Top: John Derrick admires the beauty of Waipio Valley and Hi'ilawe Falls after hiking nearly three miles from the valley lookout. Photo by Natasha Derrick For three weeks in May- June, 2006, The Columbia Star managing editor, Natasha Derrick, and her husband, John, explored the Big Island of Hawaii in order to create a comprehensive road guide. Here are some highlights.

By Natasha Derrick

Natasha@TheColumbiaStar.com

Deep green valleys, high sea cliffs with streaming waterfalls, and abundant plant life are what make the Hamakua Coast the epitome of an island rain forest.

Due to their size and large volcanoes, all of the Hawaiian Islands have a windward (wet) and leeward (dry) side of the island. The Hamakua Coast is located on the north windward side, so it enjoys plenty of rain to feed its many streams and waterfalls.

Above:Akaka Falls drops 420 feet. Photo by John Derrick If traveling from east to west, a visitor will first encounter massive Akaka Falls. Once inside Akaka Falls State Park, a rambling walkway through tropical ferns and Ti plants leads to the breathtaking Akaka Falls plunging 420 feet down a moss-covered rock wall.

After basking in the mist of Akaka, the next beautiful spot to see on the Hamakua Coast is the Hawaii National Tropical Botanical Garden, a gift to the people of the world from Dan J. Lutkenhouse, a businessman from San Francisco. Currently, over 2,000 species of plants, including a large variety of orchids, heliconia, gingers, bromeliads, and palms, spread throughout the garden mixed with several natural waterfalls and a view of Onomea Bay.

On the Hamakua Coast beauty is not just reserved for the inland. The sea cliffs of Hamakua are renown for their dramatic, shear drops and cascading waterfalls. Cut deep into the sea cliffs are seven gorgeous valleys. From east to west, they are Waipio, Waimanu, Honopue, Honokea, Honokane Iki, Honokane Nui, and Pololu.

Waipio Valley is the largest of all the valleys and perhaps the most infamous for housing a cast of interesting characters. Access to the valley is via a 25 percent grade road which drops 900 feet in one mile. With only 50 fulltime residents and no standard electricity and water sources, only the brave, truly dedicated, or those looking for extreme privacy live there. For this reason hiking deep into the valley is not advised, although a trip down the valley road and across the one-mile black sand beach is an excellent way to spend a day. Once on the other side of the beach, the Z-trail leads to the side of the opposite cliff and provides a stunning view into the heart of the valley and the 1,600 free-falling Hi'ilawe Falls.

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(Next week: Kohala and North Kona.)