Gems of Kohala: Kapa'au and Hawi

For more information, see www.tourguidehawaii.com

The dreamy mountain town of Hawi is one of the few remaining outposts of what locals call "old Hawai'i". The center of town (and that's about all there is) is located under the ancient banyan tree. Several small shops, galleries and restaurants make this a pleasant place to visit on the way to or from Pololu Valley.

In the center of the tiny town of Kapa'au, on the mountain side of the highway, stands the storied statue of King Kamehameha the Great. Originally commissioned for the Judiciary Building in Honolulu, this statue was lost at sea while being shipped from Paris. The twist in this story is that the statue was found years later and erected on this spot in Kapa'au to commemorate the birthplace of King Kamehameha the Great.

The towns of Hawi and Kapa'au have nice shops and public restrooms are available.

Mo'okini Heiau stands at the north end of Hawai'i Island. Built in the 11th or 12th centuries by warlike Tahitians who arrived conquering, enslaving, and sacrificing the natives, it is the first temple of human sacrifice in Hawai'i and the first site in Hawai'i to be preserved as a National Historic Landmark.

Long-foretold was the coming of a warrior king who would unite all the islands into a single kingdom and who would rule wisely, piously and wield power of proportion unknown to previous Hawai'ian Ali'i.

Born nearby, Kamehameha the Great was brought to this heiau for his birth rituals.

For more information, visit www.tourguidehawaii.com or http://tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com

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[DudewithdaShades]

0:21 that smokestack collapsed a few years ago.