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Our Day At Kaumana Caves and Rainbow Falls

For the last couple of days in Hawaii, we’re staying at an AirBNB in Honoka’a, a small, charming town with historic storefronts and mom and pop businesses. It’s an ideal location, situated almost right between Kona and Hilo.

Sean was still feeling the effects from yesterday’s high altitude Mauna Kea trip when we woke up. He likened it to a hangover. I was fine, albeit a little tired. We decided to have a mellow day.

After having a quaint breakfast at Simply Natural Restaurant, we headed back to Hilo. We stopped off at Alae Cemetery to admire the beautiful monkey pod tree, its canopy of branches and leaves reaching out like angel wings over the graves.

We continued onto the Kaumana Caves, a 25 mile lava tube that was created by an 1881 flow from Mauna Loa. The place is easy to find and a popular enough attraction.

PRO TIP: bring a flashlight if you want to explore Kaumana Caves. It gets pitch black near the entrance to the tube. Your phone’s flashlight is not going to cut it. At all.

We chatted with someone who went as far as he could in the cave. He told us that it was a bit creepy as it was narrow as you go further (as well as slippery). He also came across a spot with scary graffiti warning visitors to leave and such. Of course my mind goes to tourists getting a curse put on them if they proceed, their lives and those close to them irrevocably changed and doomed. Look what horror movies have done to me.

Heck, remember the Brady Brunch when the family goes on vacation in Hawaii and Bobby brings home a small tiki idol, but it turns out to be an ancient evil tiki that brings bad luck to whomever is holding it? Greg has a surfing accident, Peter is almost killed by a tarantula, and even Alice throws her back out while learning to hula.

I rather err on the side of caution. Plus I’m an easy mark when it comes to local legends and lore.

Back in the sunshine and noise, we headed to Rainbow Falls, a waterfall just 10 short minutes drive from downtown Hilo. If you visit Rainbow Falls in the morning, the waters of the Waikulu River drops 80 foot into a large pool, creating a mist of rainbows, not unlike Gullfoss in Iceland. Interestingly, the width of Rainbow Falls increases during periods of heavy rainfall.

We ended our mellow afternoon going back to see more of Onomea Bay, as we didn’t have the chance when we drove the Hamauka Coast the other day. We caught it right before the golden hour was over. The current is very strong and could sweep you away from the shore, drowning you. But keep a respectful distance and boy, does the powerful, frothy waves look stunning.

I’m just so wowed by the beauty that is the Big Island. Being here the last few days and taking in all of Nature’s wonders really makes want toy with the idea of giving up mainland living. However, I don’t think I would move to just ANY island. There is such a thing here known as island fever, but Hawaii just might change my mind.