Local Sites

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Less than 2 miles from Koili Point, here you can discover over 2,000 species of tropical plants set in a fertile valley, where dense rainforest offers a home to diverse animal life.  A trip to Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is a magical experience for flora enthusiasts and casual visitors alike. Pick any corner of this 40-acre (161,874-square-meter) conservation area to explore and be amazed by the countless varieties of plant and tree life that surround you. Look for a wide range of mammal, bird, reptile and insect species as you wander the twisting trails that guide you around this environmental treasure trove.  Onomea Valley, where the garden is located about 5 min drive north of Koili Point, is so lush with vegetation due to a special combination of factors. The rich volcanic soil is the ideal foundation for plant life. In addition to this, the valley spent the early 20th century entirely ignored by humans, giving the towering rainforest trees that stand there today time to flourish. Some of these trees are now over 100 feet (30 meters) tall.  

Located just across the highway from Koili Point, the Hawaii Plantation Museum is in the old historic plantation store built in 1900 by the Onomea Sugar Company. This is the company that ran the sugar cane production on our property as well as the adjacent ones.  In 1950, the plantation sold the store to Shigeru Yoshiyama a worker in the store and renamed to S. Yoshiyama Store until 1997.    In 2013 the Yoshiyama Store became the Hawaii Plantation Museum. Located at 27-246 Old Mamalahoa Highway in Papa'ikou, Hawai'i.  The museum is rich in history outlining the establishment of the sugar plantation era and how the sugar industry gave rise to Hawai’i’s multi-cultural heritage. From wall-to-wall the museum is filled with a enormous collection of old signs, bottles, newspapers, photos, a telephone booth, restaurant booth, Pete Beamer's buggy, baseball uniforms and much more.  The mission of our museum is to exhibit, preserve, and promote the culture and lifestyle of the old Hawai'i plantation era.

A few miles north of Koili Point, Akaka Falls State Park, located along the northeastern Hilo Coast, is a natural wonder where you can see two gorgeous waterfalls on one short hike. The pleasant 0.4-mile uphill hike will take you through a lush rainforest filled with wild orchids, bamboo groves and draping ferns.  As you follow the paved footpath, you'll first see 100-foot Kahuna Falls. Continue to follow the loop around the bend, and you'll discover towering Akaka Falls which plummets 442-feet into a stream-eroded gorge. Beautiful Akaka Falls is perhaps the island of Hawaii's most famous waterfall. Easily accessible, this hike takes less than an hour.

One of the most easily accessible waterfalls on the Big Island, Rainbow Falls is just a quick fifteen minute drive from Koili Point.

We have gone to the park no less than 50 times. Maybe a 100. There are great hikes ranging from about 3 miles to.... There is no other place like it in the U.S. and the Kilauea Volcano was erupting for many years and was a spectacular sight. We get the impression when we do one of the hikes that we are on the moon. 

Best place to ocean swim in our opinion. You have to do laps in essence but it's not rough and there are tons of fish. Turtles as well but don't touch them as it's not legal. Decent surf spot as well. 

On the way to Rainbow Falls, you can easily see the Naha Stone. It's amazing that this is right in the open if one considers its historical significance.   Weighing an estimated 3.5 tons, the Naha Stone is considered by historians as one of the greatest historical relics in the Hawaiian Islands. Originally from Kauai, it now rests in front of the Hilo Public Library at #300 Waianuenue Ave., alongside the much smaller Pinao stone, which used to guard an ancient temple in Heiau.  According to a legend, whoever could move the massive Naha stone with his bare hands would unite all of the Hawaiian islands and be the greatest king of all Hawaii. A fourteen-year-old Kamehameha did more than just move the heavy rectangular lava stone. He lifted it end over end, allegedly with help from the gods, and eventually fulfilled the prophesy.  Today, both locals and tourists flock to Hilo to see the Naha Stone and marvel at its legendary connection with the great Hawaiian king.