Big Island Ground Tour
Stop 4: Botanical Gardens
The coastline on the northeast shore of the Big Island is spectacular, and the rainfall on the NE slopes of Mauna Kea volcano that the trade winds bring create some of the most spectacular tropical scenery. Just north of Hilo, we find two such places; Akaka Falls and the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens.
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The beautiful Kapuna Falls plummets over 130 meters, and is only ten meters lower than nearby Akaka Falls, which is the highest waterfall in the State of Hawaii. Visiting Akaka Fall State Park makes a great place to see the power of water erosion as the water falls over the edge of old lava flows.
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To get to Akaka Falls, one has to take a wonderful trail through bamboo forests and sees many different tropical plants. This really does feel as if you're in a jungle, so make sure that you bring a camera and lots of film for some very unusual photographs!
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The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is a part of the coastline that has been set aside for people to enjoy the natural beauty of an unspoiled part of the Big Island. Come here to experience the wonderful tropical plants, exotic birds, and stunning views of the coastline!
From here you can continue on to Stop 5 on the ground, or you can pick another point from the Big Island Virtual Field Trip page.
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Authors: Peter Mouginis-Mark & Lori Glaze
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