Maybe I'm incorrect in my assumptions. Great video on reef etiquette. Parking is fairly easy! Waipio Valley Directions and Map Taking Highways 19 and 240 will get you there. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-93725113', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Hilo and Akaka Falls during our road trip day. If you're up for a real adventure then find the trail near the far side of the beach and hike up to the top of the ridge between Pololu and the next valley, Honokane Nui. Meaning 'long spear' in Hawaiian, the Pololu Valley was formed by millennia of slow erosion, wind, and rain. Are both valleys pretty similiar? You can see the steep Waipio Valley access road, the black sand beach, and taro fields. You can follow this trail over the valley floor and up the other side to the next valley: Honokane Nui. Best boogie boarding, body surfing beaches. POLOLU VALLEY LOOKOUT - 345 Photos & 83 Reviews - Yelp Lots of roots and rocks, not too steep. north to south or vice versa. I will just add that Waipio does have more of a sandy beach if you want to hang out for a while. So it can be best to visit these beaches for the views only! In part though it depends where you are starting your trip from. Where do I stay to visit the east side of the Big Island and/or to see volcano? The black sand beach fronting the valley stretches for 900 yards and makes for an enjoyable stroll. The trail itself offers breathtaking views of the cliffs, the valley and the black sand beach on the valley floor. Need info on backpacking and wilderness camping, Resort Fees on Big Island & Other Islands, Browse all 30,517 Island of Hawaii topics . The hike at Pololu down to the beach is shorter than the one at Waipio, but it's on a hiking trail, vs. Waipio where you'll be hiking on a poorly maintained, very steep road shared with vehicles. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The only people who have any business in the water might be experienced surfers when surf conditions are just right. Pololu Valley (famous views!) Hike to Pololu Valley beach OR just see Or, you can eat at restaurants at the hotels. I would choose Pololu - there are some nice beaches to stop at on the S. Kohala coast (although you could incorporate those into a Waipio drive as well) - but the drive up #270 and down #250 provides a lot of amazing scenery, which for me would be the deciding factor in favour of Pololu. north to south or vice versa. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Shares the beach area with the Prince Hapuna Beach Hotel. Wai'pio Valley vs. Pololu Valley - Island of Hawaii Message Board Dont worry, there is plenty of time on the beach to take a breather! On your drive up Highway 270, be sure to stop for a look-see in the quaint town of Hawi. As of September 19, 2022 access to the valley floor with a covered 4WD vehicle (no ATV!) Day 6: Big Island Road Trip Itinerary (Waipi'o Valley and Polol Valley) Hilo to Waipio Valley is about a 1 hour drive, maybe just a little bit more. Great for first-time visitors. Waipio and Pololu are at either end of a series of valleys Waipio overlook has more 'wow factor' for the view, but Pololu has some great views as well. You had to wait until he "unticked" and would allow a car to take that "tick" You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Beautiful views! The one-lane Waipio Valley Road offers only a few spots where vehicles can inch by each other. There also are some pretty cool things to do close to Pololu valley to make your visit into a small road trip. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-93727428', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Hilo, so you wouldnt stop by en route. 1: Maui Overview 2: Things to Do 3: Where to Stay 4: Popular Sights and Destinations 5: Road to Hana (Maui) 6: Maui Itinerary 7: Maui blog posts, The second-biggest island in the chain, much of Mauis appeal comes from its natural landscape and biodiversity, including its two massive volcanoes, whale watching and marine ecosystems, 1: Oahu Overview 2: Things to Do 3: Where to Stay 4: Popular Sights and Destinations 5: Oahu Beaches 6: Oahu Itinerary 7: Oahu blog posts. Start out early at Pololu because parking is scarce there. Sustainable Travel guide and itineraries for the Big Island of Hawaii. The rest of the gulches follow in order from: Pololu Valley; 2. We list below a few things to do / places to see close to Pololu: Keokea beach park is a quiet beach park with a shower, restrooms, and picnic tables close to Hawi and Pololu Valley (2.5 miles, about 10 minutes by car). Big Island hike to Pololu Valley - This Hawaii Life Polol translates to " long spear" in Hawaiian and is named for the many battles that took place in the region. Please have a chat with them when you arrive to learn more about the area and treat them kindly. I've read that the best way into Wai'pio Valley is a wagon or horse tour, but that it is ok to hike into. If you are visiting in the winter months (from ~December to ~March) this is a great place to try and see humpback whales. Contribute to the local initiative by signing the Save Polulu petition at Change.org. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-93713130', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cars at the top (and so is Waipio), a lot of people don't hike down. Oahu is the lively center and most visited of all Hawaiian Islands. Waipio will give you a much better workout on the hike back up. Glad to hear that that route offers nice views. POLOLU VALLEY, Hawaii Island One of the Big Island's most scenic spots is experiencing mounting pressure from tourists and locals alike as interest in nearby real estate also grows, according. Pololu is amazingly breathtaking, but the hike is almost straight down. This is a good spot for a picnic and a shower after hiking down into Pololu valley. POLOLU VALLEY - 284 Photos & 80 Reviews - Yelp Between 250.000 and 300.000 years ago the Kohala volcano experienced a truly massive landslide in which a part of the volcano fell into the ocean. I've been reading this forum for months and it has been extremely helpful. Short and fairly steep trail with beautiful views and a black sand and stone beach at the bottom. Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, 2270 Kalakaua Avenue, Suite 801 , Honolulu, HI, 96815, Phone: 800-GOHAWAII, Fax: 808-924-0290, No conditions reported in the past 7 days. Explore and enjoy, and then turn back and walk down to the shore of the ocean. Last time I was there, he kept a "tick" list and wouldn't let anyone through once he ticked off enough cars to take up the public access parking. Black sand, trees down to the water and huge waves barreling onto the beach make for an experience that is hard to describe. From Hilo, take 19 going west until Honokaa and take Highway 240, looking for signs for Waipi'o Valley. Trail is a perfect hike. I think somebody should figure out who these people are that are blocking the Awini Trail. Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features. As we do for most places on the Big Island we recommend to visit Pololu Valley early in the day. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. 1. Answer 1 of 2: We are traveling to the BI next week - very excited! Honu_Ohana covered it well. I would highly recommend making time to see them both if possible. Island of Hawaii If you take the time to drive all the way to Pololu Valley at the end of Highway 270, don't settle for the view from the overlook! I saw other people mention Fresh Off the Grid too for some good smoothies. Losing and forgetting things seemed to be the common theme for our trip. I've stayed at both hotels, both good beaches. Interested? Look east across the beach in the distance and notice a waterfall straight from the cliff onto the rocky shore. You can also find bathrooms, a picnic area and historic information at the overlook. Sometimes you will encounter horses on the road. The views are amazing as you take the steep access road into the valley. The hike down the side of the cliff to the valley floor is short but steep: ~420 ft in 0.6 miles (126 meters in 1.0 kilometers) and takes about 20 to 25 minutes for the average hiker. If you want a different perspective on your way back, instead of going back along the coast, go up over (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Polulu Valley, where North Kohala's main artery, Hwy-270, comes to a dead end, is the last of the chain of inaccessible valleys, and for the moment is every bit as pristine as Waipio. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-112324513', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Kohala mountain road- it's a beautiful windswept and sometimes rainswept drive but it's worth it. Wear good hiking shoes as the trail is very Rocky down and can be slippery especially after rain. Dont venture too far inland to avoid trespassing and disturbing sites that shouldnt be disturbed. Be aware though that the ocean currents can be strong so do not go into the water too deep. Waipi'o can also be hiked into, but the hike down is hard and the hike up is murder. Just curious what your hours in port are? The black sand beach is a great place for a quick dip. Waimanu Valley. I thought it was more so on w/e's. Very steep and is not for people who have a hard time climbing stairs. 83 reviews of Pololu Valley Lookout "PLEASE READ! We like to hike so we plan on hiking Pololu, and were going to take a horse tour into Wai'pio. Locals will try to get some wave time in before heading to school/workThe gate keeper is pretty strict on how many cars he will even let through to look for spaces. And, KamaainaK, yeah maybe we'll skip these. If you like exercise you also opt for a hike to the next valley. Awini Trail. Traffic in Kailua Kona can be slow, but we found it was more of a problem with congestion trying to drive from one end of the town to the other - e.g. In a 30-minute call we help you set up the trip of your dreams. Honoke'a. It's a very well maintained trail and the views at every point are just beautiful. You can make this a part of your scenic drive around the Big Island! I am thankful that this sacred place of the Hawaiian ancestors is being shared with visitors. I don't think the difference is time are much. Waipio Valley or Pololu Valley for hiking? - Tripadvisor Walking down into the valley is not easy, but listen to the park keepers advice and youll be rewarded by an amazing tropical landscape. However, now I'm wondering if we should even do the horse tour if we plan on hiking to Pololu. The trip down the road should never be attempted in a normal car, only four-wheel drive is allowed. Oahu is the lively center and most visited of all Hawaiian Islands. You absolutely work for it on the way back up but even then its still very doable. I will check out those historical markers that you mentioned. kam hotel and want to go to Pololu, the farthest point than work our way back stopping at places that interest us, hopefully beach. The Hiilawe falls (center left) are visible from many points in the valley. Take your time and be careful. Well worth the walk. Agree that it's probably best to go to Pololu first, and beaches on the way back - except if you get an early start, I'd try to do a quick stop at the beach at the Mauna Kea resort. Sign up for our free monthly updates (more info) about everything that is new and happening in Hawaii. Locals and tourists alike were free to drive or walk the road (although it was marked as a 4x4 only road). ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-93728737', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Kohala loop very much, but it would need its own half day to do it right. With a population of less than 75,000, Kauai is truly a small-town island, littered with open space, protected preserves, and old plantation history. Going Beyond Polulu Valley-Hard Hike On Hawaii Island Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! 7. These hikes, however, are not easy. You can extend the hike by going up to the next overlook, too. This landslide is responsible for the now famous sea cliffs on the windward Kohala shoreline but also triggered a giant tsunami that left marine deposits multiple 100 ft high on the other islands (read more). Between the two, I'd go with Pololu. Susan - I thought Rte 19 was the way to go to Pololu. Shares the beach area with the Prince Hapuna Beach Hotel. However, as a visitor your options are somewhat limited. At the end of Pololu valley lies a picturesque black sand beach. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Waipio Valley or Pololu Valley - Hawaii - Cruise Critic Community Coming from Waimea, head east on Hwy 19 until you reach Honokaa and follow the signs for Highway 240. here's an even better photo (a 360 degree panorama) of the trail at Pololu beach. Gorgeous spot to sightsee. Answer 1 of 2: We are traveling to the BI next week - very excited! ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-1665103', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');rental car firms will allow you to drive even their 4x4.s into the valley.. Take heed take a tour for your safety. The average grade of the road is 25%, but peaks at 40%. Fortunately there are enough people with this issue to sustain a lively business of Waipio Valley tours that take people down to the valley floor. From scenic overlook, hike down steep rocky trail to beautiful black sand and rocky beach with views of the Hamakua coast. We are experienced and had shoes with good grip and had no problems. There was no need for concern. They get to share Polols great historical and cultural values, along with the and significance the area has for those living in and visiting Kohala. The black sand beach at the valley floor looks like a beach at the end of the world. Pololu Valley Lookout is at the end of Hwy 270. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-112271019', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Big Island tourist site (e.g. Afternoon trip was good, with shade on the way back up. I think Pololu Valley sounds like the better option. When you backtrack on Hwy 270 from Pololu, you can take Hwy 250 (from Hawi) which is a very interesting drive, you ascend up to 3,600 feet so you get great views of the coast and island, gives you a real feel for its size. Report inappropriate content Lauren D Los Angeles. Evidence in the valley suggests trying to descend into the valley with any other vehicle is a bad idea. My husband and I will be staying on (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Just be sure not to poach any of the loungers that are there for hotel guests, When I visit the Big Island, I always have to make the drive all the way up to the Pololu Lookout. This Stunning Big Island Valley Is Drawing Bigger Crowds And It is drier than Waipio and lacks waterfalls, but it is lovely in its own way. Generally considered a moderately challenging route. Image credit: Georgios Tsiminis. Some nice stores with local art work there as well. The reason Im giving this such a low rating is because you literally can not do anything but walk up and down the hill. Couldn't cook in the restaurant kitchens, so they set up BBQs outside and they cooked/baked/roasted whatever they could. Views are Dont post pictures please! Yeah, it was, interesting I had been through the Northridge 'quake in SoCa, too, with some other lesser quakes. Wear good shoes for the descent/ascent part. It is a gorgeous beach (I've stayed there a few times pre-earthquake). There are several levels of visiting Pololu valley. What are some quality cultural and educational activities on the Big Island? We are staying in the Waikaloa area. Polol Valley Lookout or Waipio Valley Lookout - Tripadvisor The Mauna Kea had some major damage, so they brought over some guests from there for the rest of their stays. Polol Valley is another one of the seven valleys along Kohala volcano that's been sculpted by thousands of years of erosion. Both valleys were heavily farmed historically, but today there no more loi kalo (taro ponds) in Polol, unlike Waipio, which is still home to many Native Hawaiian kalo farmers. The following 2.5 minute video shows aerial footage of the cliffs, the beach and the upper valley: The Pololu lookout gives you a magnificent view over Pololu Valley and the impressive sea cliffs that slowly crumble into the ocean. As others said its sacred grounds so everything is closed down. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. And once at the beach below, it's anything but crowded. Syr101 - Just a note that there aren't any food concessions at the beaches so bring some food or pick up some along the way if you're planning to eat at the beach. They get to share Polols great historical and cultural values, along with the and significance the area has for those living in and visiting Kohala. I've been reading this forum for months and it has been extremely helpful. Worth it to get to the black sand beach at the bottom though.