Orchidland Estate

Aloha! We are going to Big Island in late April. Since we were not too crazy about the hassle-bassle in Kailua-Kona area last time we were in the island, we decided to stay in Hilo side. We just got a reservations at a vacation rental in the Orchidland Estate in Keaau. Could anyone tell me what the areais like? This place is located on Pohaku Dr., about 2 miles west from 130 (Keaau-Pahoa Rd.). It%26#39;s very reasonable ($360 total for 5nights), the pictures look very nice, and the owner seems honest and responsible. I just want to have right expectation. Thanks in advance for your advice.

Orchidland Estate

Oh My Gosh! Staying in a ';hassle-bassle'; area is one thing but staying in Orchidland Estates is like staying in a third world country. It%26#39;s an agricultural subdivison where probably pakalolo is the major crop. Most of the roads are bad dirt roads and if the house is two miles back from Hwy 130 than you really will be in the bonies, in the back of the subdivision, close to Hawaiian Acres. (Another infamous area.) The right expectations?! Lots of rain, coffee shacks, roaming dogs, roosters, you name it. You might want to look for a more ';civilized'; area instead. There are lots of catchy name subdivisions here and the ';Estates'; in the name of ';Orchidland Estates'; has nothing to do with estates.

Orchidland Estate

TT%26#39;s reaction resembles mine.

Now, you have been to the island before. Did you go to Puna? Did you drive in Orchidland or any of the rough unpaved street subdivisions?

There ARE some nice places in Orchidland and there are people who plan to move to the island who would be well served by a nice little place there, but for a vacation, unless you really know Orchidland, I say no.

The East Hawai`i Mapbook generally lists unpaved roads as ';unpaved'; -- but the western half of Pohaku is listed as %26#39;washboard'; and they kid you not. This is AWFUL road.

I went out looking for property in Orchidland ONCE. The roads did me in (and the roads flood, even flash flood).

The area is up and coming, but very mixed. Kind of a combination of local, potgrowers (hippy and local), and newbies with stars in their eyes. Theft is a big problem.

It%26#39;s a very wet area. I looked for property there in May or June and it was sopping wet, drippy rain forest.

Hawaiian Paradise Park (Kaloli Point), Hawaiian Shores or Beaches Oceanfront, and Kapoho Vacationland, Kapoho Beach Lots, and Kehena, are Puna areas that are reasonable for a vacation, although all involve too much driving, but I%26#39;d leave Orchidland to the visitor who has already been to Orchidland. Unless you are totally cool with drippy rain forest, outlaw country, bad road, hideaway in the woods alternative style vacationing.

Orchidland is not as out there as Fern Forest, Fern Acres, or Aloha Estates, I%26#39;ll say that ... nor is there quite as much crime as in the neighbor subdivisions Ainaloa or Hawaiian Acres. (But where do the druggies from Ainaloa go looking for pickings -- Orchidland)

Please don%26#39;t take this as saying the owners is either dishonest or responsible. I don%26#39;t know the property and there are definitely good people living there ... but they%26#39;re still outnumbered.