Choices...Kamuela/Kohala/Waikoloa (Hilo, Kapaa: cul-de-sac, rentals, to buy)

[beckorback]

I have a job prospect with the locations being in these areas and I was hoping to get some feedback on the feel and cost of living in the aforementioned spots. The pay isn't much to start @ $3000/month, but I would have a nest egg # $10000. Not looking for much nightlife, maybe just one cool bar for sports/live music/vibe, a good grocery store, and some good restaurants. Would definitely be into lots of scuba, bird watching, hiking, golf, rather bike than drive whenever possible, etc. What are rents looking like in these areas (craigs list has a couple places in the $800/month range), safety issues, touristy or not? Well I know this is a pretty open thread but if you're bored and feel like ranting in this direction I would be very appreciative

Kavika

[cynmkolohe]

You are looking at what is one of my very favorite areas of the Big Island...

Many restaurants tend to charge "tourist-y" prices, but you will eventually find the places you go for a "nice" dinner out v/s the places you go for more low-key and low-budget options.

A couple of our often-visted places for "evening" life when we are in this area:

The Seafood Bar in Kawaihae on the Island of Hawaii. (Click the "happenings" link for details.)

Daniel Thiebaut Restaurant - Located in Waimea on The Island of Hawaii (Usually for special dinners or for drinks at the bar on live music nights.)

There is also Sharkey's in Waikoloa, but I have to admit, it's not one of my favorite places...a little run down and I'm a bit past my college "dive" days...but plenty of people are good with going there for their "pau hana" (after work) drinks.

This part of the island is still fairly small in overall population. Waimea (Kamuela) is more of an established community, and is also at a higher elevation--so you get more rain and cooler temps. (Be aware that "green-side" Waimea means it gets plenty of rain--a very different feel from "dry-side" Waimea.)

Waikoloa Village is about a 15-20 minute drive from the resorts and is a growing community that is often said to have a more "mainland" feel...my SO's family just visited and we drove them through there for their first time. They commented that they felt like they were in California....there are sometimes studio rentals there that can be very reasonable.

Generally speaking, if I were working at the resorts, I would probably look at Waikoloa Village, simply to save on gas and to be in a closer proximity to the beaches for days off. But, if you decide to move to the Kohala coast, it is my opinion (!) that you can't go wrong with any of these locations if you take time to find a landlord you are comfortable with...

Hope it all works out for you. There are some beautiful beaches to explore on the Kohala coast!

[mikelodge53]

what are the prices per pound of steak, burger, chicken and fish ect. say at Costco compared to the Midwest where we can buy good steak for $5-6 a pound

[hotzcatz]

Waikoloa is a new community and is the world's biggest cul-de-sac, I think. There is a golf course, a grocery store and a small shopping area as well as a gas station, post office and fire station and elementary school and a couple of churches right there in the sub-division. It is dry and warm there, most folks have to water their lawn if they are going to have one.

Kamuela, better known as Waimea to the folks that drive there, is a much older town. It has the wet green side and the dry side. There's two big shopping areas, a theatre, medical clinic, hospital, post office, fast food places, it's more spread out than Waikoloa and is at a higher elevation.

Kohala is a district and the towns within it are Hawi and Kapaa. Old Hawaii, a bit of tourist section in each hamlet, very green, not a lot of nightlife.

If you want good steak around here you don't get it at Costco since they ship in their meats from the mainland. We go to the butchershop in Honokaa, J.J's and get it direct, it's much cheaper than Costco and you don't have to buy it in large quantities. It is local grass fed beef without any weird growth hormones or excessive fat on it. Not sure what the current per pound price of beef is since we've been eating a lot of pork lately. Fish come from the ocean or Suisan over in Hilo since they buy it from the boats. Chickens come from the back yard as well as the feral pigs.

There is a lot of food grown on this island and in order to afford to live here you have to eat as local as possible. Stuff shipped in from the mainland is old and expensive.

[cynmkolohe]

A thread from the past...

But a good place to add that the Blue Dragon (formerly Blue Dolphin) is open again, new owners...

Blue Dragon Coastal Cuisine and Musiquarium

I've heard that they are facing some opposition from neighbors who live next door because they are doing live music until 10pm. From what I know of the situation, the restaurant is being called before the liquor commission and may lose their license because of this family's continued complaints...this would essentially close the business.

(For those not familiar with the area, this is across the street from Kawaihae Harbor, where the SuperFerry will be starting service next year....)

If you see the band REDD on the calander, check them out! They record with my SO and he has played percussion with them a couple of times at the Blue Dragon. I think they may play again in November.

[mikelodge53]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Waikoloa is a new community and is the world's biggest cul-de-sac, I think. There is a golf course, a grocery store and a small shopping area as well as a gas station, post office and fire station and elementary school and a couple of churches right there in the sub-division. It is dry and warm there, most folks have to water their lawn if they are going to have one.

Kamuela, better known as Waimea to the folks that drive there, is a much older town. It has the wet green side and the dry side. There's two big shopping areas, a theatre, medical clinic, hospital, post office, fast food places, it's more spread out than Waikoloa and is at a higher elevation.

Kohala is a district and the towns within it are Hawi and Kapaa. Old Hawaii, a bit of tourist section in each hamlet, very green, not a lot of nightlife.

If you want good steak around here you don't get it at Costco since they ship in their meats from the mainland. We go to the butchershop in Honokaa, J.J's and get it direct, it's much cheaper than Costco and you don't have to buy it in large quantities. It is local grass fed beef without any weird growth hormones or excessive fat on it. Not sure what the current per pound price of beef is since we've been eating a lot of pork lately. Fish come from the ocean or Suisan over in Hilo since they buy it from the boats. Chickens come from the back yard as well as the feral pigs.

There is a lot of food grown on this island and in order to afford to live here you have to eat as local as possible. Stuff shipped in from the mainland is old and expensive.

I am curious about seafood available and costs. I know you can get fresh mahi mahi, ono(not sure what this one is like), Ahi tuna (yum) and well as I am sure marlin which we are not big fans of at least in the Midwest. It is usually tough by the time we get it. Does anyone have any idea about what say Ahi tuna and say shrimp and scallops sell for there? Thank You

[hotzcatz]

Ahi is caught locally and varies in price depending on the time of year (it is extremely expensive at New Year's). I haven't bought any for awhile so I don't know the exact prices. It also varies where you buy the fish from. There are retail outlets such as the grocery stores or you can buy it from the fish cutters such as Suisan or from a guy with a boat. Our friend has a boat so we swap pork for fish.

Shrimp and scallops are shipped in from the mainland frozen so they are probably going to be the same stuff you can get in the mainland although more expensive here because further to ship to a smaller market. Some of the mahi is shipped in from other places, too! That just seems bizarre.

Ono might be what is called wahoo on the mainland? A long skinny fast fish with a pointy nose.