Frank's Big Island Travel Hints # 7: Around Hilo

Hilo Side: Akaka Falls to Panaewa Rainforest Zoo

On your way back to the highway, stop in Honomu for some local-style shopping and a snack. Handmade curios and ice creams will delight your senses. Once back on Highway 19, turn right toward Hilo, about 10 minutes away.

Hilo is one of the wettest cities in the U.S. averaging around 200 inches per year. This old-style Hawaii town is quaint and bustling. Lots of great shops line the waterfront drive and the largest farmer’s market on the island is situated there as well. Tour Guide will take you right into the heart of town and give you history and attractions, such as the Pacific Tsunami Museum, and the Imiloa Astronomy Center at the University of Hawaii, Hilo Campus. A little farther along the coast are some beautiful beach parks like Richardson and Onekahakaha. Great picnicking, swimming and some good snorkeling can be found here. The Suisan Fish Market is famous for the early morning old-style fish auction. Be sure to take your time in Hilo as the shopping food options are immense.

In Hilo, you will turn north onto Highway. 11 at the intersection near Ken’s Pancake House, a landmark eatery. You will see the airport and Prince Kuhio Plaza on your way out of town. Stop in and visit the mall and shop and eat if you missed it in town. Just a few miles north of the mall is the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo. Tour Guide will tell you how this is the only rainforest zoo in North America. It is also free.

Super Tip: Gasoline in Hilo is typically 6-10 cents per gallon cheaper because it is the main port on the island. It is wise to fill up before heading back to Kona.

This completes this drive day. I suggest returning north through Hilo and back up the Hamakua Coast, through Waimea, and Highway 190 back to Kona.

For further information, visit www.tourguidehawaii.com.

Today's Weather in Paradise

Point Forecast: Kailua Kona HI 19.63N -156W (Elev. 0 ft) Last Update: 5:01 am HST Mar 14, 2008 Forecast Valid: 7am HST Mar 14, 2008-6pm HST Mar 20, 2008

Today Chance Showers Hi 80°F Tonight Isolated Showers Lo 72°F Saturday Chance Showers Hi 80°F Saturday Night Isolated Showers Lo 72°F Sunday Isolated Showers Hi 80°F Sunday Night Isolated Showers Lo 71°F Monday Isolated Showers Hi 80°F Monday Night Slight Chc Showers Lo 71°F Tuesday Slight Chc Showers Hi 80°F For more information on Hawaii weather, go here . For more information on touring Paradise, go here. Today: Scattered showers, mainly after noon. Partly cloudy, with a high near 80. West wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Tonight: Isolated showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. East wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Saturday: Scattered showers, mainly after noon. Partly cloudy, with a high near 80. West wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Saturday Night: Isolated showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. East wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Sunday: Isolated showers. Partly cloudy, with a high near 80. Northwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Sunday Night: Isolated showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Monday: Isolated showers. Partly cloudy, with a high near 80. North wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. West wind around 8 mph. Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a high near 80. West wind around 7 mph. Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. East wind around 6 mph. Wednesday: Scattered showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. West wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southeast wind around 8 mph.

The Beach Is Not An Ashtray

It's a shame that this message even needs to be given out...but some people have no respect, no manners and no shame.

The beach is not an ashtray, period.

In any case, Hawaii County just enacted a ban on smoking at all County Parks: "Reinforced by landslide testimony in favor, the Hawaii County Council on Wednesday passed a law making it illegal to use any tobacco products at public parks and recreational facilities." (West Hawaii Today, 13 March, 2008). For complete news article, go here.

Hike to Captain Cook's Monument: Kealakekua, Big Island of Hawaii

This hike, on the Big Island of Hawaii, is a fine walk through tall grass, open lava fields and dense, dryland forest, opening onto one of the most pristine ocean beaches in the world. Hiking down to the Captain Cook's Monument from Highway 11 is a great deal of fun—great scenery, wonderful trail that involves complete immersion in Hawai'ian pre- and post-contact history and offers the opportunity for some of the finest snorkeling anywhere on the planet. However, the return hike is hot, thirsty and strenuous; but it is also highly rewarding, granting panoramic views all up and down the Kona Coast. The trail leaves the Napo'opo'o Road just 500 feet below where it drops off Highway 11 near a large avocado tree, right across from a group of three coconut trees, right at telephone pole number 4; parking is tight, but safe. The parking spots and trailhead will show signs of obvious use, usually in the form of recently deposited horse apples from the many trail riders frequenting the area.

The first avocado tree is the harbinger of wonderful things to come, as the trail passes through an area rich in guava, mango, papaya and avocado that are free for the gathering. The 2.5-mile hike takes about 1-1 1/2 hours to descend, somewhat more time to come back up. After following a jeep road for about 50 feet, the trail turns left when the jeep road turns right onto private property. Although overgrown by tall grass for the next half mile, the trail runs more or less straight down the left side of a rock wall to the sea. As the pitch straightens out, keep to the left when the trail first forks and proceed to the beach. You will strike shore several hundred feet northwest of the monument—stroll through the remains of Ka'awaloa Village along the beach on your way to pay homage to Europe's most prolific explorer, James Cook. Remember to bear right at the trail junction when returning uphill, or you will face a long, hot and unpleasant time wandering the a'a fields of Napo'opo'o.

It is also possible, but much less pleasant, to hike most of the way to the monument along the shoreline from Napo'opo'o. This hike is an uninteresting exercise in scrambling over boulders along the beach and contains at least two places that have to be swum in rough water; as such, the safety of this trek is totally at the whim of ocean tides and swells. Highly not recommended.

For more information, visit www.tourguidehawaii.com

Sea Quest Rafting Adventures Presents Kahalu'u Bay

Loll in sand and sun under swaying palms, watch humpback whales dance in an exotic Kona sunset, snorkel among rainbow-colored fish on a protected reef or ride surf where the Kings of Hawai'i defined the sport a thousand years ago! Kahalu'u is the crown jewel of Kona Coast County Beach Parks. Abundant parking, shaded pavilions, public restrooms, showers and lifeguards round-out the facilities of this beautiful beach park.

Sea Quest, your knowledgeable and popular rafting and snorkeling guides on the Kona Coast suggests you bring your towel and smile to Kahalu'u Beach, and be ready to get wet.

For more information, visit http://web.mac.com/sqhawaii/seaquesth... or www.tourguidehawaii.com.

Hike to Green the Sand Beach at South Point on the Big Island of Hawaii

Haunting, windswept, wild, empty, beautiful. Imagine the gratitude and wonder of the first Polynesians who, after voyaging at sea without sight of land for more than a month, finally made land here at Ka Lae. This sweeping landscape arches openly and inviting from the tumultuous shore break at Ka Le to the icy heights of Mauna Loa's summit almost 14,000 feet above.

For more information on the romance of Hawaii and finding solitude, adventure and independence in Paradise, visit www.tourguidehawaii.com.

Today's Weather in Paradise

Point Forecast: Kailua Kona HI 19.63N -156W (Elev. 0 ft) Last Update: 4:43 am HST Mar 9, 2008 Forecast Valid: 6am HST Mar 9, 2008-6pm HST Mar 15, 2008

Today Sunny Hi 78°F Tonight Mostly Clear Lo 72°F Monday Sunny Hi 78°F Monday Night Mostly Clear Lo 73°F Tuesday Sunny Hi 78°F Tuesday Night Partly Cloudy Lo 73°F Wednesday Sunny Hi 78°F Wednesday Night Partly Cloudy Lo 73°F Thursday Slight Chc Showers Hi 78°F Today: Sunny, with a high near 78. East wind 5 to 7 mph becoming west. Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. West wind at 7 mph becoming east. Monday: Sunny, with a high near 78. East wind at 8 mph becoming west. Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73. Calm wind. Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 78. Light west wind. Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Calm wind. Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 78. West wind around 7 mph. Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Calm wind. Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. West wind around 5 mph. Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Calm wind. Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a high near 78. West wind around 5 mph. Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph. Saturday: Scattered showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Southeast wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. For more detail on weather, go here. For more information of seeing Paradise and enjoying finding solitude, adventure and independence in Hawaii, visit www.tourguidehawaii.com.