Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mamalahoa Highway (Hwy. 180) in Holualoa (
&
808/322-2233
), is a great
place to get a freshly brewed cup.
To reach Holualoa, follow narrow, winding Hualalai Road up the hill from
Highway 19; it's about a 15-minute drive.
SOUTH KONA
Kona Historical Society Museum
Ages 10 and up.
This well-organ-
ized museum is housed in the historic Greenwell Store, built in 1875 by Henry
Nicholas Greenwell out of native stone and lime mortar made from burnt coral.
Antiques, artifacts, and photos tell the story of this fabled coast. You can tour
the museum, filled with items that were common to everyday life here in the last
century, when coffee-growing and cattle-raising were the main industries, in less
than an hour. Serious history buffs should sign up for one of the museum's walk-
ing tours; see “Guided Walking Tours,” earlier in this section.
Hwy. 11, between mile markers 111 and 112, Kealakekua.
&
808/323-3222
or 808/323-2006. www.
konahistorical.org. Admission $2. Mon-Fri 9am-3pm. Parking on grassy area next to Kona Specialty Meats
parking lot.
Kula Kai Caverns and Lava Tubes
Ages 5 and up.
Before you
trudge up to Pele's volcanic eruption, take a look at her underground handi-
work. Ric Elhard and Rose Herrera have explored and mapped out the labyrinth
of lava tubes and caves, carved out over the last 1,000 years or so, that crisscross
their property on the southwest rift zone on the slopes of Mauna Loa near South
Point. As soon as you enter their thatched yurt field office (which resembles
something out of an Indiana Jones movie), you know you're in for an amazing
tour. Choices range from an easy half-hour tour on a well-lit underground route
($12 adults, $6 children 5-12) to a more adventuresome 2-hour caving trip
($45 adults) to a deluxe half-day exploration ($65, minimum age 12). Helmets,
lights, gloves, and knee pads are all included. Sturdy shoes are recommended for
caving.
Off Hwy. 11, Ocean View.
&
808/929-7539.
www.kulakaicaverns.com. Tours by appointment. Between mile
markers 79 and 78 off Hwy. 11.
Finds
The Painted Church
All ages.
The kids will get a kick out of this
church filled with murals. At the turn of the century, Father John Berchman Vel-
ghe borrowed a page from Michelangelo and painted biblical scenes inside St.
Benedict's Catholic Church, so the illiterate Hawaiians could visualize the white
man's version of creation. Stop by for a 10-minute “look-see.”
Hwy. 19, Honaunau.
&
808/328-2227.
Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park
All ages.
With
its fierce, haunting idols, this sacred site on the black-lava Kona coast certainly
looks forbidding. To ancient Hawaiians, however, it must have been a welcome
sight, for Puuhonua O Honaunau served as a 16th-century place of refuge,
providing sanctuary for defeated warriors and
kapu
(taboo) violators. A great
rock wall—1,000 feet long, 10 feet high, and 17 feet thick—defines the refuge
where Hawaiians found safety. On the wall's north end is Hale O Keawe Heiau,
which holds the bones of 23 Hawaiian chiefs. Other archaeological finds include
burial sites, old trails, and a portion of an ancient village. On a self-guided tour
of the 180-acre site—which has been restored to its pre-contact state—you
can see and learn about reconstructed thatched huts, canoes, and idols, and feel
Finds
