Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [217]
Oceanview House (775-9098, 866-492-4746; www.hawaiioceanviewhouse.com; Hwy 240; house $165) For a house to call your own, this is a stellar choice. It has attractive furnishings and decor, a fully equipped kitchen, two bedrooms, a living room, a laundry, a TV, a phone and geckos aplenty – plus a gorgeous view of the endless Pacific with a peek of Waipi′o Valley. There’S nothing not to like. If the Cliff House is booked, you won’t regret this choice.
Cliff House Hawaii (775-0005, 800-492-4746; www.cliffhousehawaii.com; Hwy 240; house $199) Views? You want views? While the layout and level of decor are identical to the Oceanview House, your sweeping view is like a private perch over Waipi′o. Book way in advance.
Shopping
Neptune’S Garden Gallery at Last Chance Store (Map; 775-1343; www.neptunesgarden.net; 9am-2:30pm Mon-Sat) The Last Chance Store is a gallery for the owner’S stained-glass artworks. If only to continue tradition, the store also still sells bottled water, soda, snacks and ice-cream.
Waipio Valley Artworks (Map; 775-0958, 800-492-4746; www.waipiovalleyartworks.com; 8am-5pm) This is a great gift shop and gallery, with lots of koa and ceramic art, plus an excellent selection of books and prints. The shop has a slightly larger selection of sandwiches, muffins, coffee, and ice-cream. It allows Waimanu campers to park here overnight for $15 per night.
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WAIPI′O VALLEY
Hawaii contains many beautiful places, but a select few pulsate with a special aura, like dreams sprung to life. The largest of seven spectacular amphitheater valleys on the windward side of the Kohala Mountains, Waipi′o embodies the Hawaii of fantasy: white waterfalls trickle down near-vertical emerald cliffs (some 2000ft high), while on the valley floor a tangle of jungle, flowering plants and ancient taro patches is edged with a black-sand beach pounded by frothy waves. Ever since Hawaiians first encountered it, Waipi′o has been considered a sacred place, and was long a seat of power, but you don’t need to know any of that to understand what’S meant by mana.
That feeling is, of course, enhanced by descending into the valley, which requires work and planning. The valley is the abrupt end to Hwy 240, and to continue down the precipitous winding road to the bottom requires a 4WD or two sturdy knees. The valley itself contains no lodging or services. Most people content themselves with the views from the lookout, which has a parking lot, phone, bathroom, and trail board. A ranger (8am to 4pm) is also on hand to answer questions and give advice.
History
In ancient times Waipi′o Valley was the political and religious center of Hawai′i; it was nicknamed the ‘Valley of Kings’ because so many chiefs and ali′i ruled from here. Kamehameha the Great was raised in secret in the valley, which is where he received the statue of his fearsome war god, Kuka′ilimoku.
Waipi′o (‘curving water’) is ideal for growing taro, from which poi is made, and the valley supplied the islands with this important Hawaiian staple crop. According to oral histories, over 4000 people lived in this fertile valley before the arrival of Westerners. Waipi′o’S sacred status is evidenced by a number of important heiau. The most sacred, Paka′alana, was also the site of one of the island’S two major pu′uhonua (the other is now the Pu′uhonua National Historical Park, Click here), but today its location has been lost.
In the 19th century Waipi′o Valley’S population dropped, despite an influx of Chinese immigrants. Nevertheless, the valley still supported schools, restaurants and churches, as well as a hotel, post office and jail.
In 1946 Hawai′i’S most devastating tsunami