Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [238]
Within the village of Mountain View (at the 14-mile marker), Mountain View Bakery (968-6353; Old Volcano Rd; items $4-6 7:30am-1pm Mon-Fri, 7:30am-1:30pm Sat) bakes its own pies, breads and its iconic ‘stone cookies,’ a crack-your-tooth biscotti-like confection. Try original, raisin, chocolate chip (our favorite) or, if you must, soft.
A peaceful retreat, Bed & Breakfast Mountain View (968-6868, 888-698-9896; www.bbmtview.com; r incl breakfast $90-110) offers four comfortable rooms in the warm home of famous Big Island artists Jane and Linus Chao. Hidden on a quiet road a mile from Hwy 11, surrounded by pretty landscaping, the Chaos’ large house (built for grown kids who never stayed) is graced with their splendid art and genuine aloha.
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PAHOA
pop 960
If Puna is a state of mind, Pahoa is its heart – a ramshackle, ragamuffin town with raised wooden sidewalks, peeling paint and an unkempt bohemian edge. It’S full of oddballs and eccentrics and gentle, genuine aloha. No one’S in a hurry, and you needn’t be either.
Orientation & Information
Roads in and around Pahoa are known by many names. For example, the main road through town is signposted as Pahoa Village Rd but is also called Government Main Rd, Old Government Rd, Main St, Puna Rd and Pahoa Rd – but Hwy 130 is also known as Pahoa Rd!
Just off the main highway, north of the historic downtown, is Pahoa Marketplace – a shopping mall with a huge grocery store, hardware store and fresh-fish monger. Also here is Aloha Outpost Internet Café (Pahoa Marketplace; mains $5-8; internet per hr $7, wi-fi per day $10; 6am-9pm; ), with plenty of computers, inexpensive eats, an attached used bookstore and regular events. You could hang out all day.
Along the main street in town is a convenience store, banks, gas stations and a post office (965-1158; 15-2859 Pahoa Village Rd; 8:30am-4pm Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm Sat), as well as Sirius Coffee (965-8555; Pahoa Village Rd; 7am-6pm Mon-Fri, 7am-4pm Sat, 7am-3pm Sun; ) with internet access (per 30 minutes $2), espresso coffee and baked goods ($2 to $5).
Sights & Activities
Join the entire Puna ′ohana (family) at the Maku′u Craft & Farmers Market (896-5537; www.makuufarmersassociation.org; 5:30am-2pm Sun) on Hwy 130 between the 7-mile and 8-mile markers. It’S more like a massive village party than a market, and you’ll find psychic channeling, wood carvings, massage, old junk, surfboard repair, orchids, organic honey, sarongs and jewelry, photos of the Kalapana eruption and even fruits and vegetables. Hot food includes Hawaiian, Samoan, Mexican and Thai cuisine, and more. Morning cultural workshops (9am) give way to live music through the afternoon. Don’t miss it.
For swimming, head for the gorgeous outdoor, heated Olympic-size pool at Pahoa Community Aquatic Center (Kauhale St; 9am-4:40pm), behind the Pahoa Neighborhood Facility; it has nice showers and a separate kids’ pool.
Jeff Hunt of Jeff Hunt Surfboards (965-2322; 15-2883 Pahoa Village Rd; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 11am-3pm Sun) is one of the island’S best board shapers, and at his little hut you can buy one, talk surfing and rent soft-top boards (per day $20).
Though still being built at press time, the grassroots, nonprofit Pahoa Museum (965-0072; www.pahoamuseum.org; 15-2931 Pahoa Village Rd) aims to showcase Puna history and culture in all its splendid diversity, as told by local Punatics. It’S due to open in 2009.
Sleeping
JoMamas Pahoa Town Hostel (430-1573; www.jomamahawaii.com; Pahoa Village Rd; dm $30, s/d $45/60; ) At the north end of downtown, this attractive, brand-new hostel is filled with funky carvings, imported furniture and community aloha. It’S a welcoming, drug-free place to kick off your slippahs.
Island Paradise Inn (990-0234; www.islandparadiseinn.com; Pahoa Village Rd; d $40-60) Smack downtown, this inn is actually a row of former plantation-worker houses that’S been converted into 12 small, clean and, above all, very affordable rooms, all with private bathroom and kitchenette. Decor varies; pleasing touches (fluffy towels, stained