After the idyllic stay at the Tree House by the Volcanoes National Park (read about it here), we drive towards the East side of Big Island. Destination: Hilo.
For the second half of our trip, we are lucky to stay in amazing places such as an off-the-grid container home and a Zen retreat set in lush woods…
Hawaiian Style Cafe in Hilo
The Hawaiian Style Cafe owner, Guy Kaoo is a friend of Guido’s and used to live in California. After moving back to Hilo, he opened this Cafe and it’s now probably the most popular eatery in Hilo as attested by the long line of people waiting to get a table at any time of the day… It’s famous for its massive pancakes and kalua pork hash. The food is so delicious that we return for another meal during our stay in Hilo.
We order the most popular items on the menu: Macadamia Nuts pancake (so sinfully delicious), Loco moco which is a Hawaiian specialty with meat overload (kalua pork hash, spicy Portugese sausage, Spam, Burger patty, bacon) and a fried egg – a must try when in Hawaii!
Guy also recommends the ahi tuna sashimi with avocado and spicy sauce, which is really fresh and delicious!
Check this post for my Poke recipe using ahi or maguro tuna.
On our return visit, we try their roast pork and rice lunch as well as another massive coconut cream pancake which is to die for.
The Hawaiian Style Cafe has really served our most satisfying meals on Big Island! Make sure to stop by. Here’s the address: 681 Manono Street, Suite 101, Hilo.
BJ Penn Jiu Jitsu Dojo
In the afternoon, Guido checks out BJ Penn’s gym and dojo. Hilo is home to this well known MMA fighter. Guido has made arrangements to return there the next day for training.
Ocean side resort in Hilo
After a few days glamping in Kona and staying in a Tree House in the Volcanoes National Park, we opt for a modern resort by the ocean, for some comfort and internet access…
The weather is overcast but we decide to go kayaking around the bay.
Next to the resort is a beautiful and serene Asian style park.
Carlsmith Beach, Hilo
We are blessed with great weather the next day and we drive around to find a quiet place by the ocean to relax and swim.
We find the perfect spot, a beautiful lagoon…
This is what I love about Big Island, we can drive around and find hidden spots with beautiful scenery to enjoy…
An off-the-grid Container Home
I have found our next destination – a totally off-the-grid container home! The drive through the countryside is gorgeous.
We finally reach our accommodation, a container turned into a solar-powered home set in the middle of nowhere.
Apparently we are the first guests staying there…
The size of a 40′ container, the home is well appointed, with a comfy living room and a small kitchen, but there’s an outdoor BBQ.
The bedroom is inviting, with a full size bathroom. Everything is spotless…
The orchard is our backyard
Peace and quiet all around. Perfect time to relax and catch up on reading…
Guido is making our dinner…
We really enjoy the nature, this is just what we need…
Driving through the farm land, we pass by this unusual chicken coop. It’s so cool! Each chicken has its own little house…
We now head north towards Honomu, through lush forests, dense vegetation and streams
It’s like being in the wilderness – On the way we find a golf course and enjoy a fun game.
You can read about Big Island golfing in this post.
Kahuna Fall Retreat
Soon we reach Kahuna Fall where we’ll spend the next couple of days.
The Center At Kahuna Falls is a serene & lush boutique retreat set on 46-acre property located near the Hamakua coast.
The retreat is designed to give a sense of home and real ALOHA. Every little detail is attended to. Each vegan meal is prepared with locally sourced ingredients and is incredibly delicious.
There are several houses on the property: a sacred place for meditation and prayers, guests bungalows and a main house with a large kitchen, a living room, sitting room and dining area.
We are the only guests during our stay and this is our private lanai.
The land is rich in natural Hawaiian conservation with an incredible variety of native flora & fauna.
We wander through wild groves of guava trees, native grasses and orchids. A river flows through the fern forest, and we find a spot to rest and take in the quiet nature.
In the morning and evening, we relax with wine and a good book at the main house verandah.
The most memorable meal at the retreat is the amazing breakfast. Kahuna Falls Retreat only serves vegan food.
The fresh exotic fruits salad is a work of art… There are beautifully presented mangoes, rambutans, longans, guavas, papayas, honeydews and bananas.
The fresh fruits presentation is almost too pretty to eat!
There are also avocado toast (with home baked whole wheat bread), and scrambled tofu.
We are also offered freshly brewed coffee with home made cashew milk and fresh fruit juice.
The papaya is decorated with small banana flowers, so exquisite!
It’s definitely the best vegan breakfast ever!
The Center’s garden is so serene with gorgeous wild flora.
Our stay at the Kahuna Fall retreat has been most relaxing and has replenished our soul with tranquility.
Mauna Kea and Akaka Fall
We had West toward Mauna Kea.
The Akaka falls are a 422 ft (135 m) tall waterfall and are the highlight of the ‘Akaka falls state park.
We take a pleasant hike through the Akaka Falls Loop Trail through dense vegetation with beautiful wild flora.
There is another waterfall in this trail: the Kahūnā Fall. This waterfall is with a 400 ft drop almost as tall as the ‘Akaka falls, but the full view is not visible from the park.
Waipi’o Valley
Old Hawaiian kings used to reside in this valley. Now Waipi’o valley is mostly wilderness interspersed with taro fields with very few inhabitants.
From our vantage point, we have a stunning view of the Valley. Waipi’o (or Waipio) Valley is named after the river that runs through the valley (wai-piʻo means curved water in the Hawaiian language) and is about one mile wide and six miles deep. The valley meets the ocean towards the north, with a beautiful black sand beach that is cut in two by the river.
The Big Island nature and wilderness are really enchanting. Unfortunately our trip is coming to an end.
Kona
Our last couple of days are spent back in Kona from where we shall fly home.
This time we have booked lodging in a contemporary villa, but we won’t spend much time there.
There’s still another round of golf to be played in Kona…
On the eve of our departure, we decide to go manta ray night snorkeling, which is one of the top attractions in Kona. We are taken to places where manta rays normally hang out. The boat makes 2 long stops, but there’s nothing to be seen… This is nature, so manta ray sighting is not guaranteed… We are disappointed for missing this amazing experience. It’s now approaching midnight, and the boat captain has suggested to make a last stop.
It turns out to be a lucky spot, manta rays are spotted, we get so excited and everybody listens to the captain’s instructions and put on our masks and fins and jump into the dark water. During the Manta Ray snorkel, a brightly lit board is thrown into the ocean which attracts the planktons. The immense manta rays are in turn drawn by the planktons and swoop through the water with their mouths open to filter the plankton out of the ocean. To me, it seems like a graceful dance, and the manta rays come so close to us that we can literally touch them. It’s an incredibly beautiful experience.
The manta rays playfully swim, turn, and somersault through the light beams, sometimes almost touching us.
There could not be a better ending to an excellent Big Island adventure, wouldn’t you agree?
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[…] Read about the second part of our Big Island adventure here… […]