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So I'm a long time Kaua'i person, it's home, but when it comes to farming, prices on Kaua'i are just out of this world, and you have to be a multi-millionaire to farm there. There just no comparison to the Big Island in terms of what you can get and in terms of resources for farming. So we've settled on Hamakua, where we are buying a farm up Mauka a few miles North of Hilo. We find that Hamakua reminds us the most of Kaua'i.
Any comparisons about the culture between the Big Island and Kaua'i? Also, how safe is it? On Kaua'i there's almost no theft, I hear the Big Island has a lot of petty theft resulting from a rather active meth scene. Locals on Kauai are super nice and there is very little tension between locals and mainlanders. The only downer on Kaua'i are recent mainland transplants who go high maka maka on the tourists, pretty annoying if you ask me.
For me, farming, outrigger canoeing and ukulele and learning 'Ōlelo is pretty much all I need, and there seems to be plenty of that. But Hilo seems to have a ton more cultural things to do, and my wife and all the other moms always complained on Kaua'i that when it rains hard there's nothing to do since there are no indoor activities. But Hilo has a planetarium and all sorts of things, a real treat to someone from Kauai. Hence our desire to be as close to Hilo as possible.
Also I am a little scared of the rain up Mauka in Hamakua, we're used to 120 inches on the North Shore of Kauai, but up mauka in hamakua it's almost 210 inches. Hope it's not as gloomy as Glennwood, cause I hear nightmares about that place being gray gray gray. Didn't seem that way up Hamakua, but I only have pretty short samples of time.
West Hawaii is different than East Hawaii culturally. More haoli on the west side, more locals on the east side (along w/ more Asians, Portuguese, Filipinos, etc). Lots of haoil w/ money on the west side and in Waimea. The further you get into the rural areas, the more local it becomes, and the more potential for problems you may encounter as a haoli. Generally, within downtown Hilo is where you will run into this much less often, but it can still happen if someone has been drinking. We were a mixed couple, so rarely if ever had any issues, but on my own as a single haoli it was sometimes different.
Yes, Hilo is sort of the cultural hub when it comes to things to do and events and such. The Merrie Monarch festival is there for instance, and there are venues for stuff. Hilo still has a small town feel though, and after a while you will be known and will know people. I know folks who had difficulty growing things as you went further up slope, and you are right, it's not as gloomy as Gloomwood. But a lot of rain is a lot of rain. Getting to the Kona side will be necessary now and then to get some sun.
You will see very, very few stuck up haoli on the Hilo side. That is a west side phenomena due to all the big resorts and the expensive properties. What the locals don't realize is that these people behave like that to EVERYONE who is not of their perceived social status (privileged white folks) irregardless of race. Those types didn't like me any more than the locals! Usually it just comes from trouble maker younger people who are in a group. I thought this problem was 10 times worse on the North Shore of O'ahu for what that is worth. To me, the people who act this way are the equivalent of the mainland rednecks who dislike the Yankees for something that happened 150 years ago.
If you're an actual farmer you shouldn't have any trouble w/ people, but theft is prevalent once you get into the sticks. I think it is worse way out in Puna. I always lived in Hilo except for brief periods in Kea'au and Kurtistown. Was real bored in both of those places. The whole Hio Bayfront is where many of the canoe clubs are located. Those folks are standoffish if you are not in one of the clubs, and you will run into the usual turf stuff in the surfing places (such as they are) that are the same wherever you go on the islands or in California. Hilo went through a period a few years ago where there were crimes that you didn't usually see there. Some downtown murders, stabbings, shootings, etc, and that seems to have calmed back down. Nearly all of the crime is from people who know each other. I lived there on and off from '92 to around 2005, came back for visits, and these things come in waves. They will flare up for a while, then settle down. Generally I think Hilo is a very safe place in most areas, but over in the Wainaku area there are public housing developments, and Ohai street is a not a good place to be. It's the friendliest town I ever lived in on the islands. The cost of living there has really changed though.
Sorry I could not be more helpful on your chosen area of Hamakua, but I seldom ran into anyone from there. It sounds like you are in or near Pepeekeo or 'Akaka Falls? That's a quiet little place. You shouldn't have any problems w/ anyone over there.
I've only spent 3 weeks on Kauai (compared with 5ish years on Big Island) but to me the culture shock was evident right away. Kauai is 562 square miles compared to the BI's 4,000+ square miles. Kauai is tiny in comparison to the BI and the ratio of diversity and tolerance seems to be commensurate with the size of the island in the two comparisons. Just IMHO.
"On Kaua'i there's almost no theft, I hear the Big Island has a lot of petty theft resulting from a rather active meth scene."
My friends who live on Kauai don't agree with the "almost no theft" assessment, but they may live in different neighborhoods than your circle.
In summary, you are really comparing apples and watermelons. The Big Island has 9 districts, and only 2 of them can fit the entire island of Kauai nearly 3 times.
Last edited by terracore; 12-26-2016 at 09:16 PM..
There's more sun along the Hamakua coast than up in Gloomwood, er, Glenwood. It's not so much the rainfall totals as it is the sunshine totals. Glenwood seems to be on the edge of where the clouds gather so it's frequently gray there even if it's not raining. Hamakua is usually sunny if it's not raining, it doesn't do the 'stack the clouds up' sort of thing. I'm sure there's more correct weather terms, but no worries, there will be more sun at your new farm.
Be aware there may be thefts, especially in the transition period when you're moving in but not quite moved in yet. There's less thefts on that side of Hilo than the other but it is still good to be careful until you get to know the area and be known in the area.
Big Island is a little less insular than Kauai, but they're both 'small town' places. Pretty soon you'll know everyone, although most likely everyone will know who you are before that.
I've only spent 3 weeks on Kauai (compared with 5ish years on Big Island) but to me the culture shock was evident right away. Kauai is 562 square miles compared to the BI's 4,000+ square miles. Kauai is tiny in comparison to the BI and the ratio of diversity and tolerance seems to be commensurate with the size of the island in the two comparisons. Just IMHO.
"On Kaua'i there's almost no theft, I hear the Big Island has a lot of petty theft resulting from a rather active meth scene."
My friends who live on Kauai don't agree with the "almost no theft" assessment, but they may live in different neighborhoods than your circle.
In summary, you are really comparing apples and watermelons. The Big Island has 9 districts, and only 2 of them can fit the entire island of Kauai nearly 3 times.
I am really not following the line of logic between size and culture. Oahu is way smaller than the Big Island yet it's got far more people and diversity than the Big Island.
When I mean culture shock, I am trying to validate our comparison of the rural, working town and tourist mix aspects of Lihue and Kapa'a with for example Hilo. We're drawn to Hilo and Hamakua since we perceive it to be the most similar to Lihue culture wise, i.e. lots of locals, a good sprinkling of tourists (our livelihood depends on the tourists, so we need them) and landscape wise it's similar. The first post I read suggests this is the case, and that's what we're banking on as we move. I want to mix in with locals and not be in some insular white mainland transplant community where people just have second homes and it's like an extension of California.
Yes the Big Island is big, and we are also drawn to the diversity. On Kaua'i, it's like being stuck in Hamakua, whereas on the Big Island, we can go to the other districts which have a totally different vibe. That much I get.
As for the theft, ok, maybe I am exaggerating, I just live in a neighborhood that's pretty tight, i.e. everyone knows each other and is on the lookout, so nothing ever happens there. People leave their house unlocked and the keys in the car. It's that safe. No way this will ever happen on a farm, i realize that, but that's what good working farm dogs are for anyway, they are the best reinforcement for a good pig fence that keeps out both four legged pigs and two legged pigs!
Worldsight, there are some very informative posters here, but I think that hotzcatz is the only one who has actually (or still does) lived in Hamakua. Additionally, he/she has done farming there.
I live near South Point, so have only visited and not lived north of Hilo. But I believe that area will meet your criteria of "lots of locals with a good sprinkling of tourists". Have you checked the price of land there?
If you want a rural working town with a mix of locals and tourists, then you'd probably like Honokaa. It's 42 miles away from Hilo, but it's also about the same distance away from Kailua-Kona so you can go either direction. IMHO, Honokaa might even duplicate the qualities of your existing neighborhood, at least the ones you described. There's also the choice of Pauuilo. A much smaller village on the Hamakua coast, but very close to the farm co-op. There you can rent farm land instead of buying it. You're not allowed to build a house and live on the farmland, but you could get a house in Pauuilo and farm nearby. Pauuilo is about ten minutes away from Honokaa so you'd still have access to town and shops and such.
However, it sounds like you already bought land over near Honomu, maybe? Up Kaiwiki? Somewhere over in that vicinity. In any case, the land along the Hamakua coast is lovely with deep soil so things grow well. That close to Hilo, you'll probably be going to Hilo for most of your supplies and activities. It will be a fairly large town, but a town and not a city. It's large enough that you can be anonymous if you want and small enough that folks can get to know you if you make an effort to be known. If you chat with the folks you buy vegetables with at the market or say hi to the cashier at Garden Exchange, etc., eventually you will be known. There's a variety of groups to join for further integration into Hilo society, or take a class at University or join a church, etc.
"I am really not following the line of logic between size and culture. Oahu is way smaller than the Big Island yet it's got far more people and diversity than the Big Island."
Granted, I've only spent about a month on Oahu, however I didn't find it to have any more diversity than the Big Island, though I do agree that having more people sort of brings the diversity out (for example there is an Ethiopian restaurant on Oahu, and the owner claims there are only 10-15 Ethiopian people living in Hawaii, statistically they are more likely to be on Oahu). I would agree that there is more diversity on Oahu than Kauai, and more on Maui as well. And you are right, size is not the only factor.
If you want a rural working town with a mix of locals and tourists, then you'd probably like Honokaa. It's 42 miles away from Hilo, but it's also about the same distance away from Kailua-Kona so you can go either direction. IMHO, Honokaa might even duplicate the qualities of your existing neighborhood, at least the ones you described. There's also the choice of Pauuilo. A much smaller village on the Hamakua coast, but very close to the farm co-op. There you can rent farm land instead of buying it. You're not allowed to build a house and live on the farmland, but you could get a house in Pauuilo and farm nearby. Pauuilo is about ten minutes away from Honokaa so you'd still have access to town and shops and such.
However, it sounds like you already bought land over near Honomu, maybe? Up Kaiwiki? Somewhere over in that vicinity. In any case, the land along the Hamakua coast is lovely with deep soil so things grow well. That close to Hilo, you'll probably be going to Hilo for most of your supplies and activities. It will be a fairly large town, but a town and not a city. It's large enough that you can be anonymous if you want and small enough that folks can get to know you if you make an effort to be known. If you chat with the folks you buy vegetables with at the market or say hi to the cashier at Garden Exchange, etc., eventually you will be known. There's a variety of groups to join for further integration into Hilo society, or take a class at University or join a church, etc.
Well, Hilo is a lot bigger than Lihue, so for us it will be almost like the big city. Well, not quite, but we like to hop over to Honolulu for the weekend ever so often to get a bit of city experience, so Hilo doesn't have to be a big city.
Honokaa looks like a fun town to visit, but for our needs, a bit too far away from Hilo. And I need to be close to the airport since I will continue to have regular business on Kaua'i. The more I learn about Hilo, the more I think I am going to love this town. As for anonymity, coming from Kaua'i, that's a foreign concept. We talk story with everyone, it makes things go slower, but everybody becomes ante and uncle, and that is just the best way to live.
Thanks again for all the valuable input.
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Well, not quite, but we like to hop over to Honolulu for the weekend ever so often to get a bit of city experience, so Hilo doesn't have to be a big city. 
