KAU |
STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN. There are four options in Kau, living on top of a volcano, fitting into a small town in the country at Na’alehu, becoming a farmer in Pahala, or retiring/ starting out in Hawaiian Ocean View. What these locals in Kau have in common is their isolation from the Big Islands urban centers of Kona and Hilo.
The community of Volcano is the closest to a city, being a little more than thirty minutes to Hilo. At four thousand feet elevation it could be described as living in the clouds. Enchantment is the best description of the area’s mood. Ohia and fern forests, cabins and cottages abound in the woods. Hundreds of thousands visit the national park there every year, providing jobs and opportunities for vacation rentals and small businesses. North West, and an hours drive to Kailua-Kona, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates is a great spot for those seeking an affordable place to settle down in the sun. One of the largest subdivisions in the state H.O.V.E. attracts both those ready to retire on a budget, or those who are looking for their first affordable property. Na’alehu is as charming today as when Mark Twain stayed there in the nineteenth century. This is small town living that doesn’t change, no urban sprawl. This is a place where everybody gets to know everybody else, a spot for those who want to send down their roots. Pahala was the old center of the district; a company town where cane was King. All the amenities necessary for an isolated population are here. Now in a transition to diversified agriculture the future for new crops is wide open. One thing is for certain, there will be no rapid or extensive development anytime soon. Real-estate for the serious farmer is the best opportunity for the long term planner/ investor. |