Onomea Bay is a tropical gem
During our stay on the Big Island in 2019, we took the old road heading south toward Hilo from the house we were renting. We hadn’t planned the route, nor did we realize the breathtaking scenery we’d find along this four-mile stretch of road. The Old Mamalahoa Highway is a winding road that became an instant favorite of ours for its beauty and its slower pace.
While most people traveling around the perimeter of the Big Island stick to the newer Mamalahoa Highway with its smoother road and faster speed limit, we were determined during our trip to explore the older roads. This one was the most convenient, basically a left turn instead of a right on the way out of the driveway.
Our drive down the old highway took us past the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. Right after that, we came to a turnout where we parked the car and hiked down to Onomea Bay. I kept stopping to take photos all the way down. Eventually, we came to the bay with its rocky shore, lush vegetation, and this incredible view of the ocean.
Want to see more photos from our trip? Here’s a link where you can check out all the entries in our travel journal or you can follow me on Instagram.
