Laupahoehoe

Laupahoehoe is a picturesque village on the Big Island's Hamakua Coast, known for its rugged coastline, lush greenery, and the historic Laupahoehoe Point. Once a thriving sugar town, it now honors its heritage with a train museum and a moving memorial to the 1946 tsunami victims.

Laupahoehoe, Big Island

Laupahoehoe, meaning "leaf of lava," is a small village on Big Island's Hamakua Coast offering breathtaking ocean vistas – breaking waves, craggy lava rocks and lush vegetation. With this scenic beauty, one would never imagine that the town keeps one tragic past.

On April Fool's Day, 1946, a tsunami hit the state of Hawaii, and the Big Island's windward coast was hit the hardest. A total of 159 people were killed, including 21 schoolchildren and three teachers in Laupahoehoe. A memorial has been erected in their memory at the Laupahoehoe Point Park. In the following years, the village was relocated to higher ground.

Laupahoehoe used to be a sprawling sugar plantation town in the past. But even government subsidies couldn't keep the sugar industry afloat. The last mill in this area was forced to shut down in 1996. Today, a new crop is being planted here – eucalyptus trees.

If you are interested in more history, visit the Laupahoehoe Train Museum, which offers mementos and photographs documenting the history of the sugar era and the Hawaii Consolidated Railroad. The museum is located near the Laupahoehoe scenic overlook on Mamalahoa Highway.

Key Features of Laupahoehoe

• Scenic coastline: Offers dramatic ocean views with crashing waves, lava rocks, and lush vegetation
• Historic tsunami site: Laupahoehoe Point Park includes a memorial to the 1946 tsunami victims
• Laupahoehoe Train Museum: Displays artifacts and photos from the sugar era and the old Hawaii Consolidated Railroad
• Relocated village: Original settlement moved inland after the 1946 tsunami for safety
• Population: 1,147 (2020 Census)
• Zip code: 96764