line only had about 200 people in it, but there were 20 kiosks open and 5 people working them. Following the cattle train for 30 minutes finally put us at a kiosk that had us going to Minnesota. After much hand waving and courtesy phone calls, we were finally instructed that “while all tickets are on paper, yours is a paper ticket and you need to go to the paper ticket line”. 15 minutes to get the bags checked and we have to go get in a whole new line? On our way over to “paper tickets” check-in several access ropes were knocked over, but we figured the several employees hanging out and talking instead of working could deal with those. The paper tickets line thankfully only had 5 people in it, who all apparently had never flown on a plane before. “IDs? We need IDs? Huh? What? Where’s my wife? Did she wander off again?” So we barely made it in time to get the bags checked and were then told to go through security to our gate. Riding up the escalator we saw that there were only like 10 people waiting. Awesome, until we got in line and were immediately instructed that “No the REAL line starts over there behind those 50 people and even though we have 8 employees standing here, only one metal detector of 8 can be open at a time” Long story short, LAX is the devil and we barely made our plane.
The flight was uneventful and we touched down in Honolulu where we ate chicken and saw a big snake in a gallon jar of formaldehyde. We then began our arduous quest to find Mesa airlines (a United subsidiary). Well, our flight wasn’t listed on any of the departures and Mesa airlines was not listed on the airport maps. Hmmm, this airport has 8 gates, so does it not exist. We ask several people who don’t know what we’re talking about. Finally, the guy at the tourist information desk sends us to a non-working escalator that leads to the basement with no a/c and a chubby Hawaiian guy reading the paper by a kiosk that has been gutted (no computer or anything). He informs us that “Mesa? Yeah, just come back around 1 maybe”. We decide to come back early. Around 1 he leads us (20 or so) out onto the tarmac and in instructs us to “walk to the end”, of what we don’t know. So eventually he comes running up to us and shunts us into a new terminal that only serves Go airlines. We later find out that apparently Go (AKA Mesa) is having a feud with the airport and so the airport stripped all the signs and references from the airport proper. We finally board a plane (“the middle one”) and we’re off to Kona. 30 minutes later we touchdown in a vast lava field that is black as far as we can see where the lava meets the clouds upland.
Google Earth on the cell phone and we pilot our rental car right up to the Waikoloa Beach Resort (Marriot). Our resort is located in what I refer to as “Resort Land”. The west side of the Island has the incredible tropical beaches, but is a true desert. The resorts are artificial oases built atop ancient lava flows. Once we enter “Resort Land” I notice that we’ll have to settle for only one Starbucks until the one a block further down finishes construction. If we’re in need of Coach handbags, Louis Vuitton, Diamonds, etc… we only have to walk across the street. Thank goodness! Our room isn’t ready, so we divulge in our daily double free Mai Tais from the resort and walk around the ocean. The resort is obviously stunning, located on Anaeho'omalu Bay, which is known for its calm waters and exquisite snorkeling. After some exploring we wonder back to the resort and setup camp in our room, complete with digital safe, mini fridge, and the most comfortable king sized bed I’ve ever plopped down on. Plans are formed to acquire groceries in a real town to obviate the obvious tourist gouging. Kelli calls up some Resident friends, whom we pick up and head up the road (highway really) to Waikoloa Village to do a little shopping. Everything is a bit expensive, but not to bad. I stock up on Raman noodles and Corona, while Kelli gets PB&J material and fruit. Our first day has been hectic, but the surroundings are outstanding.
After my first night in the super skooshy bed I’m delighted to get up and head out to a black sand beach on the northern tip of the Island. Kelli and I pick up her two friends (Tina and Amy) at the Hilton and head north, following the western coast. After a bit over an hour, we drive through a fantastic tiny town called Hawi and decide we’ll come back for dinner. Through Kelli’s careful navigation and Hawaii Exposed, we find the trail down to the beach. We pass many surfers and locales trudging up the steep incline down the hillside. After a 20 minute hike down through a lush forest we come out onto a powdery fine black beach. The beach is banked by two gigantic chossy cliff walls. The waves are pounding, but the good ones must have died down since the surfers have all left. I walked about ½ mile down the beach to check out the cliff faces. In doing so I stumble across a rickety lean-to covered with washed up fishing net. The inside of this contains two teenagers locked into some sort of awkward romantic moment. I mumble a “hey” and keep on trucking. The cliff walls are stout down low where the waves have pounded them, but quickly shift to a chossy fragile exfoliating surface 20’ up. After a bit of hanging out, I turn around and following a hikers trail through the forest that runs along the beach. Giant ropes (8” diameter) have been swung from spots to make swings tight ropes. The area as a whole looks exactly as any chimp zoo exhibit does. I finally emerge from the woods to see what the girls have been up to and we kick around in the surf for a bit before heading back up the hike out for dinner. Back in Hawi we find a sushi restaurant. It wasn’t hard since it was one of 2 restaurants in the town on its only street. This place had the most amazing sushi I’ve ever had. Called Sushi Rock, it’s well worth the stop.
As we settled in for our second night we wondered how our Monday morning time share talk would end up. Yeah, we signed up for a time share talk. The Hilton tourist guide talked us into it with promises of free horse rides from several establishments. We bit. So bright and early, we headed over to the Hilton Grand Vacations Club confident that there was no way we could even afford one if they forged our signatures. After downing some free coffee, Mr. and Mrs. Ramey met their one on one agent and the pitch began. After recanting stories and forging our “emotional and personal” connection we started planning our dream vacations. The only catch was we had to give them money to go on these vacations. After our “budget advisor” was called in to help us with the numbers it was becoming more apparent to them that we weren’t going to buy one. They gave us 15 minutes alone to discuss it where Kelli and I drew up a list of numbers and legal forms we would want to see before signing anything. Our “specialist” went over the form, told me she would email us all the information and we were on our way. I never received any of the information and our take home packet had about 3 numbers on it in giant bold letters saying how much we’d save by buying the timeshare. No hard numbers were ever adequately presented. We had secured our free $200 pony ride through the Paniolo high country with only 2 hours of our lives stolen in exchange!
It was now time to go meet Snorkel Bob and rent snorkel gear for the week. Back in Kona, the exchange was made quickly and we were off to Pu’uhonau O Honaunau (Place of Refuge) to snorkel the expansive coral reef. The Place of Refuge was a sacred place to the ancient Hawaiians who lived under the often harsh Kapu system. Most any indiscretions were punishable by death (eating with women or using the same pots to make food, trespassing on sacred land, letting a leaders shadow touch you, etc…) Regardless of the indiscretion, if you could make it all the way to Pu’uhonau O Honaunau before being caught all was forgiven and you escaped death. It was cloudy and the water was choppy when we snorkeled up for the first time and hopped in off a lava bank. The corral and fish life was immediately clear, abundant, and radiant even in the low light. The water was slightly chilled as we swam out into the bay watching fish dart all around us. We even saw a giant green see turtle swimming down about 15’ with 8 yellow tangs cleaning his shell as he swam. As rain started we were finally chilled out of the bay and back into the car. We drove through the one way off-road highways and locale areas in a light sprinkle on our way back up north to our resort haven for more free Mai Tais before Kelli would have to go to here conference Tuesday morning.
We’re up and off early Tuesday morning for Kelli’s first day of Conference. After I drop her off, I decide to head off and do some snorkeling at a secluded beach that you have to hike into. While there were never crowds at any beaches, I enjoy the isolation offered when not a sole is around. With this in mind and a book description of what mile marker to turn at, I took the Malibu Max and a harrowing journey down a lava road to Malakawena beach. Well, as close as was drivable. The first 10 minutes of my hike along the beach brought me to an abandoned house that was gutted except for picnic tables the state had placed for beachgoers. I traipsed up, down, around, in, and on this place. It was reminiscent of Oklahoma abandoned farm houses, but on fabulous oceanfront property. After following a pipe to a dumpy water tower hanging on it’s last legs, I dipped back into a palm grove near the beach. Here there were small freshwater pools, but looked stagnant. I continued up the coast along a lava trail that quickly diminished to cross country lava travel across the a’a. A’a is in no way what anyone thinks of when images of lava come to mind. It is a far cry from the rippling smooth rolled lava crust that forms at the top of flows. Rather, a’a looks like dirt piles from a distance and up close is revealed to be baseball to basketball size chunks of the sharpest nastiest hunks of rock imaginable. The a’a fields are anything but flat. I first thought that this was broken lava from construction projects that had been pushed out into giant fields like this, since it was often near the typical pahoehoe lava. One has to traverse the a’a fields slowly and meticulously. The rocks are loose and super stabby. After following the ocean cliffside edges I began coming across what looked like ancient lookouts; piles of a’a into small walls and windbreaks. Further along I encountered a relatively large freshwater pool. The water was crystal clear with a sandy bottom. Small transparent shrimp schooled all about the edges. These pools are created from rainwater running on underground ancient lava flows finally coming to the surface at these lowest of points before entering the ocean. The water is cold to the touch. The water looked terribly inviting since it was fairly hot out in the lava fields under the midday sun. I read somewhere though that quicksand is created by underground springs feeding up through sand, thus the sand is actually in a sort of liquid form. When I pressed my arm into the bottom of this pool while hanging over from the surrounding a’a, it quickly sank as far down as I could push it into the chilly substance. What I pulled out was a fowl smelling mess of decaying palm fronds. Jumping into this pool would have been unpleasant at the very least. With that I continued on up the break between rolling a’a and ocean break, where the water has pushed a mount of smoothed lava rocks up high into a semi-solid surface. Black crabs scurried about on the harsh lava projections that formed this tip. After nearly an hour of walking I arrived at the ancient sand dunes that precede a short lava field before the beach is finally reached. These dunes were once part of the beach, but a lava flow several hundred years ago cut them off from the ocean and created this false beach. Walking through the dense brush and sand I ran into a herd of goats. About 20 of them with great horns loped effortlessly out into the a’a fields and watched me from a distance of some 20 yards, waiting to return to their grazing. I finally arrive at the beach proper. The surf is somewhat up, so after hiding my backpack I don my snorkel gear and get in on the sandiest part away from the lava points that protect the bay. I see all sorts of fish here, including unicorn fish, cornitfish (spike looking), parrotfish, etc…. I swim with a school of 50-100 parrotfish for a while. The water is amazing, but somewhat cloudy due to the waves rolling in. After a while I get back out on the beach and read my book for an hour or so. After exploring a bit more, I make a few phone calls to finalize preparations for selling the Oklahoma house. This turns into a tragedy when I follow some green sea turtles out into the surf and fry phone. Apparently salt water conducts quite well. That ends my cell phone attachment for the remainder of the trip which was not entirely a bad thing. After watching 8 turtles roll in on the surf, graze, then roll back out I decide it’s high time I climbed a palm tree and got myself a coconut, since I’m thirsty. So I hop hop hop up the shortest tree with a bushel near the top to twist a few off. I drop them down to the ground and shimmy my way back down the tree. A short walk out into the a’a provides ample sharp pointy boulders to bash a big green one open. The liquid inside isn’t what you see in the movies. It’s not a milky white substance, it’s simply water, water that was pulled up from the sand, traveled the vein like xylem all the way to the top of the tree to be sequestered inside a gigantic nut. It tastes cool, clean, and hmmmm green I’d say. With that I began my trek out through the a’a once again to return to “resort land” to hook back up with Kelli, now that her conference had released her. We had to get ready for the Eye Care for Animals dinner at the Hilton and didn’t want to miss out on free cocktail hour.
I was informed that I had to dress my best for the eye care dinner, with that in mind, I donned my most luxurious island shirt 2/3 buttoned, jeans, and Birkenstocks. The Hilton was a world unto itself. Gigantic statues lined the sloping curved drive to the roundabout entrance where Hawaiian bell boys waited to grab luggage and valet to your heart’s extent. Upon entering the Hilton, you realize it gives Disney world a run for its money. It is so vast that a tram is needed to get to many places, including rooms. Indoor lagoons, dolphin pools, artificial beaches with turtles and fish, slides connecting pools, bridges spanning canals, and tremendous archways great you across the threshold. You have the suspicion that this is a bit contrived, but hey “open bar”. The dinner is great. I meet many of Kelli’s associates that I have only attached voices to prior. The gem of the evening had to be the girl from Saskatoon Saskatchewan. It’s not everyday you meet someone from the arctic. She seemed fairly excited about the weather and made several comments about opening a practice on the Big Island. Everyone disbanded early since the conference would resume early the next day. We crashed for our fourth night on that delightful pillowtop.
Wednesday was greeted with an early rise and a ditching of the conference to visit a tropical rainforest near Hilo on the east side of the island. Weaving through the rolling mountain passes and fern gullies, we traversed the island to its eastern shore. Several “scenic turns” and a mongoose sighting later led us to the botanical garden road. Narrow, winding, and completely overhung with giant fronds and vines, the drive was surreal. After locating the botanical garden parking we dropped into Hilo since we were short on cash. Upon our return we got our map, bug spray, and were off down into the forest proper. The gardens were dense enough to blot out the sky. 500’ down the boardwalk gives way to divergent paths to waterfalls, boulder strewn creeks, every imaginable tropical plants, an aviary, lily pond and finally the ocean. Midway through we met a worker who gave us a coconut they had collected the day before (if they don’t collect them then they club tourists, which would probably be bad for business). He hacked it open with a machete and Kelli and I shared it. The worker then hollowed the meat from the inside for us. It was slightly oily and slimy, but fabulous. We thanked him heartily and continued down to the seaside cliffs. The wave breaks here were amazing. Huge swells bursting over jacked lava rocks and launching spray up above the churning ocean. Huge lava chunks rising out of the ocean creating conflicting currents, triangular waves, and a show of the oceans raw power. Entire gigantic trees had been flung onto the rocky cliffs in places when the ocean really got going. Following this culmination of the gardens we made our way out where we met some more park docents who went and picked fresh fruit from the trees for us. The gave us tiny apple bananas, lilikoi (passion fruit) and guave. The lilikoi was unlike any fruit I have ever experienced. The fruit is cut in half and it is filled with a seedy slimy orange goo. Jam your finger in and mash it up and loosen it from the wall, then slurp it down similar to so jell-o shot. Sweet and gooey, it was an experience for sure. They then directed us to the farmers market in Hilo which happened to be on Wednesday afternoons. So we drove back into Hilo and bought fruit, salad dressings, jelly, and tamales for lunch. It was some unbelievable food. It started to drizzle and turn cold, so we figured our best bet was to head somewhere warm, like a volcano!
……………
edited: for slightly more clarity :)
|
|
Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
|
|
Hey Jordan - nice report (I think) but really hard to read without a paragraph break now and then. Any chance of you editing it and adding a line break or two?
|
|
john hansen
climber
|
|
As of last week I have lived on the Big Island 19 years.
Are you staying "in" Kona or at one of the resorts?
I would definatly recommend the Captian Cook/ Kealekekua bay thing. Either rent Kayaks and paddle to the mounument or go on Captian Zodiac or the "Fairwind" catamaran. They take you right to the best snorkleing spot.
Leave the dolphins alone,,, they are trying to rest after a long night hunting in the open sea.
I would avoid going south of Honaunau (City of refuge) and particularly avoid Hookena beach as there have been bad vibes down there. Assults and stuff.
I would also agree that the beach 69 ( or wialea bay) just west of hapuna is great, they have put in a paved road and a parking lot, so it gets more people but it is a classic Hawaiian Beach. There is a big rock in the middle of the bay that has great snorkeling.
Do knot drive to the top of Mauna Kea unless you have four wheel drive. There have been 5 or 6 fatal crashes up there when people lose there brakes coming down that thing.
If you take the coast road all the way north to Pololuu Vally there is a great hike down into the valley. About 600 ft elevation change to get down there. There can be strong currents along that coast all the way to Wiapio Valley so be careful.
Wiapio is a great way to spend a day, you can almost always hitch hike down from the lookout. Just the ride down is an adventure. At the bottom the road hangs a u turn that goes to the beach, or you can walk up the vally to check out the 600 ft waterfalls. If you go out to the beach you can cross the river(either right at the mouth ,knee to thigh deep with a rocky bottom, bring a stick for a third point of balance,, or cross 100 yards upstream where it is deeper and you can swim.) There have been rare cases of Leptospirosis from that river so if you have open wounds dont do it. Once across either hike down the beach or there is a really cool trail in the Ironwood/ coconut forest that goes west for about 3/4 of a mile.
Either hike out ( think yosemite falls trail,,1200 ft elev gain in a mile)
or stop at the bottom of the hill and stick your thumb out. Shouldn't take more then fifteen minutes to catch a ride back up.
Here is a Hot Line for info on the volcano,, 808 961 8093.
Conditions change every day and there are two ways to see it..
they have an acess rd from the Kalapana side that is open from 2PM to 10PM and you can drive out and hike to where the lava is sometimes flowing into the ocean,, call the hotline.
Or you can go to the Volcanoes NP and see the ash plume that has recently started spewing a few weeks back , ther was an explosion for the fist time in twenty years that sent tv sized chunks of rock over a 75 acre area. They closed the crater rim rd so you can only get so close. There is a web site for the park,,,,goggle it.
Depending on if you have three full days or one full day with two where you have to fly in or fly out I could give you lots of info.
Its a "Big Island" and it really takes at least 3 hours to drive from Kona to Volcano, about 6 to go all the way around if you dont stop. Imagine driving from Sacto, thru Placerville up to Tahoe and back down 80 and 20 to Nevada city then back to sacto,,, about that Big.
Pololuu Vally
Kohala Coast
Mauna Kea
|
|
climbrunride
Trad climber
Durango, CO
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 3, 2008 - 11:10pm PT
|
I don't plan on any surfing. I lived in Santa Cruz for a long time and was never really interested in it then, so I'll skip it now.
All the diving advice is great. My wife will be snorkling and I'll be looking for SCUBA buddies. But I'll be happy to also get in plenty of snorkling. And I'm already signed up for the night dive with the manta rays in Kona.
The lava tubes sound great. We are both latent cavers, so that's definitely on our list now.
I am so much looking forward to this trip. I'm torn between objectives right now. The skiing is still great, but it's warm enough now for rock climbing, and I really want to go beach combing in Hawaii. And soon it will be couloir climbing season...
EDIT: Maybe I could climb a Hawaiian volcano and get in a 13,000+' summit, then ski down, then mountain bike the rest of the way down, then hike along the beach, then go diving, then eat what I find on the dive. That would be a cool day.
|
|
climbrunride
Trad climber
Durango, CO
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 3, 2008 - 11:19pm PT
|
John - great local info. Thanks. We will be staying at the Rainbow Plantation in/near Captain Cook. I'll email you in a day or two.
|
|
john hansen
climber
|
|
A few detours I would recommend if you drive to Hilo along the Hamakua coast,,
About four miles north of Hilo there is a scenic drive that goes down to Ono Mea Bay,, a four mile loop that is as tropical as you can find, 60 ft tall bamboo and stuff.
Akaka falls above Honomu is touristy (dont leave valubles in car), but is a cool mile long hike around a loop that has views of two 400 ft waterfalls.
If you are coming back from Hilo and still have some light left
There is the old backroad ,from Honokaa to Wiamea,,,the Mamalahoa Highway.
It goes thru some of old Hawaii. Its about ten miles long and goes to an old plantation camp and a unique forest and then comes out into Rarker Ranch pasture land with great views of Mauna Kea. .
If you are coming back from Hilo turn left at "Tex Drive In" in Honokaa, ( don't eat there!) and immediatly turn right onto the Mamalahoa Highway.
I sometimes see tourist turning around after they have driven a couple miles into these ranch land and they are thinking "does this thing go anywhere?" Search on Goggle Maps.
From the land where people really do like Spam,,
Aloha
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!