Hawaii Big Island - Dont miss the Donkey Trail to Onomea

It was a nice sunny morning in Hilo, Hawaii.

Now, that itself would make a story, wouldn't it? For Hilo in Big Island is famous for its 140 inches of rain every year. Fortunately, such rain has its rewards too. The area surrounding Hilo is in part what we associate with Hamakua Coast of Hawaii: lush rainforests, abundant greenery, fabulous waterfalls, and a great ocean view.

But I digress. This happens to me often when I talk of Hawaii! : )

It was a nice sunny morning in Hilo, Hawaii. We were on our way to Akaka Falls State Park by way of the four-mile stretch of "Scenic Drive" to the north of Hilo on Highway 19. Its a very beautiful drive through lush green rainforests, but soon it opens up and you can see the ocean on your right.

There is rather tight parking place at the Onomea Bay overlook, where we stopped. There is a trail that goes down to the ocean below. The trail is named "Donkey Trail", for long ago donkeys used to take this trail to go down to a sugar factory that used be down there. The 1946 tsunami destroyed the little village that held the factory, and now its occupied by the Hawaii tropical botanical garden.

I went down the trail to the ocean. The trail is rather steep, and looks rather unstable, with part of it cordoned off, as the land underneath has eroded away. This path goes through a small rainforest area.





After reaching sea-level, there is a path to the right that takes you close to the ocean. The Onomea bay is not your calm and quiet kind of bay. The waters look rather menacing with choppy waves crashing against lava shores.

I had this strange feeling of not being very welcome by the ocean at Onomea Bay. So I quickly retraced my path back to the trailhead. Onwards to Akaka Falls State Park.