Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
stand sells only the cream of the crop. The cafe whips up heavenly fruit smoothies and
good sandwiches, and there are nice views from the outdoor patio.
Bong Brothers & Sistahs
HEALTH FOOD, DELI $
MAP
(
www.bongbrothers.com
;
Hwy 11; deli items $3-5; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, noon-6pm Sun;
)
Food is politics at this small organic health-food store and vegetarian takeout deli. The
fresh-made curries, soups and salads are mouthwateringly delicious, even when served
with ornery aloha by unrepentant agricultural activists. There are cool gift items, too. It's
located within an historic 1929 building.
WHILE YOU SNORKEL, THEY SCHEME
For many, the Big Island's remote beaches and hikes are the main event - but they
also make your rental car a prime target for thieves. Follow locals' advice: leave
nothing of value in your car (this includes the trunk). Places to be particularly cau-
tious include Kehena Beach and Ahalanui Beach Park (Puna), the remote Kona
Coast beaches and Ho'okena and Miloli'i.
Another tip is to leave your doors unlocked so would-be ne'er-do-wells know
there's nothing of value in the car. This way, you can avoid a smashed window,
which - if the confetti of broken glass in parking areas is any indication - occurs
fairly frequently. This strategy can backfire, however: at Miloli'i, leaving the doors
unlocked, we set off for Honomalino Beach. While we played, a cheeky local
opened the door wide for stray cats to come in and pee.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Puʻuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park
Standing at the end of a long semi-desert of thorny scrub and lava plains, the
national
visitor center 8:30am-4:30pm)
fronting Honaunau Bay provides one of the state's most
evocative experiences of ancient Hawai'i, and easy access to some of the best snorkeling
anywhere. In short, Puʻuhonua o Honaunau combines a seminal historical experience
with some of the best wildlife-spotting on the island, and to access all this, you just need
to be able to fit a snorkel in your mouth. The park's tongue-twister name simply means
ʻplace of refuge at Honaunau'.
