Kainaliu, Big Island

Kainaliu at a Glance

Locally referred to as “five-mile hill,” Kainaliu is an old plantation town located 5 miles south of Kailua-Kona. If you, the traffic jam between Kailua and Kona that extends down the hills during heavy traffic hours has came to be referred to as “Kainaliu Crawl.” But the town itself is far from what this misleading phrase connotes. In fact, Kainaliu is one of those Big Island towns that remain undisturbed by urban development. Elevated at 1, 394 feet, it offers relaxing and peaceful atmosphere, away from the hubbub of urban life. There are no traffic lights to contend with, no crowd to distract you from communing with nature, or watching the oceanic expanse.

Kainaliu may be a small, old town, but it has the vintage Aloha Theater, which opened in 1932 originally as a silent theater. The theater continually showcases film, live music, and dance. The old plantation town is also now experiencing a bit of renascence. In addition to the old Japanese-family operated shops (like Oshima’s (built 1926) and Kimura’s (built 1927), refurbished storefronts and new restaurants, galleries, bookstores, boutiques, cafes, and specialty shops now dot the little town.

And though it may be just a small town, Kainaliu offers plenty of activities such as swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, mountain biking, and horseback riding. If you’re interested in the history of this region, the Kona Historical Society is also just a drive away.

Kainaliu’s population is so small it has not been included in national statistics yet. It is estimated though that the town has 1,467 inhabitants.

Kainaliu’s zip code is 96778.

Kainaliu in Bullet Points

Kainaliu Location

Kainaliu Map (top)

Kainaliu Weather (top)

Now
75°F
Windchill:
75°F
Cloudy
Location: Pahoa, HI, US
Wind: 7 mph NE
Humidity: 71%
Visibility: 0.1 mi
Pressure: 30.04 in rising
Sunrise: 6:31 am
Sunset: 5:40 pm Fri
Hi: 78°F
Low: 68°F
Showers
Sat
Hi: 79°F
Low: 68°F
Showers