Holualoa, Hawaii County, Hawaii
Ten minutes away from Kailua, you will find a quant place called Holualoa, otherwise referred to as Holualoa Village. It is nestled in the green slopes of Mount Hualalai, Big Island, Hawaii and there is an immediate rich and majestic atmosphere to everything in this community. It even smells grand! Where there were once farms and bustling daily life in the old day, you will find pool halls, saloons, art galleries, and small shops arise around the village. With some world famous coffee, lush foliage, and breathtaking scenery, Holualoa Village will be one of your best bets for Big Island vacationing at any time and season.
In the early 1900’s, transport in Holualoa Village was by horse, donkey and Model T’s. Most of the population was found in mauka (mountain) areas and Holualoa was the hub of all the activity. Old Hawaii remains more as a feeling than a significant presence here but you can see that tourism has sunk its roots quite deeply not only in this small community but across all of the Hawaiian Islands.
Italy may be the world's most famous coffee haven with its extensive coffee variations and mixes. But a fierce competitor lurks within the Hawaiian tropics. Towering above Belt Road in Hawaii's Big Island is Holualoa, the island's premier coffee town. It is located three miles off Kailua with an elevation of 1400 feet above sea level. The village is primarily a single road called Mamalahoa Highway or Hwy 180 lined with quaint galleries and interesting workshops. Its mountain location on top of Mt. Hualalai sits well with Holualoa. It is evident in its orchards abloom with tropical flowers and fruits. Tempered by the mountain weather and its overall tropical climate, expanses between orchards are fields upon fields of coffee. Driving down Mamalahoa Highway smells like a trip to a gastronomic feast with smells and aromas leading the way.
Holualoa is part of Hilo's metropolis, but even so, it enjoys its isolation from the noise of the city below. The entire village measures a total of 15.2 square miles with a 7% comprised of inland water sources. As a census-designated area of Hawaii County, the population of the village as of the latest census (2000) reached the 6,107 mark. Like the rest of Hawaii, Holualoa's population is a motley collection of people with American, African American, Asian, Native American, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander blood. The intermarriages between the races gave birth to a population of mixed cultures that thrive in their diversity. This diversity offers a lot to tourists and other visitors; influences of European, Asian, and Hispanic culture are evident in Holualoa.
Holualoa's History
Literally meaning "long sled run", Holualoa, derived its name from the ancient Hawaiian practice of sledding along the mountain slopes using "holua" or wooden sleds. "Loa" means long, a fit description to the once sledding site now called Mamalahoa Highway. Holualoan history is tied up with the rich history of its coffee, Kona beans.
Holualoa shares some of the most glorious focal points in Hawaiian history. Mt. Hualalai and the rich volcanic soil it provides started the agricultural industry in the village. This gave rise to a complex and highly structured civilization along the volcano slopes. The arrival of the Europeans by accident in 1778, opened Hawaii as a major port along popular trading routes. The Hawaiian people, particularly the chiefs, traded cut wood like sandalwood for products like weapons and livestock. The influence of the European traders heralded the coming of the missionaries. The new Christian religion and Western power overcame the ancient kapu beliefs of the natives.
A European, named Samuel Reverend Ruggles, introduced coffee to Holualoa by bringing in cuttings he got from Brazil. However, coffee did not immediately became the village's prime product until later in the century. Coffee was raised in large orchards but the decline of coffee's market value in 1899 made plantation owners lease their lands to their tenants and workers. These tenants were mostly Japanese who raised small but quality coffee products for local trade. The trend of raising and keeping family crops was sustained with the coming of Filipinos, European migrants, and mainland Americans. This family trend produced a feeling of community and compassion among the villagers that they extend to tourists and visitors.
Holualoa's Attractions
Most think that Hawaii is all about beaches, luaus, and girls dancing the hula. But art is in the blood of the Hawaiians, particularly evident in Holualoa village. Like how the mountain breezes weave around coffee trees that line the volcano slopes, days pass leisurely in Holualoa. Rich in nature's beauty and ancient tradition, this little coffee town combines influences of modern art with fervor for the past's simple life. Holualoa's numerous private galleries exhibit the works of local artists in different mediums.
The Kona Coffee Plantation Company is a major roasting plant in the mountain town of Holualoa. It is located along the coffee belt of the village. The plantation offers coffee orchards tours and on-site coffee roasting demonstration. These tours and demonstrations are free and come with free coffee tasting. After a delicious and warming education, visit the Kona Coffee Shop for a cup or cups of freshly brewed Kona coffee. Kona coffee beans are for sale at very low, wholesale prices. Visitors are wise to get bags of the beans because prices increase significantly once the beans are exported.
For a sampling of Holualoan art, visit the Holualoa Gallery. Owned by artists Matthew and Mary Lovein, the gallery lies along the central strip of the village. Each owner has an exhibition of solo works on display along with collaborative efforts. Glasswork, paintings, raku ceramics, and sculpture are available and on display. The specialties of the gallery are ceramic vessels with female imagery in different styles. The gallery also carries its own Kona coffee label from its own estate.
Art and coffee are two of Holualoa's pride. Come by November and see the Coffee and Art Stroll festival where art galleries and coffee estates join forces to give tourists and residents alike the true essence of Holualoan living. But other than these, there are lots of historic sites like old churches. The sandalwood forests are also worth a visit for its flora and fauna.
Holualoa's Economy
Pushed into obscurity by the more popular Hawaiian resort destinations, Holualoa learned to make its own economy different. Rather than hosting luaus for tourists, the main bulk of the village profits come from the coffee industry with different families handling their own coffee estates. These family businesses are mostly geared to boost the local economy by attracting tourists and supplying local shops in Hawaii. The major plantations eye the international market through exportation of the coffee to the U.S. mainland.
During the tourists season, art galleries in Holualoa really make a fortune with tourists buying art pieces for souvenirs. Some of the bigger galleries, like the Lovein's Holualoa Gallery, allow online placement orders for art pieces and ceramic vessels which keep the art industry going.
Cut flowers and tropical fruits comprise a small part of the village's economy. Livestocks like the Kona nightingale (donkey) are raised and sold for work and transportation purposes. Sandalwood logging is still around but limited to local industries.
Holualoa is a small Big Island town whose claims to fame are its delicious coffee and talented artists. Together, these make the town big in its own way. The town's size is a reflection of its character: personal, charming, and warm.
Holualoa Statistics:
Population: 6,107Households: 2,383
Median resident age: 42.1 years
Median household income: $50,492
Median house value: $265,500
Land area: 14.2 square miles
Elevation: 1372 feet
Latitude: 19°36'N
Longitude: 155°58'W
Zip code: 96725
County: Hawaii
