Hawaii's Hamakua Coast Worth the Drive

The Hamakua Coast on the Big Island in Hawaii is well worth the drive. For starters, the Big Island offers a nice retreat from more established tourist spots. East Hawaii remains simple in that it is what is is.

East Hawaii was a sugar cane plantation economy, but now that the plantations are gone this sleepy part of Hawaii is finding its way. Land prices shot up about three years ago in a land grab, housing prices spiked, but Hilo town remains simple and quiet without any high-end retailers or rows of T-shirt shops.

Of the many beautiful things to do on the Big Island, the Hamakua Coast is a nice drive. As you cruise along the road, you have deep, gorgeous, tropical ravines flanking one side and the beautiful, blue Pacific flanking the other side. It is an amazing Hawaiian drive.

Along the way there are some highlights to stop and enjoy.

You will want to visit the Laupahoehoe Park, Akaka Falls, town of Honomu, and the Scenic Drive to Onomea Bay. You can make all of these stops in an easy day and you will have seen a well preserved Hawaiian town, waterfalls along with a lush, tropical walk, a beautiful vista at Onomea Bay and a beautiful park that marks a 1946 disaster when a tsunami washed into a school that sat on the oceanfront and swept the children out to sea.

The story behind the 1946 tsunami disaster that makes it even sadder is that the tragedy occurred on April 1. According to the Pacific Tsunami Museum, a police officer visited the school and told the children to head for high ground because a tsunami was coming. However, because it was April Fool's Day the students took the warning as a joke and did not respond. The wave is described as "Water loose from the sky." The children disappeared from sight.

Akaka Falls, a state park 11 miles north of Hilo, includes a 442-foot waterfall. There are two falls, the large one and a smaller one. The park is set up in a loop, so you can make the easy walk heading either direction. The foliage at Akaka Falls is worth the walk because the moisture and the warmth and the year-round growing season make this a great spot for giant plants. Visitors say the almost feel like little bugs walking among the giant plants. The park is free of charge.

The Hamakua Coast is a pleasure to drive because it lets you appreciate the vastness of Hawaii's beauty.