Wow! We are so thankful we decided to book this cottage on our first trip to Hawaii. It was so much fun to get more of the local experience and remove ourselves from the tourist area. Staying in Pahoa allowed us to visit the Hilo area (about an hour away) and the Kona area (about 2.5 hours away). We didn’t mind the driving because of the beautiful scenery, but a rental car is a must. The black sand beach was about a 5 minute walk, and it was beautiful. It was quite a rocky trek down there but absolutely worth it. Jaecob was very welcoming and gave great suggestions about the area. The cottage was perfect. We enjoyed being off the grid, having no TV, and having the windows open to keep us cool. No need for a/c! The frogs were relaxing at night. We will absolutely be back!