Rain Forest

Each Hawaiian island has a windward side (koolau) and a leeward side (kona). The winds bring the rain clouds. The Big Island has the big mountains (Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa) and so most of the rain gets dropped on the windward, or northeastern side.

		The coast where the rains hit is named the Hamakua Coast. It used to be one of the major sugar cane raising areas in the islands. Much of the sugar production has now moved to Japan, and new crops are coming in. Macademia nut plantations are expanding as well as vegetables. To the south they have started planting Eucalyptus as a fast growing lumber crop.

		The coast becomes too rugged for road building at the Waipi'o valley. Attempts to settle here have been frustrated by tsunamis and floods.
		Turning south the vegetation becomes even more lush. Near Akaka falls we ran into this forest of timber bamboo.
		The giant Monstera and Pothos vines as well as the orchids growing wild let you know that you are in a rain forest.
		Wild waterfalls, fed by the rains, tumble hundreds of feet into deep valleys. Near the volcanoes, we were in a forest of tree ferns and Ohi'a Lehua trees.

The Big Island is an island of contrasts. We had driven from our dry desert area, through grasslands, into this rain forest in a couple of hours. We could also have driven up snow-capped Mauna Kea, or over to wooded Kohala.