Tourist Attractions
Transportation
Hawaii Belt Road (HI 19) runs from one end of the Hamakua coast (Hilo) to the other (Honoka'a). For a considerable portion of the way, an older highway (Old Mamalahoa Highway) follows a more scenic, but twisted route that resembles the more famous Road to Hana in Maui.
- Akaka Falls. Up-mountain (mauka) from highway 19, on highway 220, is a beautiful waterfall in an even more beautiful state park.
- Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. Located just a few miles North of Hilo, the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is a gem nestled in the tropical rainforest that is part of Onomea Bay. The aforementioned section of Old Mamalahoa Highway leads to it.
- World Botanical Gardens / Umauma Falls. One of the most beautiful waterfalls in Hawai'i is best viewed from the newly formed World Botanical Gardens. The bridge on highway 19 allows for a beautiful shot of the Falls with Mauna Kea in the distance.
- Kolekole Beach Park. A park located at the bottom of an erosional ravine on the edges of route 19. The park is downstream from Akaka Falls, and boast an additional waterfall that drops directly from a small cliff into the main stream, leading to Kolekole Stream. The setting underneath the highway viaduct is magnificent.
Transportation
Hawaii Belt Road (HI 19) runs from one end of the Hamakua coast (Hilo) to the other (Honoka'a). For a considerable portion of the way, an older highway (Old Mamalahoa Highway) follows a more scenic, but twisted route that resembles the more famous Road to Hana in Maui.
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