Honomu (Hilo: sales, crime rate, construction)

[ca531]

Has anyone ever lived in Honomu on the big island? It looks like a neat little town Got any info on it?

[hotzcatz]

They have good rummage sales at their hongwonji as well as good o-bon dances. The bakery is good although limited in what they produce except for the jams and jellies, they have loads of those. Quiet little village, it used to be busier when sugar was around. The radio reception isn't so good there although I think a new broadcast antenna has been put in the area since you can now get at least one radio station when driving past there. Hilo is the closest source for most goods and services.

They also removed that really large rock on a cliffside near Honomu which was threatening to fall onto the highway several years ago so that's good. There is only one road which goes along the whole Hamakua coast and if something happens to that road, the detour into Hilo is about 120 miles long. Most of the traffic going through Honomu is tourists going up to see Akaka falls.

What sort of Honomu things are you wondering about?

[cynmkolohe]

I haven't lived there, but I have shown several properties there. It is quiet and quaint, as hotzcatz says. But there is also a lot of thru traffic, including loud motorcycles (visitors going to Akaka Falls: Hawaii State Parks > Parks > Hawaii ). Many of the lots closest to the village are quite small, so you are often a little too close to neighbors for comfort if you need space. I've heard there is a great little pizza place there, but I haven't been there at the right time to try it.

[ca531]

Thanks I was just curious I have spent most of my life in a small town in TN The pic,s of Honomu remind me of it

[ca531]

Hey, Mapquest says it takes 15 minutes to hilo is that realistic or is that with no traffic?

[hotzcatz]

Mapquest may think we drive faster than we generally do around here. It is more like 25 minutes to Hilo since generally there is a construction crew or a slow moving car along the way. Maybe twenty minutes would do it. I forget what mile marker Honomu is at but figure the speed is about an average of 45 mph on Mamalahoa Highway.

[coconutluvr]

What is the crime rate like in Honomu? A web site says violent crime rate is 5 (from 1 to 10) and property crime rate is 6. National average rate for mainland for both types of crime is 3. If this is true for violent crime, do you know what type of violent crime could be driving up the number?

[hotzcatz]

Theft from tourist vehicles is probably what's driving up the crime numbers in Honomu. There has been a problem with break ins up at the waterfalls, Akaka and Kahuna falls, since the parking lot is quite a distance away from the waterfalls.