Shaken by quakes, the Big Island bounces back

Hawai'i received an unpleasant wake-up call on the morning of Oct. 15, 2006: an earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale off the west side of the Big Island, followed 7 minutes later by a 6.0 temblor. While no lives were lost, several major landmarks on the island of Hawai'i were severely damaged, including the Kohala Coast's iconic Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, which finally reopened this spring, and Hulihe'e Palace in Kailua-Kona, which resumed tours just two weeks ago. The earthquake also put an end to Flumin' Da Ditch, a company that led kayak tours down the old sugarcane irrigation flumes in North Kohala, an area particularly hard hit by the shaking.

North Kohala had already suffered economically from the closure of its last sugar plantation in 1975, so there was seemingly not much left for visitors beside the beautiful scenic overlook of Pololū Valley at the end of the highway and the original statue of King Kamehameha I in Kapa'au. But fortunately for residents and sightseers, this lush region with views of Maui is showing signs of new growth, which make it even more worth your while to linger here. Here are the highlights of North Kohala's post-quake revival:

What to do: Enjoying the scenery and rough-water beaches of North Kohala is free, but some may find guided adventures worth the splurge. The steep ravines, dense tree canopy and flowing waterfalls of North Kohala attracted Big Island Eco Adventures almost a year ago to set up the island's first zipline course, including eight ziplines, two bridge crossings (one wooden, one suspension) and views of three waterfalls. Homemade snacks and locally grown fruit are served at a waterfall overlook on the four-hour trek, which costs $159. The 10-passenger all-terrain Humvees and Pinzgauers leave hourly from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Saturday from a small building next to the Kohala Village Inn in Hawi Town; be sure to make a reservation.

If you'd rather walk than zip, Hawai'i Forest and Trail offers a relatively easy hike through North Kohala's backcountry, with a half-dozen waterfalls as the prime incentive. The trail, which had to be extensively repaired after the 2006 earthquake, crosses over old sugarcane flumes, around historic taro patches (which the company is maintaining) and through verdant forests along the way to a swim at the final waterfall. The company shuttles guests from its offices in Kona and the Waikoloa Queen's Marketplace to the old Kohala Mule Station near the Pololū Valley overlook, where the 12 passengers can snap a few photos before hopping into a Pinzgauer for a ride past placid cattle to the trailhead. Including a "deli-style" lunch (sandwiches, chips, fruit) and the pick-up and drop-off drive along the Kohala Coast, the tour lasts 8 hours and costs $149 for adults, $119 for ages 12 and under.

What to see: Like Hulihe'e Palace, the similarly built Kalāhikiola Congregational Church in Kapa'au, dedicated in 1855, took quite a drubbing from the 2006 quake. While it has yet to reopen, the major repairs to the tall-steepled church are almost done, and services have continued at an adjacent building. The finishing touch may be restoring the stones originally mounted to the 'ōhi'a timber frame with mortar made from sand; they tumbled down during the earthquake and now lie in heaps behind the church. The congregation hopes to have a "soft" reopening on Thanksgiving Sunday, Nov. 22, with a formal rededication in early 2010.