At the northern foot of the Kohala volcano, you will find the Kohala Forest Protected Area alongside the famous Waipio Valley. Green forests, deep ravines, the Pololu Valley and miles of hiking trails all come together nicely. You don't pay any entrance fees, you won't be crowded with crowds of other hikers.

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Tours and sightseeing

Kohala Forest Reserve is a very remote area with nature absolutely untouched by humans.

However, hiking trails can be followed here too, and you can choose from a challenging multi-day trek or 2 short walks to breathtaking views of the wild coastline.

Awini Trail - It takes you into the heart of the Kohal Forest Reserve for a total of 35km (17.5km each way, returning the same way back). The trail is physically very challenging due to frequent steep passages, at times getting completely lost in the dense vegetation. The reward, however, is the experience of being completely alone in the heart of Hawaii's lush green nature, crossing several valleys and taking in breathtaking views every now and then.
Honokane Nui - This is actually just a small 4km section of the Awini Trail, but it's only moderately challenging at first, and apart from one short, higher elevation climb, it follows pleasant terrain along the ocean. It will lead you to the Honokane Nui overlook, where you will have views of the entire Kohala Forest Reserve coastline.
Pololu Trail - The most visited part of the trail, this 1.5km section takes you from the car park down a steep slope to the wild rocky beach of Pololu, where you'll get great photos of the tropical jungle.

How to get there

Access to all three trails is from the village of Kapaau on the northern tip of the Big Island.

Roads 250 and 270 will take you there, and you can drive to the trailhead where you'll find free parking.

Accommodation

If you're doing the longer Awini Trail, it's definitely worth staying in the villages nearby, as it's a dawn-to-dusk day hike even for very trained athletes.

The nearest accommodation is a great 4* hotel Hawaii Island Retreat at Ahu Pohaku Ho`omaluhia on the coast with a reasonable price of around 183 eur per night for 2.