Kailua Kona

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by Benessie

As for what treedonkey posted, it's kinda normal to smell people smoking weed or drinking at the beach. (I question how they know what crack smells like. haha, I've lived in Kona all my life and i have no clue what it smells like.) But drinking at the beach after work, it's just kinda how we do things on the Big Island. Mostly, if you leave people alone (don't stare at them or talk about them) and are friendly you will be left alone too - like anywhere else.

"(I question how they know what crack smells like. haha)"

Because, sad to say, I've lived in some unsavory urban areas in my life and was occasionally subjected to the stuff. I never tried it though - way too creepy...

I just found it ironic of the three places in my life where I had ever seen or smelled anyone smoking crack or heroine - Long Beach, CA, Washington DC, and Kona, HI - that Kona was the only place where it was going in IN BROAD DAYLIGHT with children around.

Again, I'm not trying to bash the place, but this is something that I, personally, would like to know about before moving there with my children. And it's not in any travel brochures that I've seen. Perhaps it was an isolated incident, I don't know.

I agree with what you said about how you will most likely be left alone as long as you don't stare at or otherwise bother people. You said it yourself, though -- and families should know this -- if you go to any of the easily accessible public beaches near town in the afternoon or early evening, be prepared to see plenty of drinking, pot-smoking, and other illicit activities going on around you. Of course, it was the same on many of the beaches around LA, but one sort of expects it there...

[Galactastica]

i live in Kona, and not that drugs don't exist, as they do everywhere, but i have to say i see less of it in my face than i did anywhere else i have lived. maybe i'm just at the right places at the right times, but i don't see people drinking, smoking stuff or anything else in the open very often. i don't feel scared walking down the street at night. i've never felt any racism towards me-i'm a 103 pound white girl. i go to the beaches after dark, i go on hikes in remote areas-but i've never expirienced any trouble. again, not that it doesn't exist, but i feel safer in kona than anywhere else i've lived. locals have been nothing but nice to me as well. i think a lot of the local-racism has to do with the attitude of the person that is putting themselves into the area.

can't vouche for schools though, i have no personal expirience with them in this area. i hear from people in town that they are pretty bad, but from volunteering with local parks here and dealing with different children from different schools, i did notice a large behavior gap between the kids from public and private schools-i'm sure you can infer that the private school kids were on the better end of the stick.

i'm not trying to say that kona is the safest place on earth, but i hate that when someone mentions it all they talk about is the drugs and stuff like it's some back alley that's filled with theives and junkies. if you can, take a trip here first, see for yourself.

as for 9,000 a month, i don't think you'll have a problem living here on that kind of money. i make a tiny fraction of that and i live entirely comfortable. if i had that kind of money living here would be a snap! again, the money thing is all in how you live too. if you move here and expect a house on the beach and you want to eat, buy and live the way you did on the mainland, you might not do very well. mesh with the area, the way of living and life, and you shouldn't have any money or people problems.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by Galactastica

maybe i'm just at the right places at the right times, but i don't see people drinking, smoking stuff or anything else in the open very often.

Go to Kahaluu or Old Airport about an hour before sunset. Or don't, if you don't want to start seeing that kind of stuff.

That said, if you know which areas to avoid, and when to avoid them, most of Kona is a very tame and fairly peaceful place.

[darthmom]

thanks everyone for the insight! there is so much planning involved in getting ready for this possible move. and we have to begin before we even know for certain we are going....totally frustrating. little insights from locals is a big help

[Roxy VB]

Seems to me like traffic has been bad in Hawaii since 1979 except instead of being slow coming down from up mauka behind the army jeeps used on the coffee farms going 15 mph it is now backed up with commuters during "rush" (there's an oxymoran) hours! But isn't that an issue on most islands in the world?
However, the new 4 lanes heading out to the airport has made a HUGE difference don't you think?

]I like the emphasis on family life, kindness and friends that Hawaii has (the Aloha spirit) and society here may place that ahead of "success" in money matters. Of course not everyone exhibits that everywhere everyday! Frequently this attitude is in conflict with how people have determined social status in their careers/lives on the mainland. They don't get how neighborhoods here can be a very mixed plate in every aspect (culture/income/size of house). I very much enjoy the acceptance of other people and lifestyles that people have here and am frequently at a lose of words for people who want a tropical landscape but otherwise just like home.

I have friends whose children went to public school in Kailua-Kona and are on a speed track to graduating from college which excellent grades. My son went thru much of elementary school here (public and even more rural at that time in Kealakekua and Honaunau) and seems to have a relatively balanced life as a computer engineer who enjoys coming back to the islands and heading for the beach. I think school is a foundation for living in the real world, and having a broad base of cultures, religions, income backgrounds is a very good foundation for living in what is becoming more and more a world culture. Our new president is a product of the Hawaiian education (although Punahou is a private school). His grandparents lived in a 2 bedroom apartment while he went there. You may want to look into lowering your monthly rent and paying for private school instead. There are plenty lovely places to live starting at $1400 per month for example. Where are you working on the Big Island then we can advise you on how to find a rental
There's the main problem in Hawaii...it is very difficult to find ways of funding living here even if you slice back on your requirements. You are very lucky to be able to "live Hawaii" with a high paying job.