North Kohala: Big Island (Hawaii)

Full of scenic natural beauty, a significant historical and cultural significance, North Kohala is one of the more fascinating moku or districts on the Big Island. At the very heart of North Kohala are the small former sugar plantation town of Hawi and the even smaller sleepier town of Kapaau. Both come to life in June for the annual King Kamehameha Day celebration complete with marching bands, pau riders, a wonderful arts and craft fair and lots of Hawaiian food and music. Views in North Kohala range from sweeping ocean views and wide open pasturelands along Kohala Mountain Road to dramatic lush green cliffs and black sand beaches which can reached via a steep slippery cliffside trail or can be viewed from the Pololu Lookout at the very end of Akone Pule Highway. Historically, North Kohala is the location of the most noteworthy cultural sites in Hawaii. Near the small airport at Upolu Point, at the 50 mile marker along Akoni Pule Highway is the Mookini Heiau. The heiau is one of the largest and more important human sacrificial temples in the Hawaiian Islands. The heiau, along with the nearby stone wall site of the birthplace of King Kamehameha the Great are extremely sacred. Visitors to either should treat each site with the utmost of respect and reverence. © NileGuide