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Ecotourism in North Kohala

By
Real Estate Agent with Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers Big Island

 

Prior to the earthquake of October 2006, two of the most popular activities for tourists (and locals wanting to show off cultural and natural wonders of Kohala) were Flumin' the Ditch and Hummer Safari.  When water stopped flowing in the awesome Kohala Ditch due to earthquake damage, Flumin' the Ditch was instantly out of business. The Hummer tour business was sold to new owners, however the lease they had for access to remote areas was only through the end of 2008.  My husband and I signed up for one of their last tours, and even though the access to the conservation area is right at the end of the street where we live, we were awed by the diverse habitats and beautiful waterfalls on the Safari.

Hummer Safari

There are still two ecotourism businesses providing visitors (and locals) the rich experience of our beautiful tropical North Kohala landscapes, both of them headquartered just past the town of Kapaau (the location of the Kamehameha statue).

A native Hawaiian local family runs ATV Outfitters, which has been offering guided tours of different lengths for over a decade.  Their guides will provide you with a sense of the history and culture of North Kohala, as well as explaining the ecosystems through which you are driving. The dramatic cliffs and tall waterfalls are not to be missed!

ATV Outfitters sign

A brand new ecotourism business began around the beginning of this year, bringing zipline fun to the Big Island for the first time.  They were able to negotiate with private landowners for access, and carefully installed a zip line course on over 150 acres of wild terrain.  I haven't personally done it yet, but the tourists interviewed this week in West Hawaii Today were loving it!

Zip Line tours in North Kohala

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