Hilo Travel Guide

The town of Hilo is a charming town located near the Hilo Bay. Hilo town has many trees and green hills. It receives a rainfall of approximately 70 inches annually. Many historical sites can be found in the town. If you want to explore the town, you can take part in the self-guided walking tour. Before you take the walking tour, be sure to obtain the Walking Tour pamphlet from the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association. The walking tour pamphlet can be obtained for free of charge from the association. The first settlement in the Hilo town occurred during the 1100 A.D. It is the center for political and social activities during the 1700. Many missionaries developed churches in Hilo during the 1800s.

Hilo ranks as the second largest town in Hawaii. It has a population of more than forty thousand people as of the latest census. From Hilo, you can view the scenery of Hilo Bay clearly. It is located near to two volcanoes including Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. Mauna Loa is an active volcano while Mauna Kea is a dead volcano. There are a number of astronomical observatories at Hilo. The University of Hawaii is situated in Hilo. Every year, the Merrie Monarch Festival will be held at Hilo. The Merrie Monarch Festival is a festival that lasts for a week. Its main shows are ancient hula dances and modern hula dances. One of the world’s leading macadamia nut producers, Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation can be found at Hilo.

When sugar plantation fields were developed, the town was full of activities. Later, tsunamis came and devastate the sugar plantations. The first tsunami occurred on the first of April in 1946. During the tsunami, more than 159 people died. It is estimated that 1,300 homes are destroyed. The second tsunami took place on the ninetieth of May in 1960. In the second tsunami, more than 61 people had been killed. The area where the tsunami occurred has a green clock. It serves as a monument and memorial for those who died during the tsunami. As a result, the production of the sugar from the sugar plantation significantly drops. Even after it has become a quiet town, many people still visit it because it is place rich with Hawaiian history. The sugar plantations were closed down during 1990s. Recently, the population of Hilo has been growing at a fast rate.