Founder of HawaiiGuide & certified travel expert with 20+ years of experience in Hawaii tourism.
Between the 28 and 27 mile markers turn makai onto Laupahoehoe Point Road. As you twist and turn through the thick jungle neighborhood and eventually reach the point where the ocean beats the shore, you will begin to understand the beauty that drew the people to this area.
However, it was nature's force that claimed the lives of twenty-one children and three adults during the April Fools Day Tsunami of 1946. The terrifying power of the ocean simply swept everything out of this area. Now, people live a respectful distance from the unpredictable sea. A monument stands to honor those who perished. Survivors of the tsunami from Laupahoehoe and other parts of the island share their stories through video and displays at the Pacific Tsunami Museum in Hilo. There is also a park here with a pavilion, safe drinking water, and a boat ramp. The surf pounds this rocky coastline with great fury which is impressive to watch, but do not swim here.
