BajaNomad - Hawaii 2016: The Big Island

Hawaii 2016: The Big Island

David K - 11-19-2016 at 02:45 PM

Baja Angel has never been to Hawaii, so for her vacation, this was the year. My last time was over 25 years ago, so it was mostly new, for me, too. I have a friend with homes in Kona and near Hilo which allowed us to spend time on both sides of the Big Island. Mahalo (Thank you)!

We saw botanical gardens, vanilla and chocolate (Cacao) groves, coffee, bananas and more. We enjoyed time on both white and black sand beaches, saw the volcano erupting, waterfalls, the observatories at nearly 14,000 feet elevation, and more.

Here are a few photos:

At nearly 14,000 feet above sea level (and the world's largest mountain if measured from the sea floor) are some of the observatories on Mauna Kea mountain, and Maui Island in the background:

This is the shadow of Mauna Kea over the Pacific Ocean, at sundown.

Vanilla:

Cacao (Chocolate):

Atemoya and Rambutan for breakfast:

There are more... but this was a sample to share. Any location questions, just ask!

[Edited on 11-19-2016 by David K]

DENNIS - 11-19-2016 at 03:12 PM

Great shots, David. A little HDR here and there?

o3dave - 11-19-2016 at 03:16 PM

Those photos sucked me in. I gotta go. Thanks for sharing.

fishbuck - 11-19-2016 at 03:36 PM

Very cool... except for the volcano which is of course very hot! :fire:

David K - 11-19-2016 at 03:46 PM

Thanks!

What is HDR?

fishbuck - 11-19-2016 at 03:50 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Thanks!

What is HDR?

Hawaii Downtime Relaxation?

David K - 11-19-2016 at 03:51 PM

We tried to get close to where the lava is pouring into the ocean (and growing the island)... but this was the end of the road... in the 2011 lava flow:

From that point, here is the steam from the lava hitting the water. They rent bikes or you can walk the two miles from the road block to the lava observation:

Another option is to take a boat ride or a helicopter to see it.

Howard - 11-19-2016 at 04:58 PM

I need a map please :biggrin:

DENNIS - 11-19-2016 at 07:28 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Thanks!

What is HDR?

High Dynamic Range....a photo enhancement technique. It says a lot about your pictures that you don't use it. They have spectacular clarity.

motoged - 11-19-2016 at 07:44 PM

Good for you guys....Big Island is a great place....if you do it again, Kauai is a cool island too....

LancairDriver - 11-19-2016 at 08:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Howard

I need a map please :biggrin:

Your spoiled Howard.

[Edited on 11-20-2016 by LancairDriver]

David K - 11-20-2016 at 12:50 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Howard

I need a map please :biggrin:

I placed circles around some of the locations we visited during the 10 days. We spent 8 nights at the Kailua-Kona house and 2 nights at the Akaka Falls house, which is a vacation rental:

David K - 11-20-2016 at 12:53 AM

Quote: Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Thanks!

What is HDR?

High Dynamic Range....a photo enhancement technique. It says a lot about your pictures that you don't use it. They have spectacular clarity.

Thanks Dennis, just me and my Cannon! On Photobucket, I did do a color enhancement which brightened them a little.

DENNIS - 11-20-2016 at 08:18 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Thanks!

What is HDR?

High Dynamic Range....a photo enhancement technique. It says a lot about your pictures that you don't use it. They have spectacular clarity.

Thanks Dennis, just me and my Cannon! On Photobucket, I did do a color enhancement which brightened them a little.

aaaahaaaaaaa........thought I saw something there. :light:

Howard - 11-20-2016 at 08:31 AM

Thanks for the map!

All is now good in the world, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west and David has posted a map. I knew it wouldn't take too much prodding!

Enjoy your trip!

Udo - 11-20-2016 at 08:51 AM

Thanks for sharing, David!

Lobsterman - 11-20-2016 at 10:07 AM

Thanks for talking the time to share the beautiful photos you took of the Big Island of Hawaii. Currently we are just finishing up on the 1st week of a 3-week Thanksgiving vacation mainly in Hilo with a couple of days in Kailua-Kona for the boat snorkeling tour. I worked in Hilo for 2 months last year and had to come back on vacation to share the many sites with the family as you have so elegantly depicted with your photos.

I noticed that you went to the top of the Mauna Kea volcano and observatory with a non 4-wheel drive car. The rental car agency and all literature I have read said not to attempt such a feat with a 2-wheel drive vehicle. If in an accident the insurance would not cover it. I rented a large SUV Buick. Do you think I'll be able to easily traverse the gravel road up to the summit? Yesterday was the 1st day here where I could see the summit from Hilo. It has rained every day in various places while tranversing the island like you did with the sun peeking out many times a day between showers. Weather highs of 78 with little noticeable humidity. No a/c needed.

Also did you stop and try Donna's Cookies a few miles up the road from your Akaka Falls turnoff on RT19? You must have passed it many times going to the vanilla farm and northern lookout. It's just a little shack on the side of the road with no customer service booth. They make 18,000 cookies a day in a little workshop no bigger than a living room. They are to die for.

The Road of Craters at the closed end inside the Volcano Nat'l Park to me was the most breathtaking in that you thought you had just landed on Mars. At its closed end you could see the plumes of steam coming up from the hot lava hitting the surf. Today we are going to the same lava flow at Kalapana on the other side of the closed Road of Craters road above. The lava boat tours are currently closed due to high winds and surf.

Please post more pics of places you visited to give me more ideas of places to visit with the family. Especially if you have any white sand beaches and/or snorkeling beaches in the Kona area and north of there. That's on our Kailua-Kona stay agenda.

Update: It's raining cats-and-dogs just as I pushed the post button. I love the rain!

Update: it stopped raining 5 minutes later and the sun is shining between the puffy clouds. Typical start of a day in Hilo.

[Edited on 11-20-2016 by Lobsterman]

David K - 11-20-2016 at 10:52 AM

Hi Lobsterman,

I am leaving the house soon, but will answer more of your questions today.

The rental we had had no warning about unpaved roads. Another we looked at that was cheaper did, however. Our friends told us the road up was a piece of cake and did not tell us it was signed for 4WD only where the pavement ended at the observatory museum (at 9,200'). I was surprised that such a huge complex did not have a paved road with so much equipment and travelers using it. The unpaved part lasted only 4 miles, and the final 3 were again paved. So weird!

It was no problem for me to drive in the Hyundai. Having gone so far, I wasn't going to turn around at 9,200'. We easily made it to the 13,700' telescopes and there were many vans (tour buses) up there at sundown. Another surprise is they allow visitors until 10 pm! I would think the light pollution from headlights would mess up observations!

I will give you the details on how to find the greatest little sand beach... about 6 miles north of Kona Airport!

Stay tuned!

David K - 11-20-2016 at 05:12 PM

Ok, so the nice little beach we went to, twice is at/ near Kuki'o Bay. It is south of the Four Seasons Hotel. Turn off Hwy. 19 by Mile 88, go directly to the entrance guard station and ask the guard for a pass to the beach. There are a limited number of parking spots available. If not full, he will have you U-Turn around their guard station, give you a pass, and directions (just a right turn at the first cross street heading back towards Hwy. 19). You will buzz for a gate to open and continue to the beach parking. Once parked, you take a paved path towards the north to a nice bathroom/ shower building and the beach is just beyond. There is shade from coconut and other trees and no waves thanks to the protecting lava reef. Open to dusk.

Sound complicated, but it was easy and they were very nice. Maybe that keeps it not busy?

Here are my photos there, other than a bunch I took of the sun setting:

David K - 11-20-2016 at 05:22 PM

No, did not notice Donna's cookies... We often were with or following our friends going places. There is just so much to see and do... We were only on the Hilo side Thursday and Friday nights. On Friday, all of us went to Pahoa, had lunch at a Thai place, drove to the end of the road on the 2011 lava flow (where many homes were lost to the lava).

Here are photos of our Thai food and the lava flow area. The steam of where the current flow is entering the ocean is in the background of some of my photos. Also, the smoke over the underground lava river coming down the mountain towards the ocean is in three of my photos:

bajaguy - 11-20-2016 at 05:22 PM

Hope you didn't take any of that black sand home!!

David K - 11-20-2016 at 05:44 PM

The vanilla farm we went to was by the Kona airport. It was small scale and new... they don't have the showroom building open yet. I can scan the info on it. It was very interesting to learn how difficult it is to fruit the orchid to make it create the bean! It takes so many beans to make any amount of vanilla... it explains why it is an expensive product. Real vanilla, that is.

David K - 11-20-2016 at 05:46 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy

Hope you didn't take any of that black sand home!!

Oh no, that is very KAPU!
I have been to Hawaii a couple times before, and learned of these important taboos!

:lol:

David K - 11-20-2016 at 06:10 PM

Here is the brochure from the Cacao (chocolate) farm, which is south of Kona town at or next to Captain Cook. Just east of Hwy. 11. This place is a must see, IMO!

Farm tours need advanced reservations, but the gift shop is open to all and they give you samples of the three types of chocolate and the fudge sauce (highly addicting), show you a good video of how chocolate is grown and made and can ship your orders back to the mainland if you like!

If you would like a larger scan to read the brochure, let me know.

Lobsterman - 11-20-2016 at 10:49 PM

Thanks for the pics and ideas of places to visit while in Kailua-Kona.

David K - 11-21-2016 at 02:27 AM

We also drove up to Kohala, Hawi, and to the end of the road at the Pololu Valley Lookout. You drive from sunshine into rain as you near Hawi.

Three photos of Pololu Valley:

Graves near Hawi on road to Keokea Beach (rocky).

ehall - 11-21-2016 at 05:39 AM

Great pictures David. Looks like a very beautiful place.

Hawi

Lobsterman - 11-21-2016 at 10:05 AM

Hawi is one of my favorite towns and area in Hawaii. A walk through the cemetery takes one well back in time. The Hawaiians honor and respect their love ones that have moved on with cemeteries like this all over the Island many with fresh flowers.

The steep cliffs you depict looking down on the ocean are spectacular. There is a rocky and dirt trail down those cliffs to the river valley and ocean below. A must if you have time but it is a bit slippery if wet. Took this old man 20 minutes down and 25 minutes up with many stops to catch my breath. Made room for lunch in Hawi about 15 minutes drive away. So walk slow and watch where you step. The town itself is an old hippy town from the 60's with tourist. One of the best Mexican restaurants I've ever eaten at is behind a clothes/curio shop on the water side. A must visit if hungry. I eat there every time I visit like on this trip.

Thanks again for the pics that are amazing but in person they are amazing plus. I've spent lots of time on all the other islands during my work career but Hawaii is my favorite for the sites that DK has so graciously posted for us to see but also for its emptiness of people except in the Kona area.

If you were going to visit only one Island I'd suggest The Big Island. Rent a car, have some comfortable walking shoes, be adventuresome and explore wonders you only once dreamt about.

David K - 11-21-2016 at 10:46 AM

Great advice Lobsterman!

I almost moved to Kona (Capt. Cook) back in 1993... running an irrigation store at a nursery there.

DanO - 11-21-2016 at 03:46 PM

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

if you do it again, Kauai is a cool island too....

Having been there half a dozen times, I have to disagree on Kauai. It totally sucks, especially the North Shore, and no one except me should ever go there. There's nothing to see and nothing to do, the weather's bad, the surfing is atrocious, the food is terrible, and the damn chickens wake you up at dawn every day. Don't go. Mahalo.

David K - 11-21-2016 at 06:38 PM

Quote: Originally posted by DanO

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

if you do it again, Kauai is a cool island too....

Book 'em DanO... spoken like a true Nomad surfer! LOL

Anyone interested in seeing photos of the City of Refuge, or as it is known in the local language: Pu'uhonua o Honaunau (Royal Grounds)?

DanO - 11-22-2016 at 03:29 PM

I'm not joking about those chickens.

Chickens.jpg - 176kB

DENNIS - 11-22-2016 at 04:38 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fahr069-fzE&index=7&...

David K - 11-22-2016 at 05:02 PM

We saw many chickens everywhere... mostly roosters, however!

That is a great version of the song, Dennis. In Hawaii... you definitely aren't in Kansas, anymore! (The song was written for Julie Garland in the Wizard of Oz movie, yes?)

mtgoat666 - 11-22-2016 at 06:34 PM

Quote: Originally posted by DanO

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

if you do it again, Kauai is a cool island too....

Hawaii used to be nice, now way too many tourists, a traffic jam or crowd most everywhere you go... but has One redeeming quality: A very blue state - do you know the senate is now 100% democrat.

DENNIS - 11-22-2016 at 06:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

We saw many chickens everywhere... mostly roosters, however!

That is a great version of the song, Dennis. In Hawaii... you definitely aren't in Kansas, anymore! (The song was written for Julie Garland in the Wizard of Oz movie, yes?)

Sang by her, yes.
IZ was/is a blood icon of Hawaii. Died a tragic death, but will be remembered forever.

David K - 11-22-2016 at 07:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote: Originally posted by DanO

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

if you do it again, Kauai is a cool island too....

Hawaii used to be nice, now way too many tourists, a traffic jam or crowd most everywhere you go... but has One redeeming quality: A very blue state - do you know the senate is now 100% democrat.

Politics, huh? Okay...
What we noticed (in non-tourist areas) on the Big Island that it was very much like Mexico in many ways, if you go into the countryside and into markets used by locals. Cigarettes sold to obvious minors, too. Yep, they keep voting for democrats and there are still many poor areas, yards with junk cars and chickens. That's okay, they are living in paradise, right?

wessongroup - 11-22-2016 at 11:00 PM

Wild chickens ... sounds like food to me

Liked the big island best ... varied climates ... best location to me was were they grew Macadamia nuts, south of Captain Cook .. even drier to the south .. up pretty high along the belt road ... downside "lava" flows ... think the air would still be better than Kona ... have seen where it gets pretty bad at times

[Edited on 11-23-2016 by wessongroup]

MulegeClavo - 11-22-2016 at 11:16 PM

We like to call Hawaii the third world state. Has much in common with Mexico. But "Lucky we live Hawaii."

David K - 11-23-2016 at 11:57 AM

Quote: Originally posted by MulegeClavo

We like to call Hawaii the third world state. Has much in common with Mexico. But "Lucky we live Hawaii."

Agree, I like the simple ways of places like Mexico... The Big Island could be a nice place to live. You can't let the inefficient road system, and 35-45 mph speed limits on 4 lane straight highways and miles-long backups behind signals (around Kona mostly) bother you!

willardguy - 11-23-2016 at 12:20 PM

hopefully things have changed, I haven't been to Hilo in decades, but the locals certainly weren't down with haoles last trip I made there.

my mom left me some property east of hilo she bought as an investment in the 70's, STILL isn't worth chit....Ainaloa valley no bueno!

DanO - 11-23-2016 at 12:40 PM

Quote: Originally posted by wessongroup

Wild chickens ... sounds like food to me

Yeah, here's a popular recipe for Kauai Wild Chicken:

1 Kauai wild chicken
1 large onion
1 bunch seasoning spices of your choosing
1 large rock
Salt and pepper

Put all ingredients into a large covered pot. Simmer over a low flame for several hours. Remove the rock. Discard the chicken. Eat the rock.

:barf:

Lobsterman - 11-23-2016 at 09:24 PM

We are half way through our 3-week Thanksgiving vacation here in Hilo. Explored with the kids Akaka Falls to Waipo Lookout and all points in between. DK wonderful pics only barely depict how these sites look real time. It is on the east side of the Island belt way road.

We stopped at the 1st vanilla bean farm on the island that buys some green beans from the Kona site that DK talked about. The owner gave a video and speech on the difficulties of growing the vanilla bean. Did you know that vanilla bean is from the only edible orchid. It flowers only once a year after 5 years and must be hand pollinized during a short 4-hour flower or it will not flower for another year. No wonder a vanilla bean is so expensive.

If anyone is going to the Big Island for a lenghtly stay and needs a home base I suggest this apartment complex. Here's the place we are staying at for 3 weeks. It is only 2 hours from here to any where on the island. For us San Diegeans the cool weather and trade winds with daily showers with sun make for a very comfortable climate. Hilo has few tourist except when the cruise ships come in and the roads with light traffic.

https://www.vrbo.com/3940318ha?utm_campaign=VRBO_TRV_OLB_HAS...