Hawaii Big Island Experience – Part 2: Things to Do in Hilo

I spent my first day in Hawaii, my birthday, down towards the south surrounded by nature because I wanted to have a memorable and atypical experience. You can see what I did on my birthday in Part 1 of my Big Island Adventure here. But now that my birthday was behind me, I figured it was time to check a few locations in Hilo, the nearest city to where I was staying in Volcano, off my list.

Don’t let anyone tell you that Hilo is boring. Sure, by no means should you spend all your time on the Big Island in this small city, but it’s truly a hidden gem if you know what you’re looking for. I spent the next two days after my birthday exploring Hilo, and here are a few of my favorite spots.

Suisan Fish Market

Located right on the harbor, you can’t get any fresher fish on Hilo than at Suisan. Best known for their Poke, Suisan has quite the reputation, and so be it, I intended to judge them with the highest level of scrutiny.

Upon arrival and entrance, I remember thinking that Suisan looked a lot more commercial than I would have expected. They have so many different combinations of Poke that I spent a good few minutes looking at the menu before I settled on Salmon and Ahi with rice.

Man! I can’t tell you how good their Poke is! The fish is so fresh that it doesn’t smell or even taste the slightest bit “fishy.” The Poke is well mixed with subtle spices and seasonings that brings all the flavor together harmoniously. Even the rice was heaven! They dusted a blend of seaweed and sesame seeds to the top of the rice which added a unique, savory flavor that was unexpected but not unwelcome. I wish I could only find something even half as good here in Memphis!

Don’t even think about leaving Hilo without trying the freshest fish of your life at Suisan!

Liliuokalani Gardens

Suisan is in walking distance from the beautiful Liliuokalani Gardens, so what better way to digest your lunch than to take a stroll through this beautiful oasis. From rock formations, to authentic bridges, winding trees and ocean lookouts, Liliuokalani has everything you need for a peaceful get away. The beauty and delicate nature of the garden almost makes you feel transported back to simpler times, when picking flowers and skipping stones were all you needed for the afternoon’s entertainment. I can’t really describe how relaxed and calm the park makes you feel. You’ll just have to visit it for yourself.

Kula Shaved Ice

I knew I had to try some shaved ice with condensed milk while on the Big Island. I truly stumbled upon a treasure with Kula Shaved Ice seeing as they use only all organic ingredients for their smoothies, ice creams, and of course, shaved ice. Better than a sno cone; you won’t find any of that sugary syrup here! The end product is a refreshing, delightful treat which is light, creamy and oh so satisfying! I loved Kula so much, I had to return and get another one the next day!

Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls is perhaps the easiest and most popular waterfall to visit while in Hilo. They are no doubt beautiful, especially on my occasion, with Wailuku River being swollen due to the high amounts of rain recently. It is such a surreal experience to watch to water cascade the cliff and into the lake below, as if it were being poured from a never-ending source. Nature doesn’t need to “turn off” the water. It will flow as it pleases.

Side note, I had been searching all day for a location to fly my drone. I thought I had found luck at Rainbow Falls, until I ran into the large and obvious “No Drones” sign. Phooey.

Aina Kai Massage

I always get a massage when I’m on a vacation. If it weren’t for the cost, I would get one every week, but a vacation is all about treating myself. Other than the fact that it was a small business, I’m not sure what it was that attracted me to Aina Kai Massage, LLC, but I do know that I trust and respect the smaller parlors rather than the big chains. Since they can set their own hours, they are more concerned about the quality, rather than the quantity of the massages given. It makes for a much better experience both for the therapist and the clients.

As soon as I met Jesse, the owner of Aina Kai, I knew I was in the right place. He is so open and welcoming, and we briefly talked through what to expect before I went in for my session. The massage was immensely therapeutic and relaxing. I think I may have dozed off once or twice, which has never happened to me during a massage before!

As I sipped on the herbal tea that he offered afterwards, feeling at ease and refreshed, Jesse mentioned how he had only started his business nine months prior, and even though I had just met the guy, I just felt so proud of him!

If you ever find yourself on Big Island Hawaii, stop by Aina Kai to give your body a well needed healing session. It will relieve any stress that have been wearing deep into your muscles, and you won’t believe how much better you’ll feel afterwards.

Café 100

I’m going to give an honorable mention to Café 100, because if you’re looking to get a loco moco, this is the place to get it (mainly because of convenience). I got my second for the week here (the first being at Hana Hou near South Point on my birthday), and it was an excellent place to pass the time as I waited out the rain.

Big Island Candies

Big Island Candies is a must stop candy shop for anyone with a sweet tooth. Never mind that there are no actual candies here; the chocolates, cookies and coffee you’ll find are addictively scrumptious, and so cutely packaged, that they make excellent instant gifts.

Now for me personally, I’m not a big chocolate lover, and I hardly ever drink coffee. But the cookies. The melt in your mouth, impossibly fluffy, distinctly flavored shortbread cookies single handedly sells this whole store! I got the Lemon Shortbread, and the Li Hing Mui Cookies. They were so good that I returned on my last day just to get a refill. Don’t miss this delicate shop!

Akaka Falls

My Akaka Falls experience was a journey all by itself. I was told by my cousin Celica, and other locals, that Rainbow Falls was nice, but Akaka Falls was majestic. Located a few miles north of Hilo, Akaka Falls is technically not in the city, but it’s awfully close and shouldn’t be avoided.

However, I had a decision to make. This was my second day in Hilo and I knew I likely wouldn’t be returning until my last day when I went to the Hilo airport to go back to Memphis. But it just so happened to be raining a ferocious downpour that seemed content to soak right through my flimsy raincoat. I pondered for a long time whether Akaka Falls was worth seeing in the pouring rain, until I yelled “YOLO!” and boldly faced the elements.

“This is not pleasant.” I mumbled to myself as I awkwardly operated the ticket machine in the pouring rain to pay my $2 parking fee and $5 entrance fee. It didn’t help that there was a queue of equally annoyed people forming behind me. My fingers were shriveled and tender, and the receipt that the machine spit out instantly turned to mush. But as I marched my miserable self towards the entrance of Akaka Falls State Park, that was thankfully the end of my pouting.

Akaka Falls instantly transports you into an exotic evergreen paradise. The State Park consist of a 0.4 mile circular route which traverses the forest that contains the waterfall deep within.

There were so many plants and flowers that I had never seen before, flourishing in their natural environment. The rain might have gotten me in a grumpy mood prior, but now it seemed to add to its foreign beauty. Now I can hardly imagine being there without the rain present!

While walking the path, I stopped and marveled at the several “mini” waterfalls that littered the Wailuku river – the same river that feeds Rainbow Falls – until alas, I arrived at the great falls of Akaka. As expected, they were spectacular, shooting up mist as the river fell over 400 feet off the rocky edge.

I left Akaka feeling enlightened and accomplished, glad that the rain didn’t ruin, but rather enhanced, such a unique experience. Highly recommended! Would go again! 😉

There lie the highlights of how I kept busy while rummaging throughout Hilo for two days. As I drove the hour or so back home to Volcano Hawaii, I pondered on the excellent time I was having from the exquisite fish at Suisan to the breathtaking falls of Akaka. But something was missing…

This is Hawaii, dangit! I need Sun and Beaches and Sand! The closest beach experience I had so far was Green Sand Beach, but it was so rough and windy there that I couldn’t even enjoy the water! And this rain, as beautiful as it made Akaka Falls out to be, was starting to get me depressed. They weren’t kidding when they said this was the wet side of the Island.

My cousin and I were planning to spend the long MLK weekend on the Kona – and dryer – side of the island, but I couldn’t wait that long! I needed to see some sun tomorrow as if my life depended on it! I expressed my desires to Celica that evening, and she pulled out her Big Island tourist book, pointing out places that I could check out on the far side of the island. There were so many to choose from! So many places to lose myself!

Looks like I would be going on a road trip. A road trip which soon had me pondering on the triviality of life and death.

You’ll have to stay tuned for that story.

Thanks for sticking with me this far! Love you all!

Heather