Waipi'o Valley, or the Valley of Kings as it is also known, because the Hawaiian men destined to become kings were brought to be raised there, and also because many of the ali'i (royals) are buried along the edges of the valley, is about a mile wide and about 5 to 6 miles deep (depending on whom you ask!) and rimmed with pali (cliffs) that are about 2000 feet high.
The floor of the valley itself is hard to reach. The road going down into the valley is VERY steep and you need 4-wheel drive or else, walk it. But our adventure didn't take us down into the valley. We were up around the eastern rims of the mountains bordering the valley. Anthony took me on a tour of the valley and beach when I first visited him here in summer of 93. The trip down is not so bad, but coming back up you can't even see the road beneath your vehicle....THAT was scary!
I have never been on an ATV in my life but was game to try. We started out with the orientation and testing the machines. Helmets were passed around and everyone got ready to go.
Unfortunately, when I was just starting out I realized my arms were not strong enough to hold that thing on the paths....particularly since the paths are muddy, rocky, uneven, steep (both up and down) in many places, so I settled to ride in the 4 seater with one of the guides....which turned out to be a boon, because Les is a foodie and his 'day job' is working as a chef at the Mauna Lani Resort Hotel in South Kohala!
The paths mauka (up mountain) took us through deliciously fresh smelling eucalyptus forests. We saw quite a few bright red-orange amaryllis growing wild through the forest as well as some white ginger (mariposas) starting to bloom here and there.
Lots of mudholes....that is Anthony riding in front of us as the rest of the riders snake up hill. There were 13 of us plus 3 guides.
At the first stopping place we had to go down some stone steps holding on to a thick rope and then walk across a make-shift wood plank that crossed a stream....or I should say the stream passed over it, as we sloshed through water to go across. The tour company has a small platform open-deck lanai built on the far side with a picnic table and benches built along the sides.
The view is gorgeous. A waterfall coming down from the upper parts of the Kohala Mountains falls into a pond deep enough for swimming. The waters from the waterfall and stream end up down in Waipio Valley, which is preserved by the Bishop Estate and Kamehameha Trust as taro farmlands. According to the old stories, this swimming hole was used by King Kamehameha the First as his personal bathing spot. It was believed that when the king bathed in the pond the waters going down into the valley contained the king's mana which would cast blessings to the people below and help the taro crops grow.
Some in the group decided to go swimming. Although I wore my bathing suit under my clothing I opted to not go in the 72 degree water! A snack and drinks were shared and after a while, we returned to where the vehicles were and walked down just a few feet to a second vantage view.
This was yet another waterfall and secluded swimming pond below. You could see the area with the smaller waterfall above where we had just been from here. This one was not as easy to get to as the first one and no one tried.
Returning to the vehicles, we then made our way down to a place with stunning views of Hi'ilawe Falls, the tallest of all our island's waterfalls....
The valley below with all the little taro farms looked like a patchquilt in shades of greens and browns. Unfortunately, the angle of the sun at this time of day was not friendly to my camera to take many photos of the valley floor.
One of Anthony at the rim above the valley
Down in the valley.....you can see some of the little taro farms. At one time thousands of people lived in the valley. Now barely 10 families live there, some fishing and some raising wetland taro.
Ready to head makai (down or towards the sea) - in Hawai'i directions to anywhere are given by telling you if the location is mauka (up mountain) or makai (towards the sea) of any road....beats having to say if you're going North (or South) it will be on your left (or right)....
Anthony revving up!
Going down we saw plenty of evidence of wild pigs where they had been rutting and eating vegetation. Les, my driver guide and new chef friend told me he hunts for wild pigs in all these forests.
Our trail took us by sections of the old sugar cane flume and ditch systems that were used in 'olden days' to send the cut cane down from the mountain slopes to the mills below. The system was started in the North Kohala area and called the Kohala Ditch. Parts of this system is still in use by farmers between this area and down towards Hilo.
Below is Les closing the last gate after everyone has gone through. Tour takes approximately 3 and half hours and it was all fun. The guides are all quite knowledgeable and 'talk plenty story' letting everyone know the history and culture behind all they are experiencing.
Les has a small farm down in the valley and extended an invitation to visit it sometime in July or early August. He grows taro and ho'io (fiddlehead ferns). Can't wait for that visit!
This was one huge, fantastic, fabulous adventure and never in a million years would I have guessed what that devious son of mine had planned.
To learn more about Waipi'o Valley click HERE
