Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THOSE DAMN COQUI
Hawaiʻi's most wanted alien is the Puerto Rican coqui frog, only an inch long. Why?
They are loud. They make jet engines sound subdued. At sunset, coquis begin their
nightly chirping (a two-tone 'ko-kee' call), which can register between 90 and 100
decibels from 2ft away. Even at a distance their chorus maintains 70 decibels,
equivalent to a vacuum cleaner.
Coquis accidentally reached the Hawaiian Islands around 1988, and they've pro-
liferated wildly on the Big Island. Around Lava Tree State Monument, densities are
the highest in the state and twice that of Puerto Rico. Besides causing a nightly
racket, coquis are disrupting the ecosystem by eating bugs that feed native birds.
If you're in Puna and you're a light sleeper, bring ear plugs.
Eating
Pahoa Fresh Fish
SEAFOOD $
(
965-8248; 15-2670 Pahoa Village Rd; mains $5-7; 8am-7pm)
Utterly unassuming Pahoa
Fresh Fish, which has the atmosphere of the moon and is slotted in an ugly strip mall,
serves, hands down, the best fish and chips on the Big Island. We don't know what the
friendly lady behind the counter is doing and we don't care; we will come back for her
perfectly battered and fried ono and mahimahi anytime, all the time.
Ning's Thai Cuisine
THAI $
(15-2955 Pahoa Village Rd; mains $10-14; noon-9pm Mon-Sat, from 5pm Sun;
) Accom-
plished Thai is served up at this little spot; save room for the
lilikoʻi
or ginger ice-cream.
Mike's New York Pizzeria
PIZZERIA $
(
965-5331; 15-2945 Pahoa Village Rd; pizza slice/whole from $4/15; 11am-2pm & 5-9pm Tue-
Sun)
We're all for Pahoa's macrobiotic goodness, but sometimes, you just need a yummy,
greasy thin-crust New York-style pizza. And along comes Mike! Never have two more
drastically different islands (Manhattan and Hawaii) crossed in one place, but the result
is delicious.
Island Naturals
HEALTH FOOD $
MAP
