Botanical World Adventures, on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, is just a few miles west of Hilo.
Nick and I like to take advantage of our free weekends while care taking in Hawaii to explore the island as best we can. Last weekends excursion took us to the beautiful Botanical World Adventures Gardens, Waterfalls & Maze.Â
The entrance fee is $15 per person. I find this a little steep, but they do give Kamaaina (local residents) and military discounts. You will receive a small map for your self-guided garden tour and a parking pass to place in your vehicle (it’s good for a week). The lady in the small gift shop was very friendly, she explained the best way to walk and what to look for to get the most enjoyment out of the property. We spent about 2 hours walking around the gardens.
Scroll down to see pictures of the local flora, a small river and gorgeous waterfall…
If you want to ride a Segway or do the Zip line you will have to pay extra!
Here’s what you can expect to find at Botanical World Adventures:
- Spectacular 360-degree vistas including the Mauna Kea volcano, sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and the pastoral settings of an adjoining paniola-style cattle ranch.
- Pristine Kamae’e Falls waterfall cascading nearly a hundred feet through a beautiful tropical rainforest.
- Zip above and through the rainforest canopy on an ultra-safe but exciting zip line.
- Ride through the gardens and rainforest on a Segway.
- See, smell, touch and photograph thousands of exotic plants from around the world in our acres of botanical gardens.
- Take a leisurely stroll on a wide, paved walkway shaded by towering rainforest trees draped with the pendulous stems and roots of tropical vines on our Rainforest Trail.
- Enjoy a quiet and peaceful hike along our nature trails winding through the rainforest and alongside the tumbling Hanapueo Stream and its waterfalls.
- Be amazed at hundreds of wild orchids festooning our trees and clinging to our 80 meter (260′) long Orchid Wall in the Rainbow Walk.
- Learn about exotic tropical food plants such as mango, guava, papaya, pineapple, banana, breadfruit, coffee and many, many more on our horticultural tours and taste the ripe fruits from our Arboretum.
- Wander through a Children’s Maze, the world’s second-largest herbaceous maze.
- Stay at their Vacation Rental in the Gardens.
- Learn more at BotanicalWorld.com
Once you’re done exploring the gardens and all it has to offer, you will return to your vehicle.
Drive up the hill from the parking lot for a couple of miles through beautiful pasture land. The cows look fat and happy, and the scenery is simply gorgeous with the Pacific ocean on one side and the slopes of Mauna Kea on the other.
Drive through the green gate and park your vehicle to enjoy the beauty of Kamae’e Falls!
Nick and I had a wonderful time exploring this Botanical Garden!
We saw a few wild pigs while walking on the rain forest trail and managed not to get lost, thanks to the map. The maze was a lot of fun, we were the only visitors at the time, so we could play act a little.
Travel Tip: If you live on the Big Island or plan to visit, be sure to have a true Hawaiian eco-adventure and enjoy the wonder of nature at this place of peace and beauty. You will receive a pass for the whole week so you can come back again and again. Just remember to bring mosquito spray!
Did you enjoy our nature photos and would like to see more of it? Leave us a comment below.Â
Nick
Silke
I love botanic gardens. Pretty sure this is the same one that Dennis and I went to once when we were on the Big Island. It was breathtaking. Don’t recall a maze, though. I do recall finding ripe strawberry guavas on the trail and eating one as we walked. We could have a spent a much longer time there, but had to get back to our hotel for a function that evening since we were there for a conference.
That’s so cool that you guys were there as well, I know how you guys enjoy bird watching and being in nature. We saw a bunch of bananas, but they weren’t ripe yet. You must have visited during a different season. Hope all is well in Belize. BTW, The new sunshade on your deck looks awesome.