Four of us stayed at Akiko’s for almost 2 months and it’s easily the most special and transformative trip for all of us. Akiko is an amazing host who has been welcoming guests from all over the world to her Buddhist bed & breakfast for two decades. Not only she has been super caring to her guests, she has inspired us to be better human beings with her life stories as well as every word and action of hers.
The house, Hale aloha, is spacious for four of us and it can comfortably fit two more persons. It has three bedrooms, a bathroom, a large kitchen equipped with dinnerware and cookware, a living room with dining tables and sofas, and a lush garden outside. The internet worked well even with all four of us working and doing video calls during the day. The location is perfect if you want to take a break from busy urban living and experience what “old Hawaii” is like in a lush rainforest. The closest city Hilo is about 17 minutes away, which is also where you can get the supplies that you can’t find near Wailea. Honoli'i is the a great local surfing spot nearby where you can find consistent waves on most days. I’d recommend to get a car if you can especially since everything on the Big island is further apart.
To the future guests at Akiko’s: please take your time to experience all that Wailea have to offer. Take advantage of the Yoga or Tai Chi classes, buy local products from the Hakalau farmer’s market on Tuesday, and especially volunteer at the school & cemetery cleaning! Go meet the wonderful people there and really listen to their stories. You will get to truly experience the Aloha spirit of Hawaii and develop deep connections with the land and the people. This was honestly the best part of our trip, better than manta rays, volcanos, or any other tourist attractions.
Mahalo Akiko and the village of Wailea! A Hui Hou!