A beautiful, lush and expansive garden on the road to Hana, about 15 miles from Haiku and Paia. It has gentle paved trails that wind throughout the garden with ocean views and waterfalls with many benches in serene and peaceful settings. The bamboo grove, called Bamboo Alley, has large clumps of tall bamboo trees (bamboo is actually a grass) that make music as the wind blows. The bamboo music is my favorite part of the arboretum. there is a waterfall overlook with benches. We encountered majestic peacocks with their outrageously blue and rainbow colored feathers. Keopuka Rock Overlook gazes down on the ocean and cliffs that were featured in a flyover scene in Jurassic Park when they were flying into the island to begin their dinosaur adventure.
The golden jade bamboo is perfectly named because the trunk is golden and the rings that mark the nodes are covered in bright green moss. There are large breadfruit trees, an anthurium forest, a lotus pond, magnificent rainbow eucalyptus and lovely garden statues. They have a rain shelter in case it rains, which it often does on the east side of the island. We did not use bug spray, but in the wet season there will be lots of mosquitos. I prefer long sleeve pants and shirt rather than bug spray, but the humidity means you will sweat. There is a cafe at the entrance where you can pick up lunch (we haven't tried it). If you love gardens, nature and the inspiration of ocean views framed by beautiful flora, you will enjoy many hours here.
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