This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. It is a gorgeous beach (I've stayed there a few times pre-earthquake). Get to know this 1.4-mile out-and-back trail near Kapaau, Hawaii. It is possible you will encounter people from the Pololu Valley Steward Program at the lookout. She didn't seem to work for any authority. I will check out those historical markers that you mentioned.
Wai'pio Valley vs. Pololu Valley - Island of Hawaii Message Board Note ancient cobble stones still embedded in sections of the trail. Kailua-Kona to Waipio Valley is about a 1.5 hour drive. This is a very popular area for birding, camping, and hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. Plolu means "long spear" and the name evokes the shape of the valley, whereas the mouth of Waipio is broad, almost a mile wide. 7. To get down to the valley floor you must either be a Big Island resident and have your own 4WD car, or be willing to pay for a tour. During its long lifetime, erosion by rainwater has cut multiple deep gulches, gorges and valley in the flanks of the windward side of the Kohala volcano.
Pololu Valley (famous views!) Hike to Pololu Valley beach OR just see That seems right to me.
Big Island hike to Pololu Valley - This Hawaii Life ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-93725113', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Hilo and Akaka Falls during our road trip day. Or, you can eat at restaurants at the hotels. Rips, sharky. Truly a MUST do if youre on the big island. Just be sure not to poach any of the loungers that are there for hotel guests, When I visit the Big Island, I always have to make the drive all the way up to the Pololu Lookout. If I LOVE the Mauna Lani, where would we stay on Maui? Contribute to the local initiative by signing the Save Polulu petition at Change.org. Behind the beach you can find large dunes and ironwood trees that protect the valley from floodwaters. Your email address will not be published. Hiking down gave me a little concern for the return trip. We did the hike down into Pololu Valley to the black sand beach. You used to be able to hike further, but now that's closed so you can only hike to the beach. Use hiking shoes, they help. The Kohala Volcano last erupted about 120.000 years ago (!) Towards the back the valley splits into many 'fingers', each one with its own waterfall. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-93711639', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Big Island in August and only have time for one of these. Directions from Puako: Take Highway 270 to the end at Pololu Lookout in North Kohala. Glad to hear that that route offers nice views. Polol Valley is another one of the seven valleys along Kohala volcano that's been sculpted by thousands of years of erosion. To this day, the memory of Waipio Valley fills me with joy and dreams of going back. More information at the Keokea beach park website. Awesome. If you are visiting in the winter months (from ~December to ~March) this is a great place to try and see humpback whales. The views are amazing as you take the steep access road into the valley.
Waipi'o Valley: How to visit and What to see - Love Big Island To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript.
On your way through Hawi if it's lunch time or close try Bamboo- i love the ambience,, and their fish is good. Steep and moments with loose rocks, but so worth it! Dont worry, there is plenty of time on the beach to take a breather! Pololu Valley Beach Hike. Polol translates to " long spear" in Hawaiian and is named for the many battles that took place in the region. A geotechnical assessment outlining the rockfall and landslide risks associated with traveling along Waipio Valley Road has led the County of Hawaiis to close Waipio Valley Road to visitors. The views from the lookout are better at Waipio are better; but if youre willing to walk a bit of the trail into Pololu Valley, views become just as spectacular. The Hapuna Prince handled it well - safety was absolutely their first thing. The path washes away, so you have to do it on a dry day, and when you get down, its a bit anticlimactic. Traffic in Kailua Kona can be slow, but we found it was more of a problem with congestion trying to drive from one end of the town to the other - e.g. It was raining the day we hiked. Ive driven down Waipio a few times but not sure the reward at the end is worth the walk down and then back up unless you plan on staying for a while. Image adapted from source (by Eric Tessmer). I would recommend it. Honokne Iki. Waipi'o Valley Road is a county road that used to be treated mostly just like any other road, despite being the steepest road in the USA. If you're staying a bit further north in one of the Waikoloa resorts on the Kohala coast, it's a bit closer and might take around an hour. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Locals will take those spots fast first thing in the morning, then leave later. Suggestions: From the Fairmont, hop over to Honokaope black sand beach, at the south end of Mauna Lani Resort, in the 49 Black Sands subdivision. From the valley floor it is a short and easy stretch to the beach. I think Pololu Valley has more to offer on your way to / from it, than Waipio. Overview of Waipio Valley from the opposite side. How long of a stay at Pololu do you think is adequate. Respecting Hawaiian place names. Your options to get down to the valley floor with a tour range from: Explore majestic Waipio Valley, the lush and tropical Hamakua Coast, and multiple stunning waterfalls on the east side of the Big Island of Hawaii on this day full of fun and exciting adventure. The Mauna Kea had some major damage, so they brought over some guests from there for the rest of their stays.
Just be sure not to poach any of the loungers that are there for hotel guests, When I visit the Big Island, I always have to make the drive all the way up to the Pololu Lookout. Definitely Pololu, and definitely hike down to the beach, its beautiful from above but awesome when your down at sea level. Pololu is not on the way to/from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? kam hotel and want to go to Pololu, the farthest point than work our way back stopping at places that interest us, hopefully beach. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Should I camp? Waipio will give you a much better workout on the hike back up. You dont need to drive or walk down into the valley to get to the overlook which makes it a VERY popular spot to check out the valley. Want to report conditions for this trail? I've read that the best way into Wai'pio Valley is a wagon or horse tour, but that it is ok to hike into. Free cancellation: up to 24 to 72 hours before tour. Hikers are respectful by nature, that argument is not good enough to appropriate the whole area.
Going Beyond Polulu Valley-Hard Hike On Hawaii Island The waterfalls that you can see in the final scenes are the Kaluahine Falls which you can only see on rainy days from the ocean or the valley floor. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-1665103', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');rental car firms will allow you to drive even their 4x4.s into the valley.. Take heed take a tour for your safety. Id do a North Kohala excursion, which is far more convenient to where youre staying. Image credit: Georgios Tsiminis. Pololu is amazingly breathtaking, but the hike is almost straight down. For Pololu, 1 to 1.5 hours should do it, depending on how much time you want to spend walking along the beach - the path that parallels the beach is through a forest that's 'magical' here's a photo where you can see the path on the left side. The wave-pounded, offshore Paoakalani islets and, beyond them, the Hamakua Coast's most remote sea cliffs. However, now I'm wondering if we should even do the horse tour if we plan on hiking to Pololu. Looking back into the valley you can see the waters of Pololu stream. Swimming in summer should be good. You can read more about this waterfall at the worldofwaterfalls website. Sign up for our free monthly updates (more info) about everything that is new and happening in Hawaii. Where can I can find a good church service with some local flavor? What are the issues about swimming with dolphins? Waimanu Valley. I think you'll really enjoy having rental cars very easy to drive in Hawaii (except for Honolulu which is more of a challenge) and it's so nice to just go at your own pace. - Links to TR's from 2010 to present. This landslide is responsible for the now famous sea cliffs on the windward Kohala shoreline but also triggered a giant tsunami that left marine deposits multiple 100 ft high on the other islands (read more). Sustainable Travel guide and itineraries for the Big Island of Hawaii. Evidence in the valley suggests trying to descend into the valley with any other vehicle is a bad idea.
Pololu Valley Awini Trail Information & More - Hawaii Guide Waipio Valley Residents Still Seek A Deal Limiting Foot Traffic On I've read that the best way into Wai'pio Valley is a wagon or horse tour, but that it is ok to hike into. Very humid, quite crowded as expected. Unfortunately it is not safe to follow the trail any further because part of the trail came down in the 2006 Kiholo Bay earthquake. Tom Hasslinger/Civil Beat/2021 "The community all recognizes, even the ones that were opposed to. Some bitched and moaned about not being able to use the elevator, not being able to get right back to the rooms (they checked every one of them for issues like things fallen off walls, TVs fallen down, cracks), stuff like that. The vertical distance from the overlook point down to the valley floor is 490ft (150m). I've stayed at both hotels, both good beaches. Another option is trying to find a parking spot over at the Hapuna Prince Hotel (I was staying at the Hapuna Prince DURING the earthquakes!!) Best boogie boarding, body surfing beaches. Sustainable Travel guide and itineraries for the Big Island of Hawaii. 1 here. I saw other people mention Fresh Off the Grid too for some good smoothies. Pololu Valley Lookout is at the end of Hwy 270. Dont waste your time on this one, the view is gorgeous but I would never classify this as a hike its simply a walk down a hill to a beach youre not allowed to touch anything on.. skip it and go somewhere else for the day. Better to go down to the next spot at Hapuna State Park. If you feel like stretching your legs you can try either of the following two hikes: You can see these waterfalls already from the access road down into the valley but the best view can be gotten from the Muliwai trail described above as hike #2. Susan - I thought Rte 19 was the way to go to Pololu. Waipio is the southeastern most of the Hamakua coasts dramatic stream valleys. There is a lookout point between the parking area and Waipio Valley where you can get a stunning view over most of the valley and the high sea cliffs stretching out to the west. Thanks for all of your help! Theres a group of local volunteers that wait up too on the parking lot to check you in and give you a run down on the history. 3. Waipio is longer and harder but on a road. You can find a more concise description of this hike at the bigislandhikes website.
Poolulu or Waipio valley? : r/BigIsland - Reddit Pololu is a relatively easy walk down and up for the healthy, albeit with some challenging footing. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-93728737', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Kohala loop very much, but it would need its own half day to do it right. I hear Waipio may be closed to non-residents, so a moot point. These falls only exist when it is raining a LOT. Locals and tourists alike were free to drive or walk the road (although it was marked as a 4x4 only road). Well worth it! Re: Pololu Valley vs Waipi'o Valley 4 years ago Save Which one would be better to do and why. Waiulili Falls That was when we realized just how tall this waterfall really was. To get here, take Hwy 270 to Mile Marker 28. Pololu Valley Trail, from the lookout down to the valley takes less than 30 mins to walk. Great for first-time visitors. I think if I only could only visit one, I would do Pololu Valley. If you do swim, pay attention the the currents as they will pull you down the beach. The ocean is very powerful here, no swimming! If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu.
Awini Trail: 478 Reviews, 1,385 Photos, Map - Hawaii, Hawaii | AllTrails It is not an all day thing unless you want it to be. I also like the North (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? I think Pololu Valley sounds like the better option. Great video on reef etiquette. Not at all.
Waipio (or Waipio) Valley is named after the meandering Wailoa Stream that runs through the valley (wai-pio means curved water in the Hawaiian language) and is about one mile wide and six miles deep. Pololu Valley A much easier day hike awaits in the North Kohala district, at the end of a paved highway winding past Hawi. Don't wear sandals, Crocs, flip-flops, Birkenstocks, etc. Interested? The cliffs of the Kohala coastline were formed during a catastrophic landslide between 250.000 and 300.000 years ago during which a large part of the volcano slipped into the ocean. Thanks! The stretch between the Pololu valley lookout and the black sand beach is only the first part of a more extended trail. We list below a few things to do / places to see close to Pololu: Keokea beach park is a quiet beach park with a shower, restrooms, and picnic tables close to Hawi and Pololu Valley (2.5 miles, about 10 minutes by car).