Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ings to this Tibetan Buddhist compound during a visit in 2007. Visitors are encouraged to
walk inside and turn the prayer wheel in a reflective and respectful manner.
Old Sugar Mill
Three quarters of a mile above town, the
Old Pa'ia Sugar Mill
is the first of a number of
sights which dot the road toward Makawao. This once-thriving mill which defined Pa'ia
for generations shuttered its doors in 2000 amid rising operation costs and competition
from foreign markets. The massive industrial structure now sits forgotten and graffitied on
the side of Baldwin Avenue. Its appearance is so eerie you almost expect to hear voices of
plantation workers as they move about the empty corridors.
La'a Kea Community Farm
A half a mile up the road from the forgotten mill is the
La'a Kea Community Farm
(808/
281-3463,
www.laakea.org
,
9am-5pm daily), a small hideaway which defines rebirth on
the soil of Pa'ia's past. Started as a means of providing work for adults with development-
al disabilities, this humble farm grows organic produce that nourishes your body and your
soul. Through the support of the local community (and passing tourists who pop in for or-
ganic snacks such as apple bananas or avocados), this small farm plants crops on land that
was once home to sugar plantation camps. As they expand their operations and plant more
crops, workers now showcase pieces of history (such as the foundations of old homes) un-
covered in the digging process.
