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Published: November 7th 2013
We stayed in Hilo today...went to the farmer's market in the morning, then out to the local beaches...after a refreshing swim at Carlsmith Beach (where the water is cold
and warm, due to fresh water springs), we headed back into Hilo Town and out to Rainbow and Wai'ale Falls. Next was lunch in Hilo and then a drive up to the Hawaiian Botanical Gardens....a wonderful place...
The early settlers (sugarcane was planted) removed all of the valley's native vegetation. There remained only some tall coconut palms, which now are over 150 years old. The tall mango and monkeypod trees in the valley today have grown up since 1850.
Dan and Pauline Lutkenhouse transformed Onomea Valley from a dense jungle to a pristine tropical paradise starting in 1977. The valley was only accessible with a machete, and filled with discarded machinery and other trash. The garden opened to public in 1984. Plant specimens have been gathered from tropical jungles around the world and planted by hand. The entire valley is treated as a nature preserve.
There are giant rainforest trees that form the dense overstory canopy of Onomea Valley. These include 100-foot tall mango trees that were probably planted
in the late 1800s; breadfruit trees that date from the early 1900s, with their huge, speckled green fruit; and towering coconut palms that are constantly pruned to protect visitors from falling fruit. Low-growing taro plants can also be seen, carryovers from village life at the turn of the century when starchy poi, made from taro roots, was a staple of the Hawaiian diet. This is the only tropical botanical garden in the United States that is situated on an ocean coast.
Back at our rental, we sat in the tower and watched the surfers while drinking a cold Fire Rock pale ale....
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Michele & Errol
non-member comment
Queens bath
Hi Lynn ! There is a place called "queen's bath" some-wheres over there by Hilo -Puna area. I remember visiting it. A series of rectangular bathtub like pools in the forest. When I googled it, came up with all kinds of stuff so perhaps it was just something the locals knew about. M