A combination of confusion and intrigue mirrored my general attitude towards camping and most outdoor activities when I told a friend that I was going to stay in an off-the-grid cabin in Hawaii. Hawaii has a lot of beautiful hotels and resorts.
She was correct in her opinion.
There are hundreds of hotels in Hawaii. I chose to stay in one of the most beautiful places in the world because I generally consider a jog through the park an outdoor adventure.
I wanted a different kind of adventure that didn't involve parking myself on a beach with a mai tai. I was going to go kayaking, snorkel, and see local art. I wanted to have a good time, but I also wanted to support local businesses.
The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement was tasked with marketing the state to the rest of the country in order to make local and Native-Hawaiian owned businesses a bigger part of tourism.
My friend told me to have fun.
I was going to go.
The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls is located in the hills of Hilo and has a number of interesting activities to offer. It gives a glimpse into the future of tourism in Hawaii and other overtouristed places, without harming the environment or people who call a place home.
On one side of the 40-acre property is the inn, on the other side is a farm with three cabins that can be rented. The cabin where I stayed was powered by the waterfall and solar panels. Rain water goes through a multistep process to be used for drinking, bathing and cleaning. Even for me, a skeptic of paying hundreds of dollars to be outside, the entire operation is worth watching and experiencing.
Within an hour of checking into my cabin, which did not have a private bathroom or electricity but did come with an ocean view and an extremely comfortable bed, I was kayaking under the falls, an experience that made me utter, out loud, that this was the start of my outdoor girl era I spent a lot of time walking along verdant trails, sitting in bamboo gardens and swimming in cool, still waters. I needed to put my phone down and not use it while looking up at the trees.
The partners of the inn said this is what they hope guests will do. Access to Kulaniapia is restricted to overnight guests and those who register and purchase day passes in advance in order to limit the number of visitors. Half of the full-time staff is of Native Hawaiian descent, and many of the activities on the property involve local businesses.
I decided against rappelling down the falls with a guide because itInvolves rappelling down the falls with a guide. I went on a farm tour with two Kulaniapia members. There are about a dozen members who live there full time. The community project allows them to gain experience in a variety of fields.
The vegetables and fruits grown on the farm were discussed on the tour. These are some of the ingredients used in the farm's cooking classes, which are offered a few times a week.
Also, I ate. I occasionally walked by the inn's kitchen to catch a glimpse of the chef. The dinner was served on the veranda with a view of the falls and trails. There was a kabocha squash soup with coconut cream. The third course was opakapaka, one of seven snapper species endemic to Hawaii, with taro, ginger-lemongrass, snap peas, and grape tomatoes. The dessert was a coconut ice cream pie.
For the indecisive or easily overwhelmed, this meal was perfect because there were no decisions to be made. Local meats, fish, and produce were chosen by the chef.
I crawled into bed that night after bathing in the outdoor showers and using my phone to walk a few yards back to my cabin. When I woke up around 5 a.m., I saw animals on the farm. A cow named Opus could be heard bellowing outside. With that name, he would have a lot to say. I was warned as well.
On my first night there, Clay Mosby told me thatOpus had a unique sound. There is a metallic ring to it.
It is safe to assume that most travelers will stay at hotels and resorts in Hawaii. The least adventurous person can feel at home in a hotel.
If you prefer traditional accommodations, it is possible to choose a hotel that works with local businesses and is sustainable.
The Soul Community Planet Hilo Hotel is on track to achieve net-zero waste by the end of the year, thanks to the use of energy efficient systems. The Hawaii Wildlife Fund is supported by guests when they stay at hotels. The fund protects Hawaii's native species, cleans its beaches, and teaches people about the environment. The fund has ways for tourists to volunteer.
I was headed to Kailua-Kona, which is close to the beach and has good snorkeling. I checked into the Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel after taking the free Hele-On bus from Kulaniapia. It was on the beach and close to restaurants and museums. The cultural work happening inside drew me in.
The lobby and common areas of a chain hotel are unlikely places to learn about Hawaii's history, but cultural preservation and education are important parts of many chain hotels' efforts. There are traditional crafts on display, as well as paintings byHerb Kne, an artist and historian who focuses on Hawaiian history and seafaring traditions. The canoe made from a koa tree is endemic to Hawaii and is housed in the lobby.
A few days a week, local business owners are invited to sell their products inside the hotel, an effort that began in the wake of the swine flu epidemic. Hotel leaders around the islands are trying to get guests to experience local things.
Fair Wind Cruises was one of the businesses that I was told about. The Dants began offering snorkeling tours in the Big Island in the 70s. The company was bought by Puhi and his wife, Mendy, a few years later.
Most tour providers focus on showing people a good time. The region's nature and how to protect it is at the center of how the business is run.
Mendy Dant told me that part of embracing our host culture is making sure travelers are educated about what is happening with the environment. Our coral isn't what it was 20 years ago, so we want to show people that there is a thoughtful way to be here.
After checking in for a three-and-a-half-hour snorkeling trip, tour participants were given reef-safe sunscreen, or as our captain put it, "as reef-safe as possible"
We were told not to touch marine life and not to use the bathroom on the power catamaran, which was built with bio-diesel fuel. We were served fresh fruit and chips from Hawaii. One of the Dants farms composts all food waste.
We went to the Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park after an hour of driving. The bay can only be accessed by foot or boat.
After anchoring, I had to make a decision between jumping into the water from the boat or walking down the stairs. Embarrassed by the crew members and strangers in the water, I finally did it, and then did it again. I could see fish through my mask. The area's coral was in shades of pink, purple and white.
The islands are full of tourists, the islands need tourism, and tourists are disrespectful. Tension has arisen between visitors and residents due to lack of respect.
A breaking point was reached when a record number of people visited the islands. The locals were relieved to have their own place to live.
The Hawaii Visitor and Convention Bureau, which has been selling Hawaii to the world for 120 years, was not awarded a contract by the Hawaii Tourism Authority in June.
The Council for Native Hawaiian advancement was given the contract because they believe that tourism should benefit Native Hawaiians. The H.V.C.B. argued that the process for deciding who should get the contract was unfair. The H.V.C.B contract was extended after the organizations agreed to work together.
According to Khi Lewis, the president and chief executive of the C.N.H.A., the fact that the organization received the contract indicates a change in how people think about tourism.
Mr. Lewis said visitors don't know what real looks like. The shift allows us to be the center of the industry. Hawaii is one of the biggest tourism markets in the country and could potentially be a model for what a Native-run model of tourism looks like.
I have been told that most residents of Hawaii want tourism as long as it is respectful and thoughtful.
It was learned that respectful and thoughtful travel can be enjoyable. I kayaked beneath a waterfall, wake to a mooing cow and jumped 15 feet into the open water and learned how to support local businesses even after I left. Pop-Up Makeke is an online marketplace created by the C.N.H.A. during the Pandemic to keep local businesses going.
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