HIGHLIGHTS

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THE VERY NATURE OF A CLOUD FOREST IS SELF-SUSTAINING.

Kona is known for its dry weather. As a desert-like district on the leeward side of the island, it’s opposite the prevailing trade winds that hit the northeast coast. Loads of moisture is dropped as air climbs up into cooler elevations. Once that wind crosses the summit and moves down, the air warms up, expands, and clouds dissipate. It’s the orographic rain shadow effect. Kona doesnʻt get much precipitation down by the coast, but drive 20 minutes up Kaloko Drive and it’s a different story.

The Creation of Clouds

The Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary isn’t a typical rainforest, but that doesn’t mean it’s dry. While the area is characterized by misty, cloudy days, it does experience rainfall, especially during the rainy season. When the clouds are heavy enough, visitors may encounter a heavy downpour. It’s a cloud forest located at that sweet spot on Hualālai, ranging from 2500 – 5000 feet in elevation; a 50-mile-long swath about five miles wide. Given the possibility of showers, we always recommend guests to bring a rain jacket for their visit.

The very nature of a cloud forest is self-sustaining. Trees cool their habitat by shading the ground and drawing water up into the canopy. Moist air rising up the mountain cools and turns to clouds. This foggy precipitation maintains the forests that created it. Cloud forests are rare. The Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary even more so because it’s a seasonally dry cloud forest. Winters are the dry season on the Kona side of Hawaiʻi. And if you’re visiting during the summer, expect it to be even more misty.

FROM LAVA TO FOREST TO KONA CLOUD FOREST SANCTUARY

The Sanctuary itself has fiery beginnings, located on the slopes of Hualālai, the volcano that frames the district of Kona. It exists on different lava flows dating back to around the years 1400, 1600, and the most recent in 1801. Generations of trees and shrubs decomposed to form the thin layer of soil supporting the current forest. The history of cattle grazing on these lands dates back to the early 1800s and continued until the mid-1900s, a practice that significantly impacted the centuries-old forests. These lands were once part of the vast Huʻehuʻe Ranch, which originally encompassed about 80,000 acres on the West side of Hawaii Island. By the 1980s, when the land was acquired by the Bezona family, it was a remnant of this deforested ranch, having experienced a gap of approximately two decades from the end of ranching activities to the beginning of the reforestation project, which started about 40 years ago.

Norman Bezona, a professor emeritus at the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, purchased 20 acres of land in 1982, embarking on a mission to demonstrate the potential of reforesting within a single lifetime. More than just a landowner, Bezona, a horticulture expert and naturalist, transformed this area into a ‘living classroom.’ His dedication was not about conducting scientific experiments but about using the land to educate students and the community on reforestation, the natural ecosystem, and forest stewardship. The Sanctuary, which now encompasses 70 acres on Hao Street, stands as a testament to this privately funded successful reforestation effort. Part of those original 20 acres are open for guests to experience on guided tours, offering a unique opportunity for plant enthusiasts, nature lovers, and learners to immerse themselves in the knowledge about this sacred watershed and the distinctive cloud forest ecosystem.

Continuing his legacy, Norman Bezona entrusted the stewardship of the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary to his daughter Diane, his grandson Drew McWhirter, and Drew’s partner Brooke Olenski. This trio forms the core of the sanctuary’s management and ownership, embodying a trifecta of dedication to Norman’s original mission. Their collective efforts focus on raising awareness about the intrinsic link between healthy forests, healthy people, and a healthier planet. By sharing cloud forest education and transformative nature experiences, Diane, Drew, and Brooke strive to foster optimal wellness in a world where people and the environment thrive harmoniously.

THIS IS A MEDITATION. THIS IS A MINDFULNESS PRACTICE. THIS IS A SANCTUARY.

Restoring The Forests _ Restoring Ourselves

Restoration and conservation form the foundation of the Sanctuary’s mission. Humans have done damage to the land. Some of that damage is irreparable, like extinct native species that are not found anywhere else on earth, but some can be reversed, reminding us that hope exists — even in devastation.

Throughout the grounds, you’ll see some of the 200 palm and 100 bamboo species Bezona first planted on the land. There are six different types of banyans, various eucalyptus, rubber trees, and even a carnivorous garden. The forest now rests on about a foot-and-a-half of loose rubble and decomposing matter. Trails are littered with these fallen leaves and lava chunks, which nourish growth to come. Each step is an acknowledgment of the tiny sliver of time humans can experience.

But time in the Sanctuary just doesn’t seem linear, anyway. It can stretch and morph, reaching up as high as the tallest Rainbow Eucalyptus. It can condense into the perfect spherical fruit of the Blue Marble or Rudraksha Tree. This isnʻt just a hike through some trees. This is a meditation. This is a mindfulness practice. This is a sanctuary.

EXPLORE THE SANCTUARY

Tours run daily at the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary. Book ahead online and choose between a two-and-a-half-hour or an hour-and-a-half option. The longer tour will take you farther up the mountain into higher elevations. You’ll walk through a bamboo tunnel, beside century-old dry-stacked lava walls, and even through areas used for filming the movie Avatar.

To get there, take Palani Road from the hotel. Turn up the mountain on Kaloko Drive, which winds upward until Hao Street. Parking is on the street and your guide will meet you at the gate. You’ll get decked out with a bamboo walking stick for your tour. Bring close-toed shoes, a rain jacket, and hat to avoid the damp. Show up about ten minutes early to start breathing in that fresh forest air and watch your shoulders drop in relaxation. Bring a phone or camera, too. Or, just leave it in the car to experience peace without the barrier or a screen.

If you’re looking for more, add on a Sound Bath after your hike. Sound Baths are a facilitated experience where participants relax and enjoy the vibration of sounds to bring a deep state of peace and harmony. Groups are kept small on the forest platform onsite at the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR MORE, ADD ON A SOUND BATH AFTER YOUR HIKE

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