Pa'auhau
Pa'auhau is a tiny historic town on the Big Island's Hamakua Coast, once home to an innovative sugar plantation. Known for its unique gravity-powered tram system that transported sugarcane down coastal cliffs, Pa'auhau today is a peaceful community with panoramic ocean views and a rich plantation-era past.
Pa'auhau, Big Island
For those who really like to get off the beaten track, this tiny community is worth a visit. Though you won't find any tourist services or lodging to speak of, Pa'auhau does have an interesting history.
During the late 1800s, Pa'auhau served as a small settlement for workers on the adjacent sugar plantation. The plantation featured a unique mode of transporting sugarcane from the fields. Some of the fields were located at an elevation of 1,900 feet (580 m) and extended all the way to the ocean. The mill itself was located on a bluff 400 feet (122 m) above sea level. To get the sugarcane from the fields to the mill, a gravity railroad system was built.
After the harvest, the cane was loaded onto wagons and then onto tramcars. Double railroad tracks led from the fields downhill to the mill. As each full car moved down the cliff by gravity, a second empty car would be drawn up the cliff by cable connections on a parallel track to be loaded again. This worked out so well that the plantation later had five such tramcars. Each one of them was able to transport 300 tons of sugarcane in 10 hours.
In 1910, the Pa'auhau plantation became one of the first fully irrigated plantations on the island. Each day, 20,000,000 gallons of water were delivered by the Hawaiian Irrigation Company. A year later, two reservoirs were built to help conserve water. The plantation was eventually sold to Honoka'a Sugar Company in 1972 until it shut down permanently in 1994.
Pa'auhau is located two miles northeast of Honoka'a at an altitude of 420 feet (128 m) above sea level.
Key Features of Pa'auhau
- Historic sugar plantation innovation: Featured a gravity railroad system that hauled sugarcane from 1,900 ft elevation to a mill on a 400 ft cliff
- Fully irrigated plantation site: Among the first on the Big Island to receive 20 million gallons of water daily starting in 1910
- Scenic coastal location: Nestled on the northeastern shoreline with expansive views and quiet rural charm
- Nearby towns: Located just two miles northeast of Honoka'a on the Hamakua Coast
- Minimal commercial footprint: No major tourist amenities - ideal for those seeking off-the-beaten-path exploration
- Zip code: 96727
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Frequently Asked Questions
What made Pa'auhau's sugar plantation unique?
Pa'auhau featured a gravity-powered tram system where full sugarcane cars would descend by gravity, pulling empty ones uphill via cable. This allowed 300 tons of cane to be moved in just 10 hours.
Was the plantation irrigated?
Yes, starting in 1910, the plantation received 20 million gallons of water per day from the Hawaiian Irrigation Company, making it one of the first fully irrigated plantations on the Big Island.
What is the setting like in Pa'auhau today?
Pa'auhau is a peaceful rural village with ocean views, scenic landscapes, and remnants of its plantation history. It's ideal for quiet sightseeing or photography but lacks tourist infrastructure.
Where is Pa'auhau located?
It's situated on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island, just two miles northeast of Honoka'a at about 420 feet above sea level.