Antique and crafts hunters gotta love Honomu. It’s a teeny little town (population 541) 13 miles north of Hilo on Highway 19. Its big attraction is a huge waterfall. Akaka Falls, one of the Big Island’s most famous natural attractions, is a roaring 420 feet tall.
But once you get over the waterfall, take a stroll down Honomu’s main drag—two, maybe three blocks in all. Originally built to service the once-booming sugar industry, modern Honomu retains much of the charm of a turn-of-the-century plantation town. There are wooden boardwalks and railings perfect for tying off a horse; false front buildings and residents idling away their day on shop stoops.
Check out the shops. You’ll find a treasure trove for antique hunters and crafts lovers. And you won’t find a gas station.
