Nobody goes to Asia for sunshine and poolside cocktails, Ted Blake declared. A sea of business leaders, politicians and other influential island faces gathered around him, sipping wine and nibbling on plates of pork and poke. Blake continued: “They go
Nobody goes to Asia for sunshine and poolside cocktails, Ted Blake declared.
A sea of business leaders, politicians and other influential island faces gathered around him, sipping wine and nibbling on plates of pork and poke.
Blake continued: “They go to Asia to learn the history and to see how people today are living the history. That’s what we’re going to be doing here. Now we have the place to do it.”
A 19-mile stretch of South Shore roads has been named a national scenic byway, an accomplishment celebrated with food and fanfare Thursday in the courtyard at the Sheraton Kauai Resort.
Holo Holo Koloa Scenic Byway highlights two dozen points of interest, including Maluhia Road, popularly known as the Tree Tunnel; the National Tropical Botanical Garden; and the Kaihalulu Heiau. It is at once a road that moves the town into the future and peers into its history, marking the places and pilgrimages that bind Koloa’s people of past and present.
“It’s a grand slam because it highlights our history,” said Blake, a leader of the project whose family has lived in Koloa for 65 generations. “How many people here know the history of where they are born? How many people know the traditional place names here? These are the names that give you sense of place because they mean something.”
Hawaii’s scenic byways program showcases roads throughout the state that have an important story to tell to both local residents and visitors. These roads hold more than what meets the eye — their archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities are of statewide and often national significance.
Kauai is the second island in the state to earn such a designation. In addition to the Holo Holo Koloa Scenic Byway, there are three scenic byways on the Big Island.
Malama Koloa sponsored the campaign for the designation, a process that began in 2011 when the project became a nominee for the National Scenic Byways program. The Koloa Community and Poipu Beach Resort associations also supported the process, along with dozens of community members.
Byway sponsor groups manage their scenic byways to protect and enhance them through collaborations with government agencies and business and community groups.
In order to earn the designation, volunteers researched, documented, cleaned and beautified Koloa’s trails and roads. Queen Emma’s Cottage at Lawai Kai was re-roofed and restored.
“We have so much archaeology here,” Blake said. “I think we are the only tourist destination in Hawaii that’s surrounded by all of this. To me, it’s such a big plus because heritage tourism seems to be the big thing that everybody’s going after in the world right now.”
Sen. Ron Kouchi, D-Kauai, Niihau, said the designation is emblematic of the Koloa community’s vibrance.
“It’s an amazing community effort,” he said. “It’s not done by one person.”
Mayor Bernard Carvalho said Koloa’s scenic bypass is an important tool that will help connect the community, for the benefit of residents and tourists alike.
“It’s just another example of how we continue to preserve and recognize our culture — and never forgetting,” he said.
The project actually earned the national designation in June 2014, but Blake said members of the community didn’t want to organize a celebration until the posting of the 18 official signs along the roadway. The signs went up three weeks ago.
“It’s been a well-kept secret,” Blake said. “There’s no need for fanfare until you have something worth having fanfare about.”
