Premium #30374

Uka Farm-Hawaii-Big Island-Family Home on Secluded 3 Acre Farm-15 minutes from Hilo Town

House • Hilo HI United States

    8 Guests   
    3 Bedrooms   
    5 Beds   
    2 Bathrooms   
    5 Car spaces  
    2 Cars available   
  Primary home

Exchange types accepted

  Simultaneous  
  Non-Simultaneous  
  Non-Reciprocal  

Statistics

Listed  May 2024
Views  2766

General Overview

Aloha! E komo mai! (Welcome in Hawaiian) Come experience the Hawaiian tropical rain forest! Our home has a large covered lanai (patio) where you can dine outside year-round. Our home has big windows in the living room and dining room so you can view nature out the windows. Our home lies next to a vast state owned land area so there is nature as far as you can see from our home which is very rare for being within the city of Hilo limits. Our home is located on 3 acres of agricultural land at 1,500 ft elevation so it will be cooler than down in Hilo town during the summer and air conditioning is not necessary. Just open all the windows and turn on the ceiling fans. The temperature is usually a pleasant 75 F (24 C) and it cools down somewhat at night. Our home was custom designed by us and includes native 'ohia tree poles holding up the roof structure. 'Ohia are the first trees to grow on new lava fields. The lava rock on the base of the pillars were hand laid by a local Hawaiian stone mason and were blessed in the traditional fashion before being brought to our home site. We have planted many native plant species on our property such as the 'ohia tree, kukui tree (candlenut tree) that the Hawaiians use the nut to make traditional lei, hala trees that the Hawaiian use for traditional weaving, and several varieties of ferns such as the hapu'u (Hawaiian tree fern), 'uluhe fern and warabi (a local edible fern) and other native plant varieties. We also grow papayas, bananas, avocado, sugar cane, taro and many other tropical varieties of fruit trees and plants. Due to the native plants and there being no road noise at our home, many native birds come to our property so you will see many different varieties of birds out the window and around the property. We have two hair sheep (not wool sheep) that look similar to goats. They will live in a fenced in paddock during your stay. They are shy but possibly may eat alfalfa pellets out of your hand. The sheep graze so they do not require any work from guests. We plan on having chickens by the winter of 2025 so you would be able to collect fresh eggs daily. Our property is next to rangeland so you will see cows occasionally wandering by grazing just over our fence. You will have lots of privacy at our home. We have one neighbor but the trees block the view between the houses. If you have kids they will enjoy seeing the variety of animals on our neighbor's properties. Most people have 3 acre lots in our area so you will spot sheep, cows, goats, horses and, of course, chickens and dogs on our neighbors' properties if you take a walk up our street. Our kitchen is fully equipped with a dishwasher, oven, electric stove, microwave, full size refrigerator and freezer and a variety of small kitchen appliances like a soda machine and rice cooker / automatic pressure cooker. If you have kids, we have plenty of toys and games. When comparing homes in Hawaii, the higher elevation homes such as ours are actually considered more desirable than those directly in town because higher elevation is not as hot. AC is not needed any time of the year at our home because the elevation keeps it cooler. We have beach gear for guest use including 2 paddleboards (regular king, not inflatable), 2 adult bodyboards, 1 little bodyboard, a variety of children and adult snorkeling gear, a beach wagon and a sun tent. And of course, beach towels too.

The Space

Our home has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The master bedroom has a new king size eco certified latex foam mattress and has an en suite bathroom with shower separate from the large bathtub and toilet. There is a bathroom with a shower with bathtub and toilet in the hallway. One child's room has a new twin size latex foam mattress with a twin size trundle underneath. This trundle frame can pop up to make a king size width bed (see photos of what this looks like before and after). There are also plenty of books on the bookshelf and adolescent games and toys in the closet. The second child's bedroom has a twin size bed with a new eco latex mattress, a kid's size desk and an adult size desk with an office chair. There is also a twin sized inflatable mattress but it will only fit in the master bedroom or living room. There is a futon in the living room also equipped with a eco latex mattress that is queen size (sleeps 2 adults) and very comfortable for sleeping. See photos of the beds for exact dimensions. You will feel immersed in tropical paradise as the coqui frogs sing you to sleep on warm nights. We completed a remodel in 2022 with new flooring and kitchen countertops. The carport area at our home and the dog area are covered as well as the deck (lanai). You will have access to all the rooms in our home except the master bedroom walk-in closet and a storage room off of the laundry room. The living quarters are 1,536 sq ft. The footprint of the entire single story home is 3,592 sq ft when the covered carport, lanai (deck) and covered dog areas are included. We also have baby and toddler gear such as 2 high chairs and booster seats, toilet seat reducers and stools, 2 portable cribs, and magnetic cupboard locks.

Guest Access

Our home is a single story home. There are three steps to enter the main part of the house and four steps to access the covered lanai (deck) from outside but no steps from the inside of the home.

Notes

We request a $150 cleaning fee for Globe / Pluto exchanges. We have a professional cleaner that comes before and after exchanges because we do many consecutive exchanges. This is exempted for reciprocal exchanges (simultaneous or non-simultaneous). We are limited in our travel schedule to our son's school vacation schedule. Our calendar reflects the only dates that our home is available for exchange. We have two dogs but we have them stay in a boarding kennel elsewhere while we are traveling. They live outside our home exclusively so there is no dog hair inside the house. If you love dogs and want to care for our dogs please let us know and we can discuss. If you want to then we may be able to offer you use of our vehicles in exchange.

Features


Washer
Washer
Dishwasher
Dishwasher
Clothes dryer
Clothes dryer
Oven
Oven
Microwave
Microwave
Fridge
Fridge
Iron
Iron
Hair dryer
Hair dryer
Heating
Heating
TV
TV
WiFi
WiFi
High Speed Internet
High Speed Internet
Bathtub
Bathtub
First aid kit
First aid kit
Smoke alarms
Smoke alarms
Fire extinguisher
Fire extinguisher
Bed sheets
Bed sheets
Towels
Towels
Workspace
Workspace
Toys
Toys
BBQ
BBQ
Garden / yard
Garden / yard
Covered porch / verandah
Covered porch / verandah
Bikes
Bikes
Kayak
Kayak
Standup paddleboard
Standup paddleboard

Travel Styles

    Weekend
    Adventure
    Family
    Sport and leisure
    Foodie
    Relaxing
    Eco
    Village
    Mountains
    Beach
    Tropical
    Culture
    Hiking

Accessibility

Single level 
Accessible door handles 
Accessible parking space 

House Rules

    Suitable for infants under 2
    Suitable for children ages 2-12
    Pets not allowed
    No smoking

Allergens

    Cat free
    Carpet free
    Smoke free
    Fragrance free
    Low allergen
    Hypoallergenic

Dates of Availability

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Neighbourhood

We live in a rural area of Hilo. Historic Downtown Hilo along the Hilo Bayfront is just a short 20 min drive away. University of Hawaii-Hilo is 13 minutes away and the commercial district with all the grocery stores and shops is 15 minutes away. So you will have the best of country living within the city of Hilo. There are many family friendly beaches in Hilo. Some of our favorites are Onekahakaha Beach and Carlsmith Beach where you almost always see sea turtles. For those who surf Honoli'i is a popular surfing beach as well as Richardson's Beach. Paddle boarding is best at Hilo Bay. We like to launch from Reed's Bay, a smaller bay attached to Hilo Bay. Hilo has two gorgeous parks along the bay: Wailoa River State Park and Liliuokalani Garden which connects to Coconut Island (Mokuola - the Hawaiian name). Such large park areas along the shoreline are rare in Hawaii due to the pressure to develop land near the ocean but the parkland is a result of two large tsunamis which destroyed Hilo during the last century. Redevelopment was banned along the bayfront afterwards and the beautiful parks were formed instead. There are restaurants in Hilo for dining and where you can get take-out food. Downtown Hilo has an open market where you can purchase fresh tropical produce. One of our favorite shops for local Hawaiian produce, meats and gifts is the Locavore Store where all the products are from the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the most popular destination on Hawaii Island (The Big Island). Kilauea Volcano can be viewed at the national park which is a 50 min drive (32 miles) from our home. Kilauea Volcano is currently erupting lava geysers on a weekly basis in the crater. This can be easily viewed from various lookouts from a safe distance without any hiking involved. There is plenty of recent volcanic activity to see in the national park if the volcano is not erupting when you come to visit. The tradewinds blow the volcanic gas from the volcano in the direction of Kona and on to the other Hawaiian Islands so Hilo typically has the lowest vog (volcanic gas) levels in the state. Our home is not in any danger from the Kilauea Volcano eruption. Attractions close to our home: Rainbow Falls in Hilo - 9 miles - 24 min Hilo Downtown Farmers Market - 9 miles - 20 min Akaka Falls State Park - 16 miles - 27 min Liliuokalani Park on Hilo Bay - 9 miles - 20 min Carlsmith Beach in Hilo - 12 miles - 27 min Onekahakaha Beach in Hilo - 12 miles - 26 min Richardson Beach in Hilo - 13 miles - 30 min Honoli'i Beach in Hilo for surfing or watching surfers - 11 miles - 25 min Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden and Reserve - 15 miles - 34 min Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - 32 miles - 49 mi Mauna Kea Visitor Center (for stargazing) - 39 miles - 52 min Kazumura Cave - 20 miles - 42 min Waipio Valley Overlook - 58 miles - 1 hr 20 min Ziplining over a waterfall (there's a couple places to go) - 23 miles - 38 min Scenic helicopter tours departing HIlo Airport - 12 miles - 27 min Various hiking on Saddle Road (the low part between the Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea - two huge volcanoes) - Trail names such as Kaumana Trail, Pu'u O'o Trail, Kaulana Manu Nature Trail - Approx 25 miles - 35 min Hilo has a population of 45,000 and is the 4th largest city in the state of Hawaii. It is known for its friendly and small town charm. It is also one of the most authentically Hawaiian towns in Hawaii with a large native Hawaiian population and it hosts annually the largest hula festival in the world. You also won't find crowded beaches and traffic jams like on the islands of Oahu, Maui and Kauai. Hawai'i Island (most commonly referred to as the Big Island) is big! So there's plenty of space to spread out here. So if you want to experience authentic Hawaii, come to Hilo! Hilo is on the windward side of the island so it is known for its tropical rain that keeps everything green and lush and for its warm, comfortable temperature year-round so no AC or even heaters are needed. Average temperatures year-round in Hilo are between 70°F and 75°F (21 and 24°C). Here's an article describing the vibe of Hilo town: https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/why-hilo-should-be-on-your-hawaii-travel-bucket-list/?fbclid=IwAR2b0_eNXYjN_K-xIxjfQSLNsSvyVBQspSJNk6fpWQKjB-Sl_7G4Q12Xqfk

Getting to my home

You will need a car for your stay at our home. We can offer vehicle exchanges as part of a simultaneous exchange or rental for non-simultaneous exchange. Please inquire about these options. We may possibly be able to leave our vehicle at either the Kona or Hilo airport for you.

Nearest airport

Hilo Airport is 10 miles (16 km) away (23 minute drive) The Kona airport is 1.5 hours away and a rental car would be needed unless we do a reciprocal exchange and leave our car at the Kona airport. There is no shuttle bus between the two sides of the island. When flying from outside of the state of Hawaii there are only nonstop flights to the Kona airport. If you fly to the Hilo airport you will need to change planes at the Honolulu International Airport or on Maui. There are flights every hour during the day from the Honolulu airport (HNL) to the Hilo airport (ITO) so island hopping is very easy.

Getting Around

You will need a car to stay at our home. Taxis are available to our home but it is not cheap (about $50 plus tip one way) and is only recommended for traveling to and from the Hilo airport.

Map of Approximate Location

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Feedback

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Premium


Melissa

We are a family with two kids (ages 12 and 5 years old). We are relatively new to PLU but we have been doing homes exchanges for about 5 years on another platform. All our exchanges have been done since our daughter was born (she's now 5) so our kids are well traveled and know to how to behave in others' homes. Since we've started home exchanges we've stayed in about 35 homes in 8 countries.
Travelling group
LGBTQ+ Friendly
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My Desired Destinations

30 May 2026 - 8 Jun 2026
"We would like to visit Visalia, CA or nearby area to visit Sequoia National Park for about a week the first week of June 2026. We can offer a simultaneous exchange or a non-simultaneous exchange for July 2026."

13 - 21 Mar 2027
"We would like to go on a family ski trip for a week in Park City, UT or a similar ski town suitable for beginners in North America for spring break of 2027. We can offer a non-simultaneous reciprocal exchange or a reciprocal exchange."

1 Jun 2027 - 31 Jul 2027
"We would like to travel to the Lake District, England in the months of June or July of 2027 for about 1-2 weeks. We can offer a non-simultaneous reciprocal exchange or reciprocal exchange."

1 Jun 2027 - 31 Jul 2027
"We would like to travel to London, England for about 2 weeks during the months of June or July of 2027. We can offer a non-simultaneous reciprocal exchange or reciprocal exchange. Please reach out!"

1 Jun 2027 - 31 Jul 2027
"We would like to travel to the Cotswolds, England for about 1-2 weeks during the months of June or July of 2027. Please reach out if interested in a non-simultaneous reciprocal or reciprocal exchange!"

Dates Flexible
"Melissa is from Portland, OR so we travel there a couple times a year. Please reach out and we can arrange for a simultaneous or non-simultaneous exchange. We also accept Globes so we could use Globes for your home."

Dates Flexible
"We would enjoy spending anywhere from 3 days to 1 week on Molokai. Please reach out and we can arrange for a simultaneous or non-simultaneous exchange. We also accept Globes so we could use Globes for your home."

14 - 22 Mar 2026
"We'd like to go on a ski vacation in Bend, OR or a community close to Mt. Bachelor during spring break of 2026. We could do simultaneous exchange then or you could come in June or July 2024 to our home in Hawaii for a non-simultaneous exchange."

3 - 11 Oct 2026
"We would like to do an exchange in New York City during our school fall break of 2026. We can do a simultaneous exchange then or for a non-simultaneous exchange."

30 May 2026 - 8 Jun 2026
"We would like to come to Bar Harbor, Maine for about 1 week during the first week of June 2026. We can do a simultaneous exchange then or non-simultaneous exchange during July 2026."

30 May 2026 - 8 Jun 2026
"We would like to visit Molokai for about a week during the first week of June 2026. We can offer a simultaneous exchange or a non-simultaneous exchange for July 2026."

3 - 11 Oct 2026
"We would like to visit Argentina during our son's fall break Oct. 3 - Oct. 11, 2026 for about a week. We are open to spending another week exploring some other location in Argentina. We can do a simultaneous exchange or a non-simultaneous exchange."

30 May 2026 - 8 Jun 2026
"We would like to visit Banff or Canmore in early June of 2026 for about a week. We need to be home by June 8th. We can do a simultaneous exchange or you can come to Hawaii for a non-simultaneous exchange for spring break in March or July 2026."

1 Jun 2027 - 31 Jul 2027
"We would like to come to Scotland for 1-2 weeks during the June or July of 2027. We would like to see nature and experience Scottish culture. We are open to the location. We can do a simultaneous exchange or you can come June or July 2024 for a non-sim."

29 May 2027 - 31 Jul 2027
"We would like to come to Alaska for 1.5 - 2 weeks in June or July 2027. We can offer a simultaneous exchange or a non-simultaneous exchange for July 2026."

19 Dec 2026 - 4 Jan 2027
"We would like to visit Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile for about 1 - 2 weeks from Dec. 19, 2026 - Jan. 4, 2027. We are also open to visiting other areas in Chile. We can do a simultaneous exchange or a non-simultaneous exchange for earlier dates."

3 - 11 Oct 2026
"We are interested in coming to see the amusement parks in Orlando for our son's fall break: Oct. 3-11, 2026. Reach out if you want to do a simultaneous or non-simultaneous exchange."

13 - 21 Mar 2027
"We are interested in doing a family snow vacation in Sun Peaks, BC or similar ski area in British Columbia suitable for kids who are beginners. Ideally for reciprocal exchange but we can also offer a Globe."

3 - 10 Oct 2026
"We'd like to visit Tahiti for the first time for our school fall break from Oct. 3-10, 2026. Nonstop flights between Honolulu and Papeete are on Saturdays on Hawaiian Airlines."

3 - 11 Oct 2026
"We'd like to visit my aunt and uncle in San Diego for our fall school break from approx. Oct. 3-Oct. 11, 2026. Reach out if you want to come to Hilo for a reciprocal or non-simultaneous reciprocal exchange."

30 May 2026 - 8 Jun 2026
"We'd like to visit Tahiti for approx 1 week in early June of 2026. Please reach out if you are interested in a reciprocal or non-simultaneous reciprocal exchange. Nonstop flights between Honolulu and Papeete on Hawaiian Airlines are on Saturdays."

3 - 8 Jul 2026
"We're looking for a simulaneous or non-simultaneous exchange in Seattle or the Seattle metro area over the 4th of July weekend. We're hoping to get tickets to the FIFA World Cup game on July 6th and visit my brother's family in Sammamish."

13 - 19 Jul 2026
"We're looking for a simulaneous or non-simultaneous exchange for 5-7 nights on the Oregon Coast between Seaside and Girabaldi. Manzanita would be ideally located but we're flexible on location. Ideally in mid-July but the exact dates are flexible."

26 - 28 Dec 2025
"We're looking to stay in the Mt. Hood area for a couple nights possibly with my brother's family also so there may be 4 adults and 5 young kids (meaning some could sleep on the floor). My Hawaii kids would love to play in the snow with their cousins!"

30 May 2026 - 8 Jun 2026
"We would like to visit McKinleyville or Arcata, CA during the first week of June 2026. We can offer a sim exchange or a non-sim exchange in July 2026. If this year doesn't work then we can come June 2027. We want to see the redwoods without crowds."

6 Jun 2027 - 24 Jul 2027
"We're interested in visiting Norway near fjords in June or July 2027 for 1-2 weeks. We can offer a non-simultaneous reciprocal exchange at our home in July 2026 or a sim or non-sim reciprocal exchange in June or July 2027."

13 Jun 2027 - 24 Jul 2027
"We're interested in visiting Berlin for about 1-2 weeks in June or July of 2027. We can offer our home for a non-simultaneous exchange for July 2026 or sim or non-sim exchange in June or July 2027. Melissa spricht fliessend Deutsch! Schreib mal!"

5 - 7 Jul 2026
"Grant wants to visit Port Townsend to see a good friend by himself. He's looking for just a couple nights."

6 Jun 2027 - 24 Jul 2027
"We would like to visit Austria for 1-2 weeks in a scenic area near mountains and trees in June or July 2027. We can offer a non-sim exchange in July 2026 or a sim or non-sim exchange in June or July 2027. Melissa spricht fliessend Deutsch. Schreib mal!"

6 Jun 2027 - 24 Jul 2027
"We would like to visit Vienna in June or July 2027 for about 1-2 weeks. We can offer a non-sim reciprocal exchange in July 2026 or a sim or non-sim exchange in June or July 2027. Melissa spricht fliessend Deutsch. Schreib ruhig auf deutsch!"

Dates Flexible
"I'd like to travel with my paraplegic friend to New York City for 1-1.5 weeks. Our dates are flexible but not June or July. She requires complete wheelchair accessbility so no steps and requires an accessible bathroom that fits a wheelchair."

6 Jun 2027 - 24 Jul 2027
"We're interested in visiting Iceland for about 2 weeks. Due to the time difference a visit during our summer break in June or July of 2027 is preferred. A non-simultaneous reciprocal exchange for July 2026 is possible."

14 - 22 Mar 2026
"We're interested in traveling to Costa Rica for either our spring break 2026 or 2027 for 1-2 weeks or during winter break of 2026-27 for 2 weeks. Please reach out if you are interested in coming to visit the Big Island of Hawaii!"

19 Dec 2026 - 4 Jan 2027
"We'd like to visit Okinawa for our school winter break 2026-27 or spring break 2027 (March 13-21, 2027). Grant started an Okinawan cultural non-profit organization and he is especially interested in cultural experiences."

30 May 2026 - 8 Jun 2026
"We would like to do a simultaneous, non-sim reciprocal or Globe exchange on Kauai during the first week of June 2026."