Kapaau, Big Island

Kapaau at a Glance

Located on the northern tip of the Big Island just a few meters away from Keokea Park Beach is the small historical village of Kapaau. Kapaau’s greatest pride is in being the birthplace of the great Hawaiian King Kamehameha, who famously unified all Hawaiian islands under his rule. Each spring, Kapaau honors the king with parade, women dressing as princesses, games, and festivities. The festivity ends with a lei-draping ceremony of Kamehameha’s statue. The statue, in fact, is the town’s one claim to fame. Forged in Italy, the statue was being transported to Honolulu when the vessel that ferried it sank at sea. By the time it was recovered in a junk shop, Honolulu had already erected a replacement. The original Kamehameha statue was then brought to Kapaau.

Kapaau also has Hawaii’s largest excavation site, the Lapakahi State Historical Park. Located along the coast to Kapaau, this historical site showcases the remains of a 600-year old fishing village. On the other hand, Kapaau also has a fair share of modernity and idyllic beauty. This former sugar town is now packed with boutiques, art galleries, and parks. It also offers lush mountain views, breathtaking seascapes, and ocean waters ideal for swimming and scuba diving.

The latest 2007 census survey enlisted 1, 345 residents in Kapaau. A melting pot of cultures, the community is home to Asians, Caucasians, Hispanics, American Indians, Asians, and Native Hawaiians.

In 2007, the town’s average household income was estimated at $68,000. This figure exceeded the state average of $63,746. Also, only 7.8% of the population were below poverty level--- a figure lower than the state average of 10.7%).

Kapaau’s zip code is 69755.

Kapaau in Bullet Points

Kapaau Location

Kapaau Map (top)

Kapaau Weather (top)

Now
68°F
Windchill:
68°F
Mostly Cloudy
Location: Kapaau, HI, US
Wind: 8 mph W
Humidity: 43%
Visibility: 0.07 mi
Pressure: 30.17 in falling
Sunrise: 6:27 am
Sunset: 6:33 pm Fri
Hi: 79°F
Low: 69°F
Partly Cloudy
Sat
Hi: 80°F
Low: 70°F
Partly Cloudy