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Hello again!
I was wondering if anyone has any insider info on Opihiako or Waa Waa. My partner and I love these 2 areas and have stayed in both several times. What are the high and low points for the areas? I am a big fan of peace and quiet. I don't mind Coquis, but not a big fan of barking dogs, which I know can be a problem on the BI. Anyhoo, fire at will with the comments!
AKpilot
We're all here, because we're not all there!
We're all here, because we're not all there!
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Much of both of these areas is off the power grid. You are right, they are both beautiful areas.
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Really magical...I think problems with dogs, etc. will vary in both locations but they really are too pretty! Good luck.
Carrie
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Carrie Rojo
"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future..." Galadriel LOTR
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Keep in mind that all of Waa Waa is at low elevation, while Opihikao climbs from roughly 50 ft to 1,000 ft in elevation over several miles. I am personally a fan of the lower elevations (<500 ft) due to the generally sunnier weather and greater versatility of what you can grow.
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Just one note, if living in Waawaa...the one lane road does get bogged down with the school bus, on school days.... not major, but something to remember..
Don't go to the 'dogs' ( again : ) on Waa Waa Carrie ! : )
aloha,
pog
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Both are really beautiful, both are also two of the longer commutes from Puna if you have to go to work or shop in Hilo, or even Kea'au. I have a coworker who lives in Opihiakao, and much of the year it is dark when she leaves and dark when she gets home, so she really only gets to enjoy the beauty on the weekends.
If you work from home and need good internet it is very spotty all along the red road, so do your research. If you are retired, or earn your living off island, the commute wouldn't be an issue, but help in a medical or police emergency can take 45 minutes or more to get there. There are pros and cons to the whole off grid lifestyle, including isolation, but if you are from Alaska you probably already know that.
Parts of Waa Waa have tons of mosquitoes and the neighborhood is a little quirky, many people live there to get away from people, and aren't really interested in making friends with their neighbors, although in an emergency people down there tend to really pull together. Opihikao has a somewhat more transient population, more travelers and winter visitors and young people having their Hawaii adventure, but it also has a solid base of long term residents.
Good luck in your search for that right place.
Carol
edited to fix the typo
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
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Akpilot, we've lived in Waa Waa for over two years now. Where did you stay in Waa Waa when you were here?
As with most subdivisions, each road in Waa Waa has its own 'feel' to it in regards to the friendliness and/or approachability of your neighbors. People on our road tend to look out for one another, and with the exception of a few bad apples, it is a very pleasant place to live.
All of Waa Waa is off grid and there is no mail service. Aloha Broadband is good for internet throughout parts of Waa Waa. I need the internet for work, so a relatively fast connection is important to me. We had issues with Hughes for internet service. Mosquitoes aren't much of an issue once you clear many of the junk trees and brush from your property. You will still have mosquitoes at certain times of the day, but they won't be as numerous.
When they have been called in the past year or so, the police have shown up promptly within 20-30 minutes. Carey mentioned a school bus coming through Waa Waa, but there are no buses that come through Waa Waa.
Before purchasing a property here, I'd advise you to walk both roads in Waa Waa, and talk to everyone you see down here. I'd also advise you to check with the local internet companies to see if they can provide service to your lot, and check to see which cell phone provider can provide service to your lot.
Carol hit the nail on the head with the quirkyness of some of the people in Waa Waa, the isolation factor, and the off-grid lifestyle.
As for noise from barking dogs, there isn't much of that where we are in Waa Waa. We occasionally hear our neighbor's dogs bark for maybe a minute when they have visitors. Most of the noise we hear is chain saws, weed whackers, and/or mowers, with the occasional gunshots in the late afternoon or early morning if someone has killed a pig.
Wahine
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I was able to locate Waa Waa area on google but not Opihiako. I am curious about the location. Could someone please give me a nearby reference road or area? Thank you
Waa Waa is a beautiful area I'll bet! We only drove the Red Road while attempting to locate a snorkeling beach around Mango Grove that we were told of. Loved that road and all the sights!
Carol you brought up some very good points for consideration. The isolation is not a problem for us, nor the quirky neighborhood. Like you said coming from Alaska we are use to isolation and at times quirky behavior
BUT the info about fire, police, or medical services could be a future concern.
Off grid would help save on money out the door for electric needs. The internet would be a must for family communications, so its good to know we should check with a service provider first before committing to any parcel.
Num! Smoked piggyly wiggly
islandgirl
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Spelling is wrong. Try Opihikao to find on Google.
