I am planning on taking the 4 mile Drive, and I am deciding on whether the Botanical Gardens is a ';must do'; part of the dirve or not. I am a bit pressed for time, but if the drive is pointless without the stop at the Gardens, then I will have to factor that into my planning.
Onomea Bay and the 4 Mile Drivethe 4 mile drive is through a pretty serious jungle... and with your schedule.... you cant spare several hours...... without cutting something out. Its also expensive.
Onomea Bay and the 4 Mile Drivefirst, if you are pressed for time -- be sure to drive it very slowly nevertheless! I live along there now and every time I come out of my driveway I have a close call with some visitor%26#39;s car going too fast around the curve -- there are people pulling out of blind driveways (including ME), so GO SLOW!
the Gardens are not worthwhile as a quick stop, as the point is to see the plants, many of the finest are down at the bottom ... the Gardens are lovely, but a minimum of two hours or there%26#39;s little point in paying the rather steep entry fee. Wear insect repellant for sure!
The Scenic Drive as a must see -- I%26#39;m not sure, other than it gets you off the highway into a slower rural area. it is very narrow 2-lane road that winds around in the trees and goes over one lane bridges over small streams, and the last part of it winds through local homes. There is a public access trail (a downhill trail) from a point past the Gardens down to the shore. (not safe swimming). As I posted a week or so ago, there%26#39;s a big problem with car windows being broken there while people are down the hill, so I wouldn%26#39;t stop there unless your car can be left empty of valuables.
I guess people like the overgrown jungle look ... to me, living here, all I see are the invasive species taking over.
Don%26#39;t get me wrong, I love the area, but it is not a version of true Hawaiian rain forest. It is all overgrown by aggressive non-native plants, including the purple plague (miconia) which the county is trying to eradicate.
This is not the Hana highway by any means. I think the Akaka Falls loop trail offers a lot more bang for your time than driving the old highway, but certainly check it out if you wish, just DRIVE SLOW! Mahalo ...
KK,
Too true. It has only gotten worse, when I see how much of the drive is now things like African Tulip and that nasty Miconia crap I worry there will be no native species left along the whole coast soon.
echo, I was told by a neighbor who has been here for a couple decades that the owner of the Botanical Gardens is responsible for planting African Tulip all along the road -- thinking it the most beautiful tree ever. And another guy who%26#39;s house is across the way, he brought the miconia ...
as I was told a single lady was the one who infested Puna with albizzia trees ...
grumble about the Aftican tulips, there are at least a hundred of them on my property and maybe two dozen big ones that would cost me thousands to remove ... I want them gone but I can%26#39;t afford it.
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