Exploring the Big Island’s Kohala Coast

On the North Shore of the Big Island lies one of the Big Island’s best kept secrets. With miles of white sand beaches and the lush valleys of the Kohala Mountain Range, the Kohala Coast is truly paradise within paradise, featuring scenic beauty that stretches from just north of Kona all the way to the Hamakua Coast.

Consisting of 6 towns, the Kohala district is where the locals go for a staycation and escape from Kona and Hilo. From the inland country side of Waimea, where Hawaii’s largest ranch, Parker Ranch, is located, to the tiny town of Halaula (population 495), the remote part of the island has managed to stay true its Hawaiian roots. Perhaps most well know for the Mauna Lani Resort in Waimea and the original statue of King Kamehameha the Great in Kapaau, the Kohala Coast’s charm is endearing to both locals and visitors alike.

To get the most of a visit to the Kohala Coast, an aerial tour with Blue Hawaii Helicopters will show off the island’s features, and give you the best views of the island’s natural scenery, including hidden waterfalls, towering sea cliffs, and the meandering valleys that stretch from the ocean to deep into the inland portion of the island.

For the sightseeing enthusiast, the Ultimate Kohala Adventure Tour will take you to the must see sites of the Kohala Coast, with stops for lunch, photos at the original King Kamehameha the Great statue, Waipio Valley Lookout, and samples of locally grown macadamia nuts at the Hamakua Macadamia Nut Factory. While you explore and stop throughout this tour, you will find out the history of the area, and discover its importance to Hawaii’s history.

As you learn about the small towns that inhibit the coast, you’ll understand why the Waipio Valley is known as the Valley of the Kings, and even find that this is the area where King Kamhameha the Great was born, making this a truly important and special place to the history of Hawaii.