Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
wild pigs and a school bus. You can stay in said bus, which has been decked out in cos-
mic artwork, and anyone who wants to volunteer in the hostel gets discounted stays.
Located about 1.7 miles from Lava Tree State Monument, and 10 minutes' drive from
downtown Pahoa.
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Kapoho
Hwy 132 goes east until it meets Red Rd at
Four Corners
(where four roads meet) near
Kapoho. Once a small farming village, Kapoho became Pele's victim in January 1960
when a volcanic fissure let loose a half-mile-long curtain of fiery lava in a nearby sugar-
cane field. The main flow of
pahoehoe
ran toward the ocean, but a pokier offshoot of
ʻaʻa
crept toward the town, burying orchid farms in its path. Two weeks later the lava
buried Kapoho, including nearly 100 homes and businesses.
When the lava approached the sea at
Cape Kumukahi
, it parted around the lighthouse
which, alone, survived. Old-timers say that the lighthouse keeper offered a meal to Pele,
who appeared disguised as an old woman on the eve of the disaster, and so she spared the
structure.
STAYING HEALTHY IN PUNA
Frolicking in tide pools and hot ponds can be tons of fun, but visitors should be
aware of health risks due to the enclosed nature of these natural wonders - bacter-
ia (including staphylococcal) have been present here in the past. To minimize risk,
locals counsel visitors to go early in the morning when fewer people have been in
the pools; aim to time your explorations for high tide; and try to avoid Mondays and
other post-peak usage times (ie after holidays). It's essential to not enter pools
with open cuts and to shower immediately after.
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Red Road (Highway 137)
Winding Hwy 137 is nicknamed Red Rd because its northern portion is paved with red
cinder. It's a swooping, atmospheric drive that periodically dips beneath tunnel-like can-
opies of milo and hala (pandanus) trees. There are many discreet paths to the shore along
this road - take one for a private piece of coast.
