Day 20: Hilo & Hamakua and Kohala Coasts

Our last road trip began early with another trip on the saddle road across the island to Hilo.  We began with the top down but as we got on the saddle road the temperature dropped from 84F to 68F and the wind was ferocious!  The scenery of the saddle road changes from brown to green as we descended into Hilo.

We once again visited Bear's Coffee, 106 Keawe St.  The owner is very friendly and the coffee and warm brownie were amazing.  The owner also brought us a free sample of fresh white pineapple.  He even offered some advice on what to see.  His tips were very useful.

We first checked Coconut Island near the cruise ship pier.  A small park was filled with families and teenagers spending the the last weekend before school begins on August 1st.  Marilyn even got into the coconut spirit as you can see in the picture below.

Since we are on Coconut Island Marilyn is showing off her own coconuts.

We drove along the ocean before heading out on highway 19.  Our first stop was at mile marker 7 where a four mile scenic drive.  We highly recommend this diversion as the road twists and dips down to the ocean.  The vistas are amazing check them out:

The twin Guardians.  The Hawaiiain story is that two Lovers's volunteered to save the village from an advancing force of invaders.  Overnight, while the village slept, they were magically transformed into these two Guarding rocks that prevents ships from entering the harbour/lagoon.

The Hawaiian Botanical Garden on this route is a must see.  This labour of love of a mainlander couple who transformed a trash filled overgrown valley into an tropical oasis.  The trails take to don to the ocean with stops for a koi pond, parrot cage and waterfall.  The pictures speak for themselves.

Check out this movie of surf with Marilyn's narration:

Just before the end of the scenic drive we stopped for a smoothie at What's Shakin.  All the smoothies use local ingredients.  We looked at their bananas grove, pineapple, avacado, guava and papayas trees.

Marilyn's smoothie was made from bananas from one of these trees.

We drove with the top down along the Hamakua coast.  First stop was Akaka Falls.  This 400 foot waterfall is reached by a short hike from the road.  The flow of water comes from the rainforest at 9000 feet up Mauna Kea.  The flow of water was low according the guide.  She said it was hard to predict the flow.  It was much larger a few days earlier.

At the end of the Hamakua coast we climbed up to Waimea again.  The clouds descended and the temperature dropped again.  We drove with the top up in the fog until we began the descent out of Waimea and watched the countryside turn brown as we moved to the dry side of the island again.

Once we returned to the ocean we began the drive down the Kohala coast back towards Kona.  We stopped briefly at Hapuna beach that featured golden fine sand with some surf with the sun beginning to set.  We drove the 30 miles back to Kona and watched the sun dip toward the ocean.  The countryside is either brown or black lava field.

Dinner at Jackie Reys Ohana Grill was great.  Marilyn enjoyed a Mai Tai and Back Ribs and Dwight slaked hist thirst with an Hawaiian draft and the Seafood Trio of Opa, crab cake and shrimp.  We both had the Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato soup.  A return to the condo featured blogging by Dwight and Marilyn's turn to rest on the couch.  Another fabulous day!