Hapuna Beach & Ala Kahakai Trail
Hawaii April Travelog #33
Hapuna Beach - Sat, 16 Apr, 2022, 7pm
Leave it to us to go to a beach and say, "Let's go for a hike!" That's exactly what we did late this afternoon at Hapuna Beach. First we kicked off our sandals to walk through the sand and surf at Hapuna Beach, then we laced up our proverbial boots- actually we just put our sandals back on as we have hiking sandals- to hike the Ala Kahakai Trail.
Before we got to the trail, though, we crossed to the north end of Hapuna Beach where the Mauna Kea Resort overlooks the water. Seeing these attractive buildings so near the water, with a great soft-sand beach just steps away, made me frustrated all over again about our accommodation a mile inland. Next to a golf course nobody uses. Where instead of water traps there are lava traps. ...How's that for The Floor Is Lava!?
I might have been happier staying at this property. One of the buildings is a Westin hotel. Maybe I could have used some of my 600,000+ Marriott points. It's the building in the back, though; the one with the beige walls, not the blue windows. But still, walk to the beach. And it probably has a restaurant with more than a kids menu. That's probably open past 6pm. 😣
Once on the Ala Kahakai Trail I left the hotels and condos behind. Up here the sandy beach gives way to rough, lava-rock bluffs. There are private homes up here; they're out of the frame in the picture above. Some of them, it's obvious, are worth well into the 8 figures. And they're empty. Because people who can afford homes that spendy can afford 2 or more of them.
The trail crosses over some rough terrain. It's not so evident in the picture above but more so in the next one. I'm glad my sandals are hiking sandals. Some of the other folks walking the trail were wearing thongs. I could tell them were not happy.
The trail leads up to another beach, almost a mile north. I stopped just short of that beach because it was getting late. Hawk had already turned around, wanting to spend time in the surf back at Hapuna Beach before it got dark. I turned around, too, about 10 minutes after her.
This trail was interesting for its feeling of being remote and in the natural wilderness yet at the same time next to civilization. Next to empty $10 million house civilization, that is. In beauty I walk. For free.
Hapuna Beach - Sat, 16 Apr, 2022, 7pm
Leave it to us to go to a beach and say, "Let's go for a hike!" That's exactly what we did late this afternoon at Hapuna Beach. First we kicked off our sandals to walk through the sand and surf at Hapuna Beach, then we laced up our proverbial boots- actually we just put our sandals back on as we have hiking sandals- to hike the Ala Kahakai Trail.
Before we got to the trail, though, we crossed to the north end of Hapuna Beach where the Mauna Kea Resort overlooks the water. Seeing these attractive buildings so near the water, with a great soft-sand beach just steps away, made me frustrated all over again about our accommodation a mile inland. Next to a golf course nobody uses. Where instead of water traps there are lava traps. ...How's that for The Floor Is Lava!?
I might have been happier staying at this property. One of the buildings is a Westin hotel. Maybe I could have used some of my 600,000+ Marriott points. It's the building in the back, though; the one with the beige walls, not the blue windows. But still, walk to the beach. And it probably has a restaurant with more than a kids menu. That's probably open past 6pm. 😣
Once on the Ala Kahakai Trail I left the hotels and condos behind. Up here the sandy beach gives way to rough, lava-rock bluffs. There are private homes up here; they're out of the frame in the picture above. Some of them, it's obvious, are worth well into the 8 figures. And they're empty. Because people who can afford homes that spendy can afford 2 or more of them.
The trail crosses over some rough terrain. It's not so evident in the picture above but more so in the next one. I'm glad my sandals are hiking sandals. Some of the other folks walking the trail were wearing thongs. I could tell them were not happy.
The trail leads up to another beach, almost a mile north. I stopped just short of that beach because it was getting late. Hawk had already turned around, wanting to spend time in the surf back at Hapuna Beach before it got dark. I turned around, too, about 10 minutes after her.
This trail was interesting for its feeling of being remote and in the natural wilderness yet at the same time next to civilization. Next to empty $10 million house civilization, that is. In beauty I walk. For free.