Attractions Page for Exotic Car Rental in Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii - Aloha Exotic Car Rental Company, Kailua-Kona, HI attractions page

The Sites!

Hangin’ in Hawi

You may have heard that the Big Island boasts 11 of the world’s 13 climate zones. Perhaps more impressive is the fact that you can drive through a half dozen of them in the span of a few hours. To witness the rapid transition from desert to jungle, head north from the Kohala Coast on Highway 19, turn left onto Highway 270 at the first stop sign past the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, then follow the road as it curves around the northernmost tip of the island. Before you know it, the surroundings will change from black lava to green pastures, and finally to lush hills and valleys. Along the way you’ll pass through the town of Hawi, where you can sample some good Mexican eats, grab an ice-cream cone or latte, and browse through a half dozen arts-and-crafts galleries. You can also fill up on gas if you need to before continuing another 20 minutes to the end of the road, where you’ll find a narrow parking lot overlooking an utterly spectacular view of the Hamakua Coast. If you are in good health, it’s worth the effort to take the trail at the far end of the parking lot down to the black-sand beach below. The hike back up is steep, so bring water and be prepared to work off the tacos and ice cream you ate back in Hawi.

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The Original King Kamehameha Statue

Born in North Kohala in 1758, Kamehameha was a great warrior who first gained control of the Big Island after many fierce battles and shrewd maneuvers. In 1810, King Kamehameha I (the Great) ended his successful 20 year campaign to unite the islands into one kingdom. By doing so, commerce and trade were able to be established with the other islands and with the American, European, Chinese, and South American ships that continued to land here. The first pineapple plants were actually brought here from Spain in 1813. Four years later coffee was planted here for the first time.

Kamehameha the Great is the only Hawaiian monarch whose final resting place is still a mystery. After his death, his loyal retainers hid his remains and never revealed their whereabouts to another living soul. Visit the monument honoring King Kamehameha the Great birthplace at the north end of the Big Island in Kohala by Hawi. It sits in front of the Kohala Civic Center, where on any afternoon you may find a long time resident who will "talk story" with you. It is a beautiful drive along the ocean and picture perfect pastures to a quaint little village of shops and restaurants.

The original Kamehameha statue is 9 feet tall and it stands at Kamehameha I birthplace in Kohala, Hawaii. It was cast in Italy in 1879 and erected in the early 1880s. The initial idea was to erect the statue in downtown Honolulu, but a strange turn of events caused it to be placed where it is now.

Here is the story as described by A. Grove Day in his "Hawaii and its people" (1953) When the statue was being modeled, the residents of Kohala argued that it should be erected in Kamehameha homeland, rather than in Honolulu as the legislative act provided. "You will see," they predicted; "the statue will still come to Kohala". The statue was shipped on the German vessel "G.F. Haendel" of Bremen in September, 1880. The ship caught fire and sank off the Falkland Islands at the tip of South America. The statue was salvaged by a junk dealer and set up for sale on the beach at Port Stanley, but it found no buyer until the "Earl of Dalhousie" touched there on its way to Honolulu with a shipload of Portuguese laborers. Captain Jarvis risked £ 100 of his money and bought the statue. When he arrived in Honolulu, he sold it to the government for £ 175. A replica had been bought with insurance money and set up in Honolulu, and so the original was erected in Kohala. Thus the king returned to his birthplace after all.

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