Finally! A Macadamia Nut Factory
My
dear polite travelers,
Today
we decided that we would travel up north, the farthest one could travel on the
Big Island. Traveling from Kona north on highway #19 to
#270 we passed through the ubiquitous old black lava chunks, into greener pastureland,
and finally to the coast. We happened
upon a working port, Kawaihae Harbor. It
was quaint and most likely catered to the fishing enthusiast. Its biggest draw for me is that it was very
near our first stop, the Hamakua Macadamia
Nut Factory. Since we missed my favorite
Mauna Loa in Hilo, I very much needed my macadamia fix and this was the perfect
diversion.
MacNuts of All Kinds Live Here
Now, this isn’t a fancy shop, no-frills, but they make up for it by offering great
customer service and excellent quality.
Of course, there were lots of samples, a seemingly endless supply. We helped ourselves to the many flavors of
nuts, one of which was their new “Spam” flavor. Interesting.
Soon,
a friendly face offered us a tour. It
was interesting and we learned quite a bit.
The small factory is lined by glass on one side offering us a full view
of how they flavor and package their nuts.
We learned how to identify the trees, which grow wild here, how they
crack this hard nut, and the time required for the nuts to dry before processing. We could have stayed there for hours, but we
had a calling.
Accessibility
Note
Hamakua
Macadamia Nut Factory was entirely assessable including the bathrooms.
Onward we drove north past ever-increasing greenery. The terrain changed dramatically. It could have been the northern California coast with the road cut out of its craggy mountain. There were several soggy lots for sale near the road that messaged, “you could live the island life.” But I do live in reality—most of the time anyway.
We
finally reached our destination at the end of the highway, Kauhola Point. The parking
lot is small, but no worries. Parking is
not why most people make the trip. There
is a trail down to the beach, which is fairly long and is a bit slippery, but we
had no trouble with the trek. It was a
bit scary since there was a bit of a drop-off (off to the side of the trail) in
areas—none of it was that difficult. And
it was worth it as the views were breathtaking.
Accessibility
Note
The
small parking lot has no handicap parking, as it is basically just a few lines
on the side of the road. Still, you can
park and look out over the side of the mountain onto the beautiful shoreline. The trail may be difficult for those not
steady on their feet and impossible for those in wheelchairs.
Bathrooms
were an issue that day. We found one smelly
assessable porta-potty on our drive at Mahukona beach park. So, if in need, take any of the side roads
announcing a state park. Most likely you
will find what you need there.
The Old West is Alive in Hawi
I
craved real homemade ice cream, plus we hadn’t stopped at any of the quaint
(there’s that word again) small towns that lined the highway. So, we stopped in the town of Hawi and found excellent,
albeit expensive, chocolate coconut ice cream.
The
small town reflects the old west, complete with wooden walkways that line the
road. Wish we had more time to visit
longer. But I’ll save that for another trip.
Happy
travels!
More by The Polite Traveler
My Trip to
the Big Island and Stay at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Hotel
The Trip
Around the Big Island to See the Volcano
How to Dine Cheaply When at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Hotel
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