Day 4: Going East!

We left Kailua-Kona in the morning after a short stop at the supermarket to get groceries (big supermarkets are not to be found easily outside the two big cities, Kona and Hilo) - with this view: One of the huge cruise ships unloading passengers on smaller boats and bringing them over for excursions.

The road to Captain Cook - the next larger, attractive settlement south of Kailua-Kona - still offers great views from higher above, and that's where the famous Kona coffee grows on the slopes. We stopped at Hawaii Coffee Company (photos below), a roastery which gets their beans from many coffee farmers in the area (Kona), tasted some of their coffees and headed on to our favorite cultural sight on Big Island. 

 

 

 

Pu'uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park (photo above) is considered one of the most significant traditional Hawaiian sites, including Royal Grounds and a place for asylum. When someone in the past had  broken the sacred laws, the only chance of survival was to elude your pursuers and reach the Pu'uhonua. This place of refuge is enclosed by the Great Wall, a massive masonry wall. Nearby, Hawaiian royalty established important residential and ceremonial sites,  the Royal Grounds, with temples and resting places. 

 

Such a tropical paradies, looks straight out of the picture book! A busload of cruiseship passengers were strolling around, but since the area is vast, it didn't disturb the peace of this special place too much. Besides the historic ruins and reconstructions, there are fish and crabs to watch, too!

The drive further south lead us through dense wooded areas, mostly "Natural Preserves", forests with old lava fields cutting through. The equivalent to yesterday's excursion to the north, is "South Point" today, but, the southern-most tip of the island can only be reached over a gravel road, and, therefore we just looked at it from the distance under not so clear weather conditions. The wind farm seems to be a new feature there.

 

Drive was a bit boring and we stopped for a "snackie" at Punalu'u Bake Shop in Na‘alehu.Introduced to Hawai‘i by Portuguese sugar workers during the 19th century, sweet bread became famous on the island. This bakery produces moist Hawaiian sweet bread after a traditional family recipe, in different variations, e.g. with Taro (sort of yams), with Macadamia nuts or Guava. Also famous are their malasadas, with different fillings, sort of donuts or "Krapfen". 

What fits better with such  sweetdelights than coffee? Next stop: a coffee plantation and roastery, hidden in the backcountry: Ka'u Coffee Company.

Kona Coffee grows on the slopes of the Hualalai and Mauna Loa volcanoes in the north and south Kona districts on porous and mineral rich volcanic soil combined with a specific climate. Kona coffee makes up about 95% of all coffee being grown on the Big Island, the rest is mostly made up of beans grown in Ka’u (that's where we were), Puna and along the Hamakua coast. Kona coffee is either sold in blends that carry only 10% Kona beans, or in more expensive ‘100% Kona Coffee’ packs. Prices in the roastery we visited started at about $ 20 for a 230 g pack - cheaper than what we've seen before.

It's been our fourth visit to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park! Here on Big Island it's not ONE volcano, but several and the earth's surface seems to be broken everywhere. There are lava fields and lush rain forest landscape, and, visitors stand almost at the edge of the volcano already at the Visitor Center. The last devastating eruption (lava flow) took place in 2018 and since then the volcano is considered "dormant" . 

 

The park encompasses the summits of two of the world's most active volcanoes: Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. Extending from sea level to the summit of Mauna Loa is 13,677 ft (4.200 m) high! The park's main crater, Kīlauea (pic) - completely changed during the 2018 eruption and is much larger and deeper now.  It's surrounded by a field of fumaroles (sulphur gas vents) with water steam visible. Though visibility was not too good and skies were grey, this park is always an experience!

 

Passing the newly born land (after the eruption 2018) in the distance (new black sand beaches!) we reached the Puna district and Keau'au with our AirBnB for the next three nights. To our full surprise, it was neither too far out of the way, nor as rustic as the previous one! Nice secluded cottage, tastefully furnished, cleverly equipped, full kitchen, nice large bathroom (the other one was sort of open and a quite rustic), large TV (didn't have one before) and a wrap-around patio with a hammock(!) and a comfy seating area. All of that surrounded by a tropical, fully blooming landscape. The owner extended a warm welcome, fridge was filled, and we felt good after a long day on the road with many interesting stops!

African Tulip Tree