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Things to do in Hilo
There are plenty of things to do in Hilo, like
going to see the lava, hiking to waterfalls,
and even going to the beach.
Akaka Falls / Kahuna Falls
Anyone holidaying on the Big Island really
should to try and drag themselves away
from the glorious sandy beaches and
explore just some of the many spectacular
natural landmarks which are scattered all
around Hawaii. The Akaka Falls is one such
site and this enormous cascade of water is
more than 134 metres / 440 feet in height,
making it the second-highest waterfall
on the island, and importantly, the most
accessible. Located just 18 km / 11 miles
north of Hilo and on the north-eastern side
of the island, the Akaka Falls is one waterfall
that you will be glad you found. Close by,
if you have time, do also check out some
of the other neighboring waterfalls, such as
the Kahuna Falls, which although smaller, is
still very quite special. The 6-km / 4-mile
Pepeekeo Scenic Drive between Honomu
and Hilo is also worth considering.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free
Coconut Island
Coconut Island, or Moku o Loʻe, is a 28-
acre island in Kāne’ohe Bay off the island of
Oahu in the state of Hawaii, United States.
It is a marine research facility of the Hawaii
Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) of the
University of Hawaii.
History
Around 1100 AD, the first Hilo inhabitants
arrived, bringing with them Polynesian
knowledge and traditions. Although
archaeological evidence is scant, oral history
has many references to people living in Hilo,
along the Wailuku and Wailoa rivers during
the time of ancient Hawaii. Oral history also
gives the meaning of Hilo as “to twist”.
Originally, the name “Hilo” applied to a
district encompassing much of the east
coast of the island of Hawaiʻi, now divided
into the District of South Hilo and the
District of North Hilo. When William Ellis
visited in 1823, the main settlement in
the Hilo district was Waiākea on the south
shore of Hilo Bay. Missionaries came to
the district in the early-to-middle 19th
century, founding Haili Church, in the area
of modern Hilo.
Hilo expanded as sugar plantations in the
surrounding area created new jobs and
drew in many workers from Asia, making the
town a trading center.
A breakwater across Hilo Bay was begun
in the first decade of the 20th century
and completed in 1929. On April 1, 1946,
a 7.8-magnitude earthquake near the
Aleutian Islands created a 46-foot-high
(14 m) tsunami that hit Hilo 4.9 hours
later, killing 160 people. In response, an
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