So, you’re driving through some hilly, jungly roads for a while, sometimes moving back and forth 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 a whole family of outstanding views.
But first, let’s talk about green. There’s green, and then there’s Hawaii green, a riot of green tones. 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 breaks along the trail down to breathe in those delightful beach sights — and those emerald foliage views and those swaying-palm views. Though the journey down is only a half-mile, on days when the trail is slippery, you might find yourself gasping and grabbing green limbs to steady the way.
The steep slope of the Pololū land was formed by the Kohala volcano, which carved a series of valleys into the high cliffs, Pololū Valley among them. Get to the valley floor — you won’t rush, because it’s steep —and there’s a peaceful, mini-forest walk to the rocky beach, as beautiful 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 cleared and then covered 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 sights, the hillside greens — it’s a banquet 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.
The restaurant known as Bamboo was once a hotel for sugar-cane plantation workers over 100 years ago. Then it transformed into a dry-goods and grocer, and finally, a restaurant.
Bamboo displays its history proudly—when you walk in, you’ll be surrounded by vibrant colors. The place has an almost theatrical atmosphere, but it doesn't feel artificial. There is art everywhere and a wide range of bright colors. If the paintings, wall hangings, and colorful umbrellas hanging from the ceiling are not enough to please your eyes, you can go up to the gallery above and view the work of local artists, from serving platters carved from local woods to stunning ocean-themed paintings. There's also a gift shop at the restaurant level.
As impressive as all the artworks are, the main focus is on food. Well, maybe drinks too, since Bamboo offers strong mai tais for those who are thirsty. At our table for four, we enjoyed a variety of lunches, such as a Hawaiian barbecue pork sandwich, and grilled fresh ahi on organic greens. Both Alice and I ordered the Aloha Vietnam sandwich, which featured that day’s ahi catch on Hawaiian sweet bread, served with sweet and sour Asian coleslaw, good fries, and a Thai sweet chili aioli that was both sweet and savory.
The servers and restaurant owner Joan Channon are all very friendly, making sure everything is served with a side of good cheer. Joan stopped by our table to wish us well, or maybe to sneak a bite of my delicious sandwich—I was protective of it. We all shared some white chocolate passion fruit cheesecake and dark chocolate mousse torte. I would like to say we shared because we are generous, but in reality, we were pleasantly full from the main courses, and dessert was the perfect ending.
Explore the main street of Hawi, where you can find many other small shops and businesses. If you visit on a Saturday, there is a fun farmers market with farm goods, prepared foods, and local crafts. If you still crave something sweet after Bamboo, you can buy local Tropical Dreams ice cream in the shop across from the restaurant, which is really great.
By the way, if you want to go for another hike and have 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 ancient Hawaii greens, then down to the otherworldly crater for a hike across the rugged and crumpled lavascape, and then back up through the overgrowth.
Incredible. Have lunch at the historic Volcano House and consider yourself fortunate.
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: Available 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.
