Hawaii hike: Big Island slopes, sand and incredible sandwiches — and mai tais
So, you’re driving through some hilly, jungly roads for a while, sometimes zig-zagging at slow speeds, because you’re not a maniac, when you come to a dead end. There’s a wallet-sized parking lot where you finally, with some maneuvering, get your two cents’ in, and you’re a bit frustrated with that — grumble, grumble. And then you reach the Pololū overlook.
Wow.
The view from the Pololū lookout, up on the north end of the Big Island of Hawaii, is a sweeping vista, and every step down its steep trail introduces you to an entire family of exceptional views.
But first, let’s talk about green. There’s green, and then there’s Hawaii green, a riot of greenesses. The great greens seen all over the island greet you on the Pololū trail too; they make you want to bring some lava home to start your own garden.
Take multiple stops along the trail down to inhale those blissful beach vistas — and those emerald foliage views and those swaying-palm views. Though the trek down is but a half-mile, on days when the trail is slick, you might catch yourself gasping and grabbing green limbs to steady the way.
The acute angle of the Pololū land was shaped by the Kohala volcano, which cut a series of valleys into the high cliffs, Pololū Valley among them. Get to the valley floor — you won’t hurry, because it’s steep —and there’s a peaceful, mini-forest walk to the rocky beach, as lovely at ground level as it is high above. Pololū has a black-sand beach, but we arrived after a series of storms, so the shore was swept and then strewn with rocks and fallen trees, good to sit on and gaze at the inviting, albeit rough, ocean.
Truly ambitious (read “crazed”) strollers might continue hiking up into the mountains — there are trails — and up and down to the other Kohala valleys beyond, but we’d hiked Pololū before and knew that though it was a half-mile down, it was, magically, 30 miles up. (Popular remarks heard on the way up from fellow hikers: “Ooof,” “Wow!” and “Man!” The hike is called the Awini trail, which looks suspiciously like “whiny.”)
Going down, you risk becoming Humpty-Dumpty. Going up, you’re The Little Engine That Could. But it bears repeating: Any exertion at Pololū is worth it. The sea-eating cliffs, the dramatic beach vistas, the hillside greens — it’s a meal for the senses.
Speaking of meals, you might have sparked your appetite zipping down and up Pololū. Now’s the time to ask what’s for lunch. Head back on Highway 270 to Hawi, the small town you passed through on the way to those views. Hawi (pronounced “ha-vee”) might be the quintessential Hawaiian small town. Years ago, my girlfriend Alice and I house-sat there for seven weeks and delighted in its warmth and appeal. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit some local businesses hard, but lucky for all, Bamboo survived and still thrives.
Bamboo the restaurant was once Bamboo the hotel, housing sugar-cane plantation workers more than 100 years ago. Then it changed clothes and was a dry-goods and grocer, and finally, a restaurant.
Bamboo wears its history well—walk in, and you’ll be bathed in color. There’s a near-theatrical feeling to the place, but it’s not forced. There is art everywhere and a profusion of bright hues. If the paintings, wall hangings and flamboyant, ceiling-hung umbrellas aren’t enough for your eyes, pop up to the gallery above and browse the work of local artists, from serving platters carved from local woods to striking ocean-themed paintings. There’s a gift shop at restaurant level too.
Dazzling as all these artworks are, your principal mission is food. Well, perhaps drink too, since Bamboo makes hardy mai tais available for the thirsty. Our table of four lunched a bunch, one with a Hawaiian barbecue pork sandwich, another with grilled fresh ahi on organic greens. Alice and I both said “aloha” to the Aloha Vietnam sandwich, which planted that day’s ahi catch on Hawaiian sweet bread, joined with sweet and sour Asian coleslaw, fine fries and a Thai sweet chili aioli both sweet and savory.
Everything is served with a side of good cheer from the servers to restaurant owner Joan Channon, who stopped by the table to wish us well. Or maybe to get a bite of my great sandwich — I was protective. We all shared some white chocolate passion fruit cheesecake and dark chocolate mousse torte. I’d like to say we shared because we are noble and bountiful, but we were also glowingly full from the main courses, and dessert lit the final candle of goodness.
Do cruise the main drag of Hawi, which has lots of other small shops and businesses. If you’re there on a Saturday, they have a fun farmers market with farm goods, prepared foods and local crafts. And if you have a sweet tooth that won’t quit after Bamboo, they sell local Tropical Dreams ice cream in the shop across from the restaurant, which is OK … if by “OK” you mean fabulous.
By the way, if you still hunger for another hike and lunch on the beautiful Big Island, consider the Kilauea Iki trail in Volcanoes National Park. It’s a 3.3-mile walk, first on an overlook trail through those astonishing, almost primeval Hawaii greens, then down to the otherworldly crater for a hike across the blasted and crumpled lavascape, and then back up through the overgrowth.
Magical. Eat lunch at the historic Volcano House and consider yourself blessed.
If you go
Pololū Overlook and Beach Trail: About 8 miles past Hawi in North Kohala, look for the end of Highway 270. The road dead-ends at the overlook, which has a very small parking lot, sometimes overseen by rangers and volunteers, who often have to help drivers turn around. There are also roadside parking spots that you can pull into before you hit the lot.
Bamboo Restaurant: Open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday and for dinner from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday at 55-3415 Akoni Pule Highway in Hawi; www.bamboorestauranthawaii.com.