A Hui Hou, Hilo

Mural in downtown Hilo, Hawai'i, depicting its fishing industry past

In Hawaiian, a hui hou means “until we meet again.”

Rather than say goodbye to Hilo, the biggest small town on the eastern side of Hawaii’s Big Island, I’d rather just bid it a brief adieu. And with new direct flights from Los Angeles to Hilo launching today, it’s a darn safe bet that we’ll be back soon.

We first visited the Big Island back in ’06 for a friend’s wedding on the dry, western Kohala Coast (aka “the Kona side”), and after a whirlwind trip around the whole island, only had a rushed hour or so to spend in and around Hilo. Our experience of Kona was snorkel-happy beaches, shopping plazas and fancy resorts; pretty to be sure, but for us, it lacked a spirit of exploration.

Just recently, thanks to the Big Island Visitors’ Bureau, we finally got to spend a few days exploring the more lush and friendly “Hilo side.” The verdict? Love the shoes-free livin’; the soaring hillsides of palm trees; wild ocean coves; tumbling waterfalls; powerful rainstorms that yield vibrant flowers and exotic fruits; vintage architecture; blend of Asian cultures; and nearby Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

Used to be, though, the only direct flights from the West Coast to the Big Island took you to Kona — a three-hour drive from Hilo. Getting to Hilo has always involved a plane switch in Honolulu; this is the way we had to go just a few weeks ago, and with layover time, our journey from L.A. to Hilo took over eight hours.

In a world of limited vacation days, lots of time-crunched visitors to the Big Island (which is 4000 miles from the U.S. mainland) have never even made it to the Hilo side.  That’s a shame — and yet, sadly understandable.

Now, merged airline United/Continental has stepped in to give the Hilo side the boost it deserves: Two daily flights from LAX will get visitors from the West Coast to Hilo inside of five hours. Make a whole trip out of the wild, jungly eastern side of the Big Island, or start in Hilo and work your way over to Kona for a couple days of beachy unplugging. Hassle-free in, hassle-free out.

So, here’s just some of what you’ll find in and around Hilo…in case you’d like to fall in love with it, too.

In the heart of downtown Hilo, a reflecting pool in a public park serves as a memorial to local soliders who served in World War II

Just outside of downtown Hilo, the spray from Rainbow Falls often makes a...rainbow

The epic fruit platter at the historic Shipman House B&B includes local favorites like lychee, longan and soursop, all introduced to Hawaii by a pan-Asian population

At the Hilo Farmers Market (held downtown on Wednesdays), we laughed long and hard over soaps from local company The Filthy Farmgirl -- and then bought a whole bunch

At the Hilo Farmers Market, you'll find the island's Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Polynesian melting pot in the food, crafts and locals

At Hilo's laid-back Bayfront Coffee Company, try the strange and refreshing kava, an ancient and ceremonial Polynesian root drink that makes you feel (legally) happy

Not far from town, the Hilo Coffee Mill grows and roasts the Hilo side's only local coffee; here, you can take a tour and try the wares

Orchid porn, anyone? At the Akatsuka Orchid Farm, glory in varieties you've never seen

The path to the Thurston Lava Tube in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is surrounded by a jungle of some of the biggest ferns on Earth

At the bottom of the lush and painstakingly-planted Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden in nearby Papaikou, you'll find a dramatic stretch of Pacific coves

Akaka Falls State Park near Honomu Town has the tallest falls in Hawai'i and a thick tangle of jungle towering over its walkways

Like a miniature version of Hilo's historic downtown, Honomu feels like a frontier Main Street...albeit one where you can get a nice ahi burger

Near Honomu, the view from the porch at the Palms Cliff House includes whole pods of dolphins

Back in Hilo at the Pana'ewa Zoo, you'll find Namaste, a rare white bengal tiger

In the coastal parkland of downtown Hilo, you'll find lots of space, a little peace and the huge, exotic arcs of monkey pod trees

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My trip to Hawai’i's Big Island was sponsored by Big Island Visitors’ Bureau,
but all observations and opinions here are my own.

Direct flights on United/Continental from Los Angeles to Hilo (LAX>ITO) begin today, June 9, 2011.

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See also
Hawai’i in Bloom
Hawaii’s Big Island: Go With the Flow