Hale Honu: Oceanfront Eco-Retreat in Papaikou, Sleeps 4 - Papaikou

Koili Point is less than 1/4 mile from the 4 mile Scenic Drive route and close to the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, Akaka Falls, and Rainbow Falls.

Realizing you, like most of our guests, are probably coming from an urban setting, our aim is to provide you with an oasis of natural comfort that will help you smoothly transition from noise and daily work pace to nature's sounds and rhythm.

As such, we have chosen to power our house with solar using an array of 48 solar panels and Blue Ion batteries.

We also have backup grid power for those spates of cloudy days to ensure AC is abundant. For the most part, you would not even know the house is powered by the sun.

We like you to feel you are part of nature -- and not apart from it. Our family has great respect for the land and we hope you will as well.

We chose to use Hawaii County water as the aquifer in Papa'ikou has to be one of the purest in the world.

As we mentioned, we have another house which is on the opposite side of the pool, hot tub, and tiki hut patio. That house is a mirror image of this one and is 40 ft apart at its closest point.

From the porch (lanai), in the winter, there is a very high probability you will be able to see whales breaching offshore. We have also seen dolphins resting in the bay just to the south of the property in the mid-morning hours.

In the house, we have done our best to make it extremely comfortable. Organic cotton mattresses and sheets, teak and mango bedframes, some TOTO washlets that are hands free with a remote control, possibly the best washer and dryer one can buy, teak swivel chairs on the island, top end appliances, handblown glass fixtures in the kitchen and dining room, usb outlets in various spots in case you forgot your adapter, etc...

For beachgoers, we have beach mats, beach chairs, beach towels, and coolers. Not to mention the resort style pool and hot tub with safety fence!

Our landscaping efforts are a true work-in-progress both because we enjoy it and because it's a lot of work!

We continue to plant new fruit trees and various ground covers so the look is always changing. We are always looking to improve yet hope you will be quite pleased with what we have to date.

It is important to note that the AC will run from the mid-morning into the dusk hours. It will not run 24 hours. This is to ensure that the rest of the house is powered all through the night. Once the batteries recharge back to a certain point in the morning, the AC will start up again.

Once the AC automatically turns off around dusk, we have ceiling and floor fans as needed. Also, you might actually prefer to open the windows as nighttime temps in Pāpaʻikou are almost always in the 60s so enjoy nature! That is one of our goals!

Also, to maximize AC running time, we recommend using the washer in the daytime hours.

On the property, there are coconuts year-round for you to enjoy as well as various fruits ripening throughout the year for you to pick off the trees.

We have a number of young trees as well and with each passing season, more are coming into bloom. Our Meyer lemon trees are superstars and for most months of the year, you will be able to squeeze 'just picked' lemons on your fresh fish.

As avocadoes ripen, you may enjoy spreading them on toast for your breakfast choice. We have already picked many hands of bananas as well as lychee.

This past summer, we have had papayas, bananas, coconuts, tangerines, and Brazilian cherries available. Cut up or blend into a smoothie? Next year we should have even more trees with fruiting.

Some guests enjoy spicing up their appetizers or meals with our Hawaiian chili peppers. They are small yet pack a punch!

Maybe you would enjoy using the leaves from our curry or allspice trees in your favorite recipe as well.

If you have never smelled a pua kenikeni flower, you will have the chance as well at Koili Point.

In the winter months, there is nothing more magnificent than seeing humpback whales breaching as you sit on the lanai.

We have seen them as early as December and as late as April. Some years have more than others and there are usually 3 official whale counts on all of the Hawaiian Islands in late Jan, Feb and March of each year.

And on clear nights when the moon is full, you will better understand why we call our home on the point, Koili -- which poetically translates to 'moonlight resting on the ocean'.

Aloha and have a wonderful stay!