Green Sand Beach
Our next destination along the Hawaii Belt Road is the southernmost town in the United States, Naʻālehu. Along the way, we will veer off the Hawaii Belt Road to visit Papakolea Beach, the Big Island’s green sand beach. The green sand beach is at the base of an Olivine cinder cone. The Olivine is what gives the beach it’s olive green color. This beach is not easy to access, we will have the opportunity to experience a 2-3 hour hike to get to Papakolea Beach, but it is worth every step. Green sand beaches are very rare and beautiful.
Now we are on our way to Naʻālehu, which means “volcanic ashes” in Hawaiian. This small town is the center of activity of the Kau region, and is the perfect place to experience true Hawaii. Expansive ocean views, black sand beaches, the Labor Day hula festival, and lush tropical scenery make this town a must see.
Naalehu
Real Estate in Naʻālehu ranges from the tens of thousands of dollars for a small single bedroom hovel or a small piece of land to millions of dollars for over one thousand acres of pristine real estate, and everything in between.
Tags: beaches, Big Island Real Estate, green sand beach, Naalehu
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Kona Condo....Big Island (Hawaii)
Go Surfing Now! Don’t Watch The DOW!
I probably don’t need to tell you, but I may need to remind you, that there is another world out there, very easy to reach and a better deal than ever. Hawaii has it all, including WIFI at Starbucks, just in case you can’t cut that invisible chord for a few days. As I sit at my desk watching the Dow…….I am able to shift my focus to slightly left of my screen, and count the waves as they break over the reef. Hmm, but maybe you prefer a day tied to your computer in a world controlled by others to the ever- present wonders of the Hawaiian Islands. I am not suggesting you jump on those Hawaiian Vacation Specials, but if I just described your day, you might want to explore the options for Hawaiian homes today…..the options are endless, especially for Big Island Real Estate. When the Dow goes down, the opportunities go up! So check out the view from this Hawaii Condo and think about moving your focus just slightly to the left, you may catch a few waves too…
Here’s a great deal to wet the appetite……….
http://www.bigislandreale.com/Lanihau_Real_Estate/WonderfulOceanView_234258.aspx
Dodie MacArthur
MacArthur and Company/Sotheby’s International Realty
Tags: Big Island Real Estate, Hawaii Condo, Hawaiian homes, Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Vacation Specials
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The last Hawaiian Fishing Village
Our next stop is known as the last Hawaiian fishing village on the Big Island, the ocean side community of Milolii. Once a thriving fishing village, most of the original village was destroyed by flowing lava in 1927. Many of the families in the area have rebuilt their homes and this quiet, peaceful community is a favorite weekend stay. Camping is allowed by permit and the area offers expansive ocean views and activities including diving, kayaking, snorkeling, and of course fishing.
Homes in Milolii range from just over $100k for a simple 1 bedroom home to over $500k for an ocean view vacation home with a pool and over an acre of land. Whether you are visiting for an hour, a weekend, or a lifetime, the tranquility of Milolii will soothe your soul.
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The next stop on our tour is Kealakekua Bay, where Captain Cook first discovered the island in 1778 and was eventually killed in the same place. A monument and a plaque are tribute Captain Cook. Kealakekua Bay is known for excellent snorkeling and even swimming with the spinner dolphins if you are lucky.
Captain Cook's monument at Kealakekua Bay
Just around the corner is Pu`uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park. Known as the “place of refuge” this piece of Hawaiian history contains well-restored heiau, fishponds and petroglyphs. The name “place of refuge” comes from old Hawaiian times. In old Hawaii, if you broke a law, the penalty was death. If you happened to step in the shadow of a king or eaten a forbidden food, your only hope to escape a penalty of death was to make it to the nearest puuhonua, or place of refuge.
place of refuge
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Hawaii Belt Map
Acclaimed to be “one of the World’s most scenic drives” by Four Season’s Magazine, the Big Island’s Hawaii Belt Road is filled with more variety than any place on Earth. Join us as we travel the circumference of the Big Island by way of the Hawaii Belt Road and describe the history, communities and properties along the way.
Our journey around the island begins in Kona heading south. Our first destination is Holualoa; this small community is rich in art, history and the famed Kona coffee. Coffee was introduced to the fertile area by a European named Samuel Reverend Ruggles in the early 1800’s but did not thrive due to an economic downturn in the late 1800’s. Although coffee plantations did not flourish, small family farmers kept the crops going and today Kona coffee is one of the most popular and renowned types of coffee in the world. Coffee is not all Holualoa has to offer. There are several art galleries displaying the talents of local artists with mediums ranging from ceramics to wood and everything in between. If you are diving along the Hawaii Belt Road, a stop here is a must.
If you would like to stay, there are homes to suit any lifestyle. With a median house value of $481,874 according to aol real estate, and homes ranging from the low $100,000’s for a 2bed/2ba condo to $1,495,000 for a 5bed/5ba estate on 3 acres of land, you are sure to find the perfect fit in Holualoa.
holualoa
holualoa 3
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mango
The Hawaii Healing Garden Mango Festival is this Saturday, July 31st at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort from 10am to 5pm, free admission.
Mango lovers rejoice during this day filled with special events and activities including live music, hula and cultural performances, mango culinary arts, mango tastings, and cooking demonstrations. An outdoor expo will feature green healthy living with natural products, medicinal plants, art & crafts, children’s activities and family fun.
Enjoy food, fun, music and entertainment as the most widely produced and consumed fruit in the world, the mango, takes center stage.
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The Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, a Hilo Bay landmark, was sold this week for $17.3 million to a group of local investors led by Castle Resorts & Hotels. Along with Castle, new owners are RAM Corp and Honolulu attorney Rick Fried.
Fried hopes to continue to make upgrades to the hotel, while providing good service and reasonable prices.
Castle has managed the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel for over 20 years under foreign and off-island ownership, and will continue to manage the hotel under the new local ownership with no impact to the current operation of the hotel.
hilo hawaiian
The Hilo Hawaiian is a favorite for visitors and locals when staying in Hilo and serves as a meeting place for many Hilo events.
Tags: Commercial real estate, Hilo, Hilo Bay, Hilo commercial sale, Hilo Hawaiian
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The Kiluaea Volcano is an amazing sight to behold. Glowing lava and bellowing plumes leave lifetime impressions, but the best sight to see is an active surface flow. A surface flow is when the flowing lava slowly creeps along the surface of the earth. The surface flows come and go unpredictably and they are flowing now.
Lava flowing on Highway 137, photo from USGS.
On July 17th, lava flows from the Puu Oo Vent covered sections of highway 137 located along the way to the viewing area. Reportedly, the burning asphalt created a plume of thick, black smoke. Flows also pushed through vegetation to the north and south of the access road.
Today, the lava flow continues slowly along highway 137 in Kalapana. If you are on the Big Island, this view is worth the trip.
Lava flowing in brush, photo from USGS
Tags: Big Island, Hawaii, Kalapanao, Kilauea Volcano
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Hawaii
Well it’s as far removed as you are going to get from US shores without changing your language, currency and your favorite TV Channels………
But why bother? You tell me if you are ready for a little tranquility, a climate with so many options you never have to think about finding a cooler, warmer, drier or more humid location…..you can just relax and observe the elements and maybe if you do turn on that TV, you may once in a while hear some drama about hurricanes, tsunamis or earthquakes and you will see a run on Walmart for supplies, but not much happens in these islands so a little drama gets our blood moving and reminds us that we too should have some well televised fears…….Now don’t think we don’t whine once in a while about our traffic issues on school mornings and why can’t we ride our horses through town anymore and maybe even about the cost of fresh ahi, or maybe no surf, but isn’t it these little complaints that give us perspective? Don’t we need a point of comparison, to know “Why Hawaii”?
Image from destination360.com
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The best part of following the celebrities is they can go anywhere….and where do they choose to go for everything from hiding out to being seen…..Hawaii, of course…
Is it the short flight from their crazy lives to our “norm”‘, which we make a little crazy, so we can get a minuscule glimpse of what theirs might entail …. do they really want to get away or do they just want to go far enough to get out of the mainstream but still have the comforts of home Including some golf buddies and neighbors.
When Steve Jobs needs to create or resolve, does he watch waves at our very own big island treasure, Kona Village …. can you imagine he goes to the Big Island for downtime and even in this almost private paradise he has to talk via IPHONE4 with a reporter? At a resort that has no TV’S? And no one misses them …. As I write this little nothing from my IPAD, I’d like to think our backyard is allowing some pretty creative minds to continue working their magic.
http://gawker.com/5588234/has-steve-jobs-been-in-hawaii-trying-to-relax
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