Botanical World Adventures


Under development since 1995, this garden remains a work in progress. Sprawling grounds include a shrubbery maze, waterfall and arboretum – nothing outstanding. You can up the ante with Segway ($99 to $177 per person) or go ziplining with on-site Zip Isle Zipline Adventures. It is an admirable effort but plays second fiddle to the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden closer to Hilo. To get here from Hwy 19, turn mauka (inland) near Mile 16, at the posted sign.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Kolekole Beach Park

1.84 MILES

Beneath a highway bridge, this park sits alongside Kolekole Stream in a verdant tropical valley. The river-mouth break is a local surfing and bodyboarding…

2. ʻAkaka Falls State Park

3.58 MILES

The island's best ‘tourist waterfall’ is found at this outstanding, family-friendly park. Walk the paved path counterclockwise, on a loop that traverses…

3. Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

6.92 MILES

A guaranteed crowd-pleaser, this rainforest garden is beautifully situated by the ocean and superbly managed. A paved trail meanders through over 2000…

4. Laupahoehoe Train Museum

8.41 MILES

If you love quirky history, pop into this unassuming museum. It's an old station agent's house full of cool stuff, brimming with fascinating artifacts and…

5. Laupahoehoe Point Beach Park

9.11 MILES

Only real crazy buggahs would swim at windy, rugged Laupahoehoe, where the fierce surf sometimes crashes over the rocks and onto the parking lot. But it's…

6. Honoliʻi Beach Park

10.66 MILES

For boardsports, this is it: Hilo's only surfing and bodyboarding spot. Locals flock here for the consistent wave action, never mind the rocky beach. Don…

7. Maui's Canoe

12.58 MILES

See the current swirling around a large rock in the upstream Wailuku River? Legend has it that the demigod Maui paddled his canoe with such speed across…

8. Mokupapapa Discovery Center

12.61 MILES

Geared for kids, this center aims to educate the public about pristine Hawaiian ecosystems. Even adults might not know that the Hawaiian archipelago…