{"id":71123,"date":"2017-06-14T15:29:05","date_gmt":"2017-06-15T01:29:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiicompro.wpengine.com\/?post_type=big-island&p=71123"},"modified":"2025-04-08T21:42:56","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T07:42:56","slug":"breathtaking-pololu-valley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaii.com\/breathtaking-pololu-valley\/","title":{"rendered":"Breathtaking Pololu Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"

The majestic Polol\u016b Valley, is located at the end of Highway 270 in North Kohala. Take a leisurely drive through the quaint towns of H\u0101w\u012b<\/a> and Kapa\u2018au<\/a>, and when you pass the 28 mile marker, get ready to have your breath taken away as you round the corner and are gifted with the breathtaking view of Polol\u016b Valley. Untouched for centuries, this spectacular, panoramic overlook has mesmerized the senses for generations. Time stands still as ocean waves crash upon the black sands of the shoreline and rugged sea cliffs tower over the secluded beach. It\u2019s easy to imagine the beauty of Polol\u016b Valley being exactly as it was in the 15th century when humans first settled this area.<\/p>\n

Taro Farming<\/h3>\n

Taro fields once thrived in Polol\u016b Valley making it sacred ground for hundreds of early Hawaiians. Taro is the plant used to make poi<\/em> \u2014 a paste made from the root of the taro plant by pounding and mixing the root with water. An acquired taste for many visitors, poi<\/em> is traditionally served at l\u016b\u2018au and family parties. Taro is still cultivated in the area today, but on a much smaller scale since the Kohala Ditch system was constructed in 1906.<\/p>\n

Kohala Ditch System<\/h3>\n

The Kohala Ditch system was constructed to move water from valley streams to Kohala-area sugar cane farms. This diversion made the growing of taro and crops other than sugar cane more difficult, and residents of Polol\u016b Valley subsequently moved to higher ground.<\/p>\n

Black Sand Beach<\/h3>\n

Hike down to the valley floor and dig your toes into the glistening black sand beach and emerald green ground cover. Look around at the majestic cliffs and catch a glimpse of a waterfall cascading from the top of the Kohala Mountains. The trail is less than a mile long, but it\u2019s moderately steep, making the hike back up difficult for some. Be sure and wear closed toed shoes and bring plenty of water. The trail takes approximately 30 minutes to hike but ends with the reward of a beautiful black sand beach with views that defy description. This is not a swimming beach as the waters are known to be rough and risky.<\/p>\n

Getting There<\/h3>\n

From Kona, drive north on the main highway toward the Kohala Coast where you\u2019ll take Highway 270 north toward the little town of H\u0101w\u012b<\/a>. The black lava fields will evolve into the rolling lush pasture lands of North Kohala. Keep going until the road ends, and when you turn that last corner, prepare to take in the surreal panoramic view of Polol\u016b Valley. It\u2019s worth the drive. You won\u2019t be disappointed!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The majestic Polol\u016b Valley, is located at the end of Highway 270 in North Kohala. Take a leisurely drive through the quaint towns of H\u0101w\u012b and Kapa\u2018au, and when you pass the 28 mile marker, get ready to have your breath taken away as you round the corner and are gifted with the breathtaking view…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":109,"featured_media":120230,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3064],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-big-island"],"yoast_head":"\nBreathtaking Pololu Valley | Hawaii.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/hawaii.com\/breathtaking-pololu-valley\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Breathtaking Pololu Valley\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The majestic Polol\u016b Valley, is located at the end of Highway 270 in North Kohala. Take a leisurely drive through the quaint towns of H\u0101w\u012b and Kapa\u2018au, and when you pass the 28 mile marker, get ready to have your breath taken away as you round the corner and are gifted with the breathtaking view...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/hawaii.com\/breathtaking-pololu-valley\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Hawaii.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HawaiiTravel\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-06-15T01:29:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-09T07:42:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/hawaii.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Pololu-Valley.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2121\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1414\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Hawaii.com 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