The Big Island of Hawaii, as with all the islands in the archipelago (don’t you just love it when I use mutli-syllable words?), has two sides. The windward side, facing trade winds and collecting all the rain. And the leeward side where it’s usually dry. Guess which side Hilo resides?

Yep. It’s wet on that side of the island. In Hawaii, trade winds usually blow from the North East. Hilo, being on the North East side of Hawaii receives trade winds which collect daily along the slopes (if you can call two 13,000 foot mountains “slopes”) of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.

Cup runneth over is a phrase that comes to mind. Hilo, the largest city on Hawaii, collects rain. The most rain of any larger city in the state.

Hilo is lush, green, thick with vegetation in the rich volcanic soil, and humid. An umbrella is required to do your daily shopping in Hilo.

Did I mention that it’s humid?

The National Geographic Traveler once noted that “For a region where tourists seldom linger, the Hilo area offers some outstanding attractions.”

That’s true.

The tourists seldom linger.

And the area is beautiful (in its own wet way) and has attractions that are worth your time.

Let’s linger around Hilo.

Did we imply that it’s wet on the Hilo side of the island? If so, we can begin by checking out Hilo’s waterfalls. Hey, it’s mountainous terrain. It’s wet. What would you expect? Tumbleweeds? Nope. You get waterfalls.

Akaka Falls State Park is half an hour from Hilo. Grab your camera and make sure it has a wide angle lens. Akaka Falls is 420 feet of breathtaking, gushing, flowing, exhilarating water. Falling.

North of Hilo is the Pepeekeo Scenic Drive. Say it three times, real fast: “If Peter Piper Picked A Peck Of Peppers From Pepeekeo…” At Pepeekeo you’ll be drenched with beauty. And drenched. You’ll see one of Hawaii’s most beautiful lava coastlines, surf-drenched coves, waterfalls which gush into flowing streams, and jungles so thick you’ll think you’re walking into a very large picture postcard.

A word about Hilo. Tsunami.

Tsunami is Japanese for tidal wave. “Tidal” isn’t really the right word. Big freakin’ giant ocean wave is better. Hilo had the misfortune to “catch” one of these large waves in Hilo Bay back in 1949. It was following an Alaskan earthquake which sent the giant wave streaming to Hawaii. And Hilo Bay.

That wave was was estimated at 57 feet high. 96 people died. Half of Hilo was destroyed.

In 1961, an earthquake off the coast of Chile sent another giant wave toward Hilo which took 61 lives. Big waves are a big deal in Hilo. So big, in fact, that they built the Pacific Tsunami Museum full of fascinating exhibits and videos.

That’s worth a visit.

And you won’t need an umbrella.

Akaka Falls State Park
Hawaii Highway 220

Pepeekeo Scenic Drive
4 miles off Hawaii Belt Road 19

Pacific Tsunami Museum
130 Kamehameha Avenue
808-935-0926

Pros: Fascinating view of older Hawaii, lush waterfalls, stunning scenes.

Cons: Rain, mosquitoes, rain.

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