What’s Hawaii’s most scenic drive? Mauna Kea Saddle Road on Big Island of Hawai’i

Hawai’i Nui means Great Hawai’i. The Hawaiian Islands are a great place to visit, from the Garden Island of Kaua’i to the Big Island of Hawai’i. This is the eighth post in a series of opinion pieces on the question, “What makes Hilo worth a special trip?”

Reason #8. Experience the most spectacular drive in Hawai’i, the journey from Hilo to Kailua-Kona over the Saddle Road.

It’s so important to enjoy life’s journey. In Hawai’i, we celebrate holo holo time, or journeys of exploration. Here is some inside scoop on what we consider one of the most adventurous journeys you can take.

While on the Big Island of Hawai’i, don’t miss the opportunity to take one of the most scenic drives in the world, the round trip from Kona to Hilo. In the morning, take the makai route, next to the ocean. In the evening, take the mauka route, over the Saddle Road, to see the sun set.

Time was, the Saddle Road was one of the most dangerous stretches of highway in the country. It has been improved significantly over the last few years. It’s not going to shake your car to pieces, like in the old days.

Getting a traffic ticket is probably the biggest danger in driving today’s Saddle Road.  Hawaii police use unmarked cars.  And the policemen are hunters.  They have a level of stealth that mainland people will find surprising.  If you are a lead foot, you will end up supporting the State of Hawaii to the tune of $140 or so before you know it.  So take my advice and JUST DON’T SPEED.

Even for local residents, the Saddle Road is still a thrill.

The mountain looks a little different every time because of the weather or the time of day. And every time I make that drive, there’s always a moment when the sheer beauty of the landscape gives me the chicken skin.

Beginning the descent down Mauna Kea, you can sometimes see the sun setting through a fog.

As you descend the mountain, the view of the sunset changes with your viewing angle and the atmospheric conditions.

Closer to sea level, you might see a spectacular double sunset effect like this one

Enjoy your visit to the Big Island of Hawai’i. We hope you will make time to visit the fairest little city in the Pacific.

Spectacular cloud formation seen from the Saddle Road on the Big Island of Hawai’i

Enjoy the journey to Hilo, Hawai’i

Hawai’i Nui means Great Hawai’i. The Hawaiian Islands are a great place to visit, from the Garden Island of Kaua’i to the Big Island of Hawai’i. This is the seventh post in a series of opinion pieces on the question, “What makes Hilo worth a special trip?”

Reason #7. Life has no finer journey than that to Hilo, Hawai’i

It’s so important to enjoy life’s journey.

In Hawai’i, we celebrate holo holo time, or journeys of exploration. Here is some inside scoop on what we consider to be one of the most enjoyable, interesting and varied journeys you can take.

While on the Big Island of Hawai’i, don’t miss the opportunity to drive from from Kona to Hilo and back. If you choose to do the whole trip in one day, you’ll be amazed by the variety of climate zones you’ll encounter. But of course the journey is even better with a stopover in Hilo, say to take advantage of an Aloha Sunday at the East Hawaii Cultural Center, a trip to Imiloa or the Lyman museum, and a visit to other Hilo attractions.

This post discusses the journey from Kailua-Kona to Hilo. The next post covers the return.

If you’re starting from Kailua-Kona in the morning, we suggest you take the makai route to Hilo, as opposed to the mauka route. (Makai means toward the sea. Mauka means toward the mountain.) We recommend the makai route in the morning so you can reserve the mauka route, the Saddle Road over Mauna Kea, to view the Hawaiian sunset.

In the morning, drive north up the Kohala Coast on Queen Kaahumanu Highway, or Highway 19 . (Locals call this the “Lower Road” to Waimea, as opposed to the Mamalahoa Highway, or the “Upper Road.”) You will be traveling through black lava fields — a distinctively Big Island look.

Go North on Queen K./Highway 19 to Kawaihae. Kawaihae is well worth a stop. Here is a link to the Pacific Roots Project web site that provides a wonderful overview of Kawaihae — the setting, the sea, the land, the native history, and more.

Kids playing at Kawaihae Harbor, image courtesy of Richard Cohen

Capturing an image of a cinder cone, just mauka of Kawaihae on the Big Island of Hawai’i

At Kawaihae, you have a decision point. If you will be taking an overnight in Hilo, you will have time to explore North Kohala.

On a clear day, you can see Maui from North Kohala

Looking inland from Upolu Point on North Kohala, you can see the observatories on Mauna Kea

If you want to holo holo to Hilo and back to Kona in one day, bear right at Kawaihae. Follow Highway 19 to the right toward Waimea. Continue through Waimea and you will eventually begin to see the Hamakua coast on your left.

When you reach Honoka’a, you will have an opportunity to descend to the Old Mamalahoa Highway, a road reminiscent of the Road to Hana on Maui.

The windward coast of North Hawai’i is magnficent country. The cliffs that fall steeply into the ocean were formed out of eroded flanks of the now extinct volcanoes, Mauna Kea and Kohala. Between the cliffs you’ll see lush, stream-carved valleys, some with waterfalls.

There are many picturesque stopping places along this route from Kailua-Kona to Hilo. We hope this sampling of photos inspires you to make the trip.

Enjoy your visit to the Big Island of Hawai’i.  Hope you make it to visit the fairest little city in the Pacific, Hilo, Hawaii.

Hilo an ideal point of departure for stargazing in Hawai’i

Hawai’i Nui means Great Hawai’i. The Hawaiian Islands are a great place to visit, from the Garden Island of Kaua’i to the Big Island of Hawai’i. This is the third post in a series of opinion pieces on the question, “What makes Hilo worth a special trip?”

Reason #3. The ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo is the place to understand the Hawaiian perspective on star-gazing.

There is nothing more spectacular than to lie on a remote Big Island beach at night. Get away from town, or from lights of a big resort, and you will be stunned by the beauty of the night sky. The stars, more than you’ve ever seen anywhere else, go right down to the horizon on all sides. Outside, at night, hearing the ocean whisper or roar, looking up at the distant stars, you feel very small, almost like you yourself are a piece of stardust. It is an amazing sensation.

On the Big Island of Hawai’i, you will be in awe of the night sky

Looking up at the night sky on the Big Island of Hawai’i, it’s easy to imagine how important the stars were to the Ancient Hawaiians.

Polynesian navigators discovered and settled the Hawaiian Islands after journies of exploration over thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean, guided primarily by the stars. To get a sense of how amazing this is, I quote from the Polynesian Voyaging Society website:

“The Polynesian migration to Hawai’i was part of one of the most remarkable achievements of humanity: the discovery and settlement of the remote, widely scattered islands of the central Pacific. The migration began before the birth of Christ. While Europeans were sailing close to the coastlines of continents before developing navigational instruments that would allow them to venture onto the open ocean, voyagers from Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa began to settle islands in an ocean area of over 10 million square miles. The settlement took a thousand years to complete and involved finding and fixing in mind the position of islands, sometimes less than a mile in diameter on which the highest landmark was a coconut tree. By the time European explorers entered the Pacific Ocean in the 16th century almost all the habitable islands had been settled for hundreds of years.”

On clear nights, the navigator took his bearings from the stars. During the day and on cloudy nights, the navigator relied on dead recokoning, guesstimating from the wind direction, the nature of the seas, and any clues from birds or flotsam. It is indeed amazing that these methods were used to repeatedly travel between tiny dots of islands spread out in a sea as large as the surface of the moon.

“How was this great feat of navigation possible?”

You can find out at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai’i right here in Hilo. ‘Imiloa, which means “exploring new knowledge,” reflects both the Hawaiian voyages of discovery and the explorations of astronomy.

Located on a nine-acre campus above the University of Hawaii-Hilo, with spectacular views of Hilo Bay, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center (formerly called Maunakea Astronomy Education Center) provides a unique experience for visitors seeking to explore the connections between Hawaiian cultural traditions and the science of astronomy. Check out this video on the ‘Imiloa website for an introduction to the facility.

‘Imiloa has a state-of-the-art planetarium with 3-D viewing capabilities and a variety of fascinating programs. You can see the views from the telescopes atop Mauna Kea right at the planetarium. Between the planetarium and all the other exhibits, star-gazing fans could easily spend most of a day in Hilo at ‘Imiloa alone.

Enjoy your visit to the Big Island of Hawai’i.  Hope you make it to the fairest little city on the Pacific Ocean.

 

 

Holo holo on the Big Island of Hawai’i? It’s traditional to start in Hilo

Hawai’i Nui means Great Hawai’i.  Mehana means the warmth of the sun.  The Hawaiian Islands are a great place to visit, from the Garden Island of Kaua’i to the Big Island of Hawai’i. This is the second post in a series of opinion pieces on the question, “What makes Hilo worth a special trip?”

Reason #2. When on holo holo time on the Big Island, it’s traditional to start in Hilo

There is a traditional travel route around the Big Island of Hawai’i, described in the mele, Hilo Hanakahi by Keola Naumu. The song starts in Hilo and (more or less) circumnavigates the Big Island in a clockwise direction. From Hilo, the mele goes on to describe Puna, then Ka’u, then Kona, and so forth.

The video embedded below is a vintage 1928 recording of traditional Hawaiian falsetto singing that MC Productions has illustrated.

Here is a link to the lyrics of the traditional mele, which has many more verses.

The Big Island Tourist Board has put together a beautifully shot video to accompany Hilo Hanakahi. The tour stops are in a slightly different order from the traditional mele, but the bottom line is the same. The traditional approach to a Big Island Visit is to start in Hilo!

If the song, Hilo Hanakahi, resonates with you, check out the many different versions available on iTunes: I like these wildly different versions by the artists:

• Henry Kapono (wild!)
• Kevin Kealoha (gentle)

But let’s say you are, like the Travelocity Roaming Gnome, going to be on the Big Island for only one day. Again, it makes sense to start in Hilo.

Here’s why? You’ve gone to all the way to the middle of the Pacific ocean to experience the natural beauty of Hawai’i, right? So, if you want to be one with nature, it makes sense to follow the sun.

To follow the sun, you would start in the east side of the Big Island in the morning, and end up on the west side to watch the sun set.

You don’t have to take our word for it. Again, traditional Hawaiian music can be your guide.

Are there any authentic Hawiian songs about Hilo sunsets? No! There is such a song available on iTunes, but it is a calypso!

On the Big Island of Hawai’i, local artists are always singing about the Kona sunset. My favorite song is called Kona Sunset (as opposed to Sunset over Kona, which is a modern instrumental).

And, because of the immeasurable beauty of the Kona sunsets, there are at least three versions of the song, Kona Sunset — different songs with different lyrics, not just different covers of the same thing.

• A traditional Hawaiian take on Kona Sunset by the Big Island’s own Aunty Diana Aki, the songbird of Miloli’i, from her album, Kalihi, which you can preview at Mele.com. This album also includes Aunty Diana’s Hilo Hanakahi and I Love You, Hilo.
• A more modern but equally Hawaiian approach to Kona Sunset by the Big Island’s own John Keawe, from his album, Aloha Kaikau’ana, which you can also preview at Mele.com
• A paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) version of Kona Sunset by Liwai Kuheana is available at Amazon.com

Wherever you start your journey, we hope you enjoy your holo holo time on the Big Island of Hawai’i.   Hope you make it to Hilo, the fairest little city on the Pacific Ocean.

 

Hilo is a real community with real people

Hawai’i Nui means Great Hawai’i. The Hawaiian Islands are a great place to visit, from the Garden Island of Kaua’i to the Big Island of Hawai’i. This is the first post in a series of opinion pieces on the question, “What makes Hilo worth a special trip?”

Reason #1. Hilo is a real community the likes of which you won’t find elsewhere.

Visitors and local residents alike rave about the beauty of Hawai’i. It is indeed a paradise. But there is something even better, the friendly people of Hawai’i and the distinctive local culture of the Hawaiian Islands.

Hilo is a place to connect with the real people of Hawai’i. Locals live here. Local businesses thrive here. In Hilo, visitors will see an authentic Hawai’i without all the packaging.

The East Hawai’i Cultural Center is a great place to experience the warmth that Hilo offers. We encourage you to try one of the free monthly Aloha Saturday events at the EHCC on the second Saturday of each month. The next event is coming up on Saturday August 8 from 10am – 4pm at 141 East Kalakaua Street in downtown Hilo. Just so you know: Kalakaua Street is dedicated to the memory of King David Kalakaua, known as the Merrie Monarch. The Merrie Monarch Hula Festival in Hilo is named after the Hawaiian King.

To see the kind of merriment that is still going down on Kalakaua Street in Hilo, take the time to watch this video from an Aloha Sunday at the East Hawai’i Culture Center. With Sam Kama and his Kapakahi Brothers band members providing background music, two of Hilo’s great Kupuna jump up and dance an impromptu hula for the delighted audience! This is not a tourist show. This is real.

Sing along in Hawaiian:

Henehene kou `aka
Kou le`ale`a paha
He mea ma`a mau ia
For you and I

This is the translation:

Your laughter is so contagious
It’s fun to be with you
Always a good time
For you and I

The East Hawai’i Culture Center is often a venue for young artists to begin to make their name — like the very talented son of Hilo, Kirk Shimabukuro.

The EHCC has a lot more going on besides music. There are art exhibitions, dance, classes and workshops as well. You can follow the East Hawaii Culture Center on Twitter at EastHawaiiArts.

The Hilo Farmers Market is another wonderful opportunity to interact with locals.

More than 200 local farmers and crafters sell their produce, crafts, gift items and tropical flowers in a festive outdoor atmosphere that recalls back to the old “plantation” days of early Hilo. Located at the corner of Mamo Street and Kamehameha Avenue in historic downtown Hilo, it’s open all year round, every Wednesday and Saturday, “from dawn til’ it’s gone.”

Downtown Hilo is an essential site to consult in planning your trip to Hilo. Click here for some of their images of the Hilo Farmers Market.

We would like the opportunity to welcome you at the Hawai’i Nui Brewing Ohana’s tasting roomwhen you come to Hilo to connect with the real Hawai’i.

Aloha,

Nina Lytton, Ambassador of Online Aloha

PS: you read it here correctly, Aloha Saturdays (used to be a Sunday event, but this has changed)