|
Driving further south you will come to the village of Honaunau and the Pu'uhonua o Honaunau or the Place of Refuge. This is a National park in which you can stroll through a replica of a Hawaiian village and see ancient Hawaiian culture demonstrated. The Honaunau area, like all South Kona, is coffee country and there are dozens of small farms along the way, as well as spectacular valleys and postcard views. www.bnbHawaii.com 2004 |
When you are in Captain Cook, you enter the Real Old Hawaii, consisting
of a string of tiny villages and small coffee farms. You will notice
the air becoming cooler and the foliage lusher, as you're going up the
mountain. Here and there you will also see remnants of old cattle pens
and chutes left over from the paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys) days. There
are interesting shops and places to stop throughout this area. South of
Kealakekua you will see a road leading down to Kealakekua Bay, home of
Spinner Dolphins and the best snorkeling around. This four mile winding
road will take you to the spot where Captain Cook met an unenviable
end. You can see his monument across the bay, which is where the great
snorkeling is. To reach it you will need a kayak, go by one of several
tour boats, or take the Kings' Trail Rides down the mountain. The hike
is a bit much unless you are in excellent condition.