Big Island, Hawai’i (Day Two): Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden & Snorkeling in Hilo
If you missed day one of our belated honeymoon trip to Hawaii, go check it out!
Day Two: Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden
Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden is tucked away at the end of a scenic drive outside Hilo. The botanical garden was created somewhat accidentally when a couple vacationing in Hawai’i decided to retire and move to the Big Island. Dan Lutkenhouse Sr. and his wife Pauline purchased 17 acres in the late 70s and fell in love with the natural beauty of Onomea Valley. To preserve this land, they established the garden, carving the trails out of jungle overgrown with invasive species and undergrowth. The Lutkenhouses collected and planted over 2,500 tropical and subtropical plants, both native to Hawai’i and species from around the globe, including some brought back from their own personal trips. The garden is now run by their children, who wish to use the space to create a larger hub for sustainability education and climate change.
Onomea Bay was initially a Hawaiian fishing village, then during the early 1800s, the Onomea Sugar Mill was constructed, focusing labor and production on the sugar cane fields and the mill. After the mill ceased operations, the land here was sporadically used for agricultural purposes until it became deserted in the early 1900s, eventually transforming into the impenetrable jungle that the Lutkenhouses purchased.
We visited the garden on a rainy morning, which created a serene atmosphere in which to walk amongst the plants, listen to the waves crash on the shore, and take in the lush greenness of our surroundings. If you know me, you know I live for a botanical garden—and this one truly was special. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Carlsmith Beach park
Photo courtesy of LoveBigIsland.com.
Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture at Carlsmith, but it’s one of several “beaches” along the coast of Hilo. It has grass where you can relax, as well as small tidal pools where kids were playing while we were there. The entire beach, as you can see in the picture above, is protected by a rocky reef, meaning the water is calm and very clear. Originally, we were just going to sit at this beach and read, but the snorkeling looked too good to pass up. This was one of my favorite snorkeling spots in all of Hawai’i. We saw our first sea turtle relaxing on the sea floor and swam with another one not long after. The beach was nearly empty while we were there, which made the experience even more enjoyable, as we didn’t have to worry about bumping into other swimmers and snorkelers while focused on the reef below.
Lunch: Pineapple’s Island Fresh Cuisine
This was one of my favorite meals in Hawai’i. Great atmosphere, great coconut-crusted fish—an all-around great time. Next visit, I would get one of the novelty drinks that comes served in a hollowed-out pineapple, though. What a missed opportunity.
Richardson Ocean Park
Richardson Ocean Park is down the road from Carlsmith. What makes this beach special is that it has both black (lava) and green (olivine crystals) sand, as well as some of the best snorkeling on the east side of the Big Island. Both Carlsmith and Richardson’s had fairly shallow and nearly current-free water due to the rocky reefs that form a natural barrier around the beaches, with great visibility and abundant marine life. The snorkeling here was really fun, though the water was a little more crowded.
However, what was perhaps the most exciting part about Richardson’s was that it afforded us our first opportunity to view sea turtles outside the water. Honu, or Hawaiian green sea turtles, are sacred in their culture, and it is illegal to touch or harass them. They are the largest hard shell sea turtle in the world, and the green color of their bodies comes from eating algae and seaweed. They can get up to four feet long and weigh over 300 pounds. All sea turtles are considered endangered species in the United States. It is only in Hawai’i that green sea turtles routinely bask on the beach, which is where we had the chance to view ours.
Dinner: Hilo Bay Cafe
This was another favorite meal for both myself and Ryan—and a large part was, of course, the setting: our table overlooked Hilo Bay as the sun was going down. But I will say that their quinoa and taro burger was one of the best, crispiest veggie burgers I’ve had in my whole life.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, make sure you come back for day three, our adventure in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park!