Waipiʻo Valley, on Hawaiʻi Island’s northeastern side is. where King Kamehameha I, the uniter of the Hawaiian Islands, was raised. Shortly after his birth on Kohala Mountain, he was smuggled into the valley after a prophecy predicted he would, one day, become a great ruler. Threats from warring factions prompted the hiding and rearing of Kamehameha in the valley.
You can not travel into Waipio Valley unless you are a resident who lives there or with an approved tour company. The road is closed to visitors and docents keep watch over the entrance to ensure only permitted vehicles pass, but you can view it from the lookout or by helicopter tour. Chiseled emerald cliffs pour from their peaks down to the tumultuous Pacific below. Waterfalls tumble down their sides, voluminous after a good rainfall. You can see the black sand beach at the bottom, outlined by breaking whitecaps. Kalo, or taro, grown by generations of Waipiʻo residents still sprouts from the verdant valley that stretches a mile across and five miles deep, bookended by 2,000-foot mountains. It is one of the most breathtaking sights on Hawaiʻi Island.
Living about 23 miles from the Waipiʻo Valley, it’s one of the first places I take my visiting friends and family. Selfies taken from the lookout appear as if you may be standing before a green screen with a superimposed image as a backdrop. But the view is real, and the significance of this area is profound.
Perhaps the most meaningful way to experience Waipiʻo Valley is through volunteering. Pohaha I Ka Lani shuttles private groups into the valley providing cultural context and hands-on stewardship opportunities such as kalo planting, native plant care, invasive species removal and restoration of ancient taro patches. They also provide lunch.
