Amongst the seven valleys located on the length of the Hamakua Coast, the Waipio valley is the largest and most famous. Waipio, which means "curved water" is situated at the southern tip of the windward side of the Kohala Mountains and has a width of a mile and dept of about six meters. Along the borders of the valley, lie tall cliffs with height reaching about 2000 feet, dotted with millions of cascading water falls with the most prominent being the Hi'ilawe. The Waipio River cuts through the valley before meeting the ocean at the beach.
The road that leads into the valley has an extremely steep gradient of 25% which implies that you need to either hike on foot or use a SUV or any other vehicle with a four wheel drive.
This mystical valley is also called the "Valley of Kings" since it was an abode of many a royals of Hawaii. Besides being an important site of many ancient heiaus (temples), the valley houses the ancient burial caves of many kings. The inhabitants of the valley believe that due to the divine power or mana of these ancients, the valley is forever safe from natural disasters and mishaps. This has been even proven in the 1946 tsunami and the flood of 1979, where in spite of the immense destruction; no lives were lost in those events.
The Waipio valley also holds a special place in the mythology of Hawaii. People believe that ancient Hawaiian gods made this valley their abode due to its splendor and beauty.
Waipio valley is indeed a jewel in the crown of the Hawaiian paradise!
Article by Kani Amea
