Waipi’o Valley on the northeast coast, Sacred Valley of the Kings, revered home of Hawai’i’s powerful rulers.

King Kamehameha I in the 18th century was secretly raised in the valleys of Kohala and Waipi’o; he later united the Hawaiian Islands for the first time under his sole leadership. The valley is obviously a sacred place for Hawaiians, to be respected by all who enter.

Andy and I walked down and out of this valley on a roughly paved road built in the 1940’s; the grade being 25%, only 4-wheel drive vehicles can use it. Approximately 75 farmers work on 25 individual farms, cultivating kalo, which is made into the local staple poi. Only 5% of the homes have electricity.

The 6-mile long fertile valley is fed by 5 water sources, including the 1000-foot twin waterfalls of Hi’ilawe and Hakalaoa, created by “furrow-cutting” abundant rain, which causes flooding on a regular basis. The shore is graced by a long, beautiful black sand beach.