- Captain Cooks Monument- Snorkel gear is a must and you will use it at different locations all over the island. If you go early you can swim with dolphins!
If you want to hike down this is what it looks like. You park by the road and you will see the entrance to the hike. Also, wild avocados are HUGE and delicious. You will find plenty there.
- Green Sand Beach- Sometimes the locals will give rides but otherwise its about an 1-2 hour hike. It's not your typical Hawaiian scenery but the green sand beach is very unique. Great spot to snorkel and take a body board
- White Road Hike- This is an awesome hike but it can be kinda confusing. First you are going to pass by a ranch that leads you through some areas that have "no-entry" signs. Completely ignore these. You will find the man made water stream ---> follow that. Then, you will reach the valley and walk along the cliff sides. This is a very beautiful hike but watch your step. Inner tube is a must.
- Volcano National Park- Check out the park and go on a hike! You will need lots of water and once again watch your step. Hopefully you will be able to see some lava!
- Makalawena Beach- Another hike surrounded by lava rocks that leads to paradise! This hike may tear up your shoes but the secluded beach is well worth it. Bring something to eat on this hike and lots of water.
You also have the Queens Bath here.
Kua Bay- This is my absolute favorite beach of all time! Great place to bring a body board. There is also a cool rock you can swim to and jump off of. Do this beach on a lazy day because you will find parking right by the beach. ALWAYS TAKE FOOD AND WATER. You won't find a market nearby. Also, watch out for the waves. You never know when a big set will come in!
Hapuna Beach- This is our longest white sand beach. Another great thing about Hapuna is that there is a really cool cave at the end of it! There is a small cluster of rocks you can go snorkeling at but this is mostly a relaxing kind of beach. Of course Gary, there are dangerous cliff sides to the left you can hike through with great views BUT YOU DIDN"T HEAR IT FROM ME!
Pololu Valley Hike- This is the hike that you can go over 3 valleys in. The total hike is about 6 hours there and back. You will reach a very secluded valley that you get all to yourselves but the hike involves going down ropes through trees and trekking through different terrains. There is a really cool bamboo forest too! If you run out of water for what ever reasons just know that there are edible wild fruits you can pick to keep you hydrated. This hike isn't done by many so make sure you bring something to protect yourselves and of course food and water. DON'T GO ALONG THE CLIFFS BY THE WATER. You must go over the valleys. I have attempted to go along the coast and it is very dangerous. Also, I haven't personally seen them there but be aware of sharks. The helicopter tours do pass by there so if anything happens you can wave them down.
Mauna Kea Observatory- There is snow there right now! How weird is that? You can go to the volcano, beach and snow in the same day. Mauna Kea is the largest mountain mass from the sea bottom. Also, the sunsets are killer. You can go most of the way up in your car but of course if you don't have a 4X4 car you will need to hike part of it. Things to be aware of; the high altitude and the thin air. Try not to go to fast and rest occasionally. If you don't want to go all the way to the top you can always settle for the other observatory at the halfway point (you can park there). Knowing you Gary that's probably not going to happen.
Wai Pio Valley- This is my favorite place in the world. I pushed the limits there and have had two near death experiences SO GARY BE CAREFUL! Like I have mentioned before I wouldn't hike back up the road. It's really steep and you will be sore for days. You can bribe a local with a truck to give you a ride up for some cash. Even if you have a 4X4 car it's very tricky to drive down. Pay attention to yield signs and for other cars. As you can see, the road isn't very wide.
If you are going to the easier waterfall you will be crossing the river to the other side of the valley and making a left at the end. You should be able to spot out the trail.
If you want to go to the gnarly hike then great! It's complicated but well worth it. When getting to the end of the road coming into Wai Pio Valley I make a left. Then I continue to walk up towards the waterfall (that you can see in the distance) until I reach the river. I then start to trek up the river until I see a trail on either side. I would really suggest water shoes and a plastic bag to seal you shoes and extra clothes. As you can see below there will be a part where you have to put your things over your head to cross.
Hiilawe Falls is about 1450ft high! One of the tallest waterfalls in Hawaii. So, this means it's very dangerous. IF YOU HEAR THUNDER WHILE YOU ARE THERE RUN AWAY FROM THE WATERFALL. That sound means the rocks are falling and some of them are big. Just be very cautious and sometimes yelling really loud in the valley can cause rocks to fall.
If you get any wounds there are citrus fruits growing by the river and you can use that to sanitize it. It really really really hurts but it works. There is a lot of bacteria in the valley so you need to do what needs to be done. WATER SHOES ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND!
I don't know the name of this waterfall and it's the only picture I could find. This is an easier hike than the other one. What I like about this waterfall is that it has three separate levels that you can climb. Also, the trail isn't confusing. Just letting you know people live down there and most of them are friendly. Ignore the "falling rocks" signs. If you are respectful the locals won't throw rocks. To be clear this is the easier hike I mentioned earlier.
LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE GOING TO CAMP ANYWHERE!
