A Hui Hou Hilo
Mural in downtown Hilo, Hawai'i, depicting its fishing-industry past
(Originally appears on Travels with Two, June 9, 2011)
In Hawaiian, a hui hou means “until we meet again.”
Rather than say goodbye to Hilo, the biggest small town on the eastern side of Hawaii’s Big Island, I’d rather just bid it a brief adieu. And with new direct flights from Los Angeles to Hilo launching today, it’s a darn safe bet that we’ll be back soon.
We first visited the Big Island back in ’06 for a friend’s wedding on the dry, western Kohala Coast (aka “the Kona side”), and after a whirlwind trip around the whole island, only had a rushed hour or so to spend in and around Hilo. Our experience of Kona was snorkel-happy beaches, shopping plazas and fancy resorts; pretty to be sure, but for us, it lacked a spirit of exploration.
Just recently, thanks to the Big Island Visitors’ Bureau, we finally got to spend a few days exploring the more lush and friendly “Hilo side.” The verdict? Love the shoes-free livin’; the soaring hillsides of palm trees; wild ocean coves; tumbling waterfalls; powerful rainstorms that yield vibrant flowers and exotic fruits; vintage architecture; blend of Asian cultures; and nearby Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Used to be, though, the only direct flights from the West Coast to the Big Island took you to Kona — a three-hour drive from Hilo. Getting to Hilo has always involved a plane switch in Honolulu; this is the way we had to go just a few weeks ago, and with layover time, our journey from L.A. to Hilo took over eight hours.
In a world of limited vacation days, lots of time-crunched visitors to the Big Island (which is 4000 miles from the U.S. mainland) have never even made it to the Hilo side. That’s a shame — and yet, sadly understandable.
Now, merged airline United/Continental has stepped in to give the Hilo side the boost it deserves: Two daily flights from LAX will get visitors from the West Coast to Hilo inside of five hours. Make a whole trip out of the wild, jungly eastern side of the Big Island, or start in Hilo and work your way over to Kona for a couple days of beachy unplugging. Hassle-free in, hassle-free out.
So, here’s just some of what you’ll find in and around Hilo…in case you’d like to fall in love with it, too.
In the heart of downtown Hilo, a reflecting pool in a public park serves as a memorial to local soliders who served in World War II
Just outside of downtown Hilo, the spray from Rainbow Falls often makes a...rainbow
The epic fruit platter at the historic Shipman House B&B includes local favorites like lychee, longon and soursop, all introduced to Hawaii by Asians
At the Hilo Farmers Market (held downtown on Wednesdays), we laughed long and hard over soaps from local company The Filthy Farmgirl -- and then bought a whole bunch
At the Hilo Farmers Market, you'll find the island's Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Polynesian melting pot in the food, crafts and locals
At Hilo's laid-back Bayfront Coffee Company, try the strange and refreshing kava, an ancient and ceremonial Polynesian root drink that makes you feel (legally) happy
Not far from town, the Hilo Coffee Mill grows and roasts the Hilo side's only local coffee; here, you can take a tour and try the wares
Orchid porn, anyone? At the Akatsuka Orchid Farm, glory in varieties you've never seen
The path to the Thurston Lava Tube in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is surrounded by a jungle of some of the biggest ferns on Earth
At the bottom of the lush and painstakingly-planted Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden in nearby Papaikou, you'll find a dramatic stretch of Pacific coves
Akaka Falls State Park near Honomu Town has the tallest falls in Hawai'i and a thick tangle of jungle towering over its walkways
Like a miniature version of Hilo's historic downtown, Honomu feels like a frontier Main Street...albeit one where you can get a nice ahi burger
Near Honomu, the view from the porch at the Palms Cliff House includes whole pods of dolphins
Back in Hilo at the Pana'ewa Zoo, you'll find Namaste, a rare white bengal tiger
In the coastal parkland of downtown Hilo, you’ll find lots of space, a little peace and the huge, exotic arcs of monkey pod trees
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My trip to Hawaii’s Big Island was sponsored by Big Island Visitors’ Bureau,
but all observations and opinions here are my own.
About the Author
Melanie Waldman is the writer/photographer behind Travels With Two, a travel blog designed to inspire workaholic couples to use their vacation time to travel together. Waldman shares exciting accounts of her own trips — as well as those of other couples — and offers great tips on travel-planning, saving money and more. When not traveling to Hawai’i and beyond, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband, dog, cat and a sometimes-neglected garden.