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 & Globe  

Statistics

Listed  May 2024
Views  1277

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. There is a view of a grassy pasture and on a clear day you can see Hilo and the ocean in the distance. 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 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.

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 its own bathroom with shower separate from the large bathtub and toilet. There is a bathroom with a shower with bathtub and toilet in the hallway. We have a toddler bed (or it can be converted to a crib) and changing table in the master bedroom if you have an infant. We also have an additional portable crib if you need it. The child's room has a new twin size latex foam mattress with a child size desk and table and plenty of books on the bookshelf. 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. There is a very utilitarian office in the hallway. This is listed as as the third bedroom. A twin size (single) inflatable air mattress can be used in that room to make it a bedroom. 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 the 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.

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).

Notes

We request a $150 cleaning fee for Globe 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.

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

    Long term
    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. There is plenty of recent volcanic activity to see in the national park. 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 star gazing) - 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.

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 hours during the day from the Honolulu to Hilo 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 from 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 11 and 4 years old). We are new PLU but we have been doing homes exchanges for about 4 years on another platform. All our exchanges have been done since our daughter was born (she's now 4) 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 25 homes in 6 countries.
Travelling group
LGBTQ+ friendly
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Desired Destinations

Jan 2 - 11, 2025
"We are looking for a non-simultaneous or globe exchange in the Bay of Islands or in Northland of the North Island of New Zealand from Jan. 2-11th for a short stay of 3 nights minimum or up to the entire time."

Dec 21, 2024 - Jan 5, 2025
"We will be on the North Island of New Zealand during this time and we are looking for short exchanges of around 3-5 nights during this time. We can offer our home for a simultaneous or non-simultaneous exchange."

Jun 26, 2025 - Jul 15, 2025
"We will be doing a long home exchange near Aix-en-Provence from June 26th-July 15th and we are looking for short globe exchanges or non-simultaneous reciprocal exchanges of about 3 nights in or near any of the following places: Arles, Avignon or Nimes."

May 31, 2026 - Jun 11, 2026
"We would like to visit Visalia, CA or nearby area to visit Sequoia National Park for about a week in early June of 2026. Non-simultaneous reciprocal exchanges will be accepted in exchange for this."

Oct 4 - 12, 2025
"We would like to travel to the Washington, DC metro area for our fall break on 2025. Melissa used to live in Washington, DC. The dates will most likely be Oct. 4-12, 2025. We will accept reciprocal or non-simultaneous reciprocal exchanges for these dates."

Mar 14 - 22, 2026
"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 2026. We can offer a non-simultaneous reciprocal exchange or a reciprocal exchange."

Jun 1, 2027 - Jul 31, 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."

Jun 1, 2027 - Jul 31, 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!"

Jun 1, 2027 - Jul 31, 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."

Mar 14 - 22, 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."

Oct 4 - 12, 2025
"We would like to do an exchange in New York City during our school fall break of 2025. We can do a simultaneous exchange then or for a non-simultaneous exchange when you come in June or July of 2024 in exchange for us coming to New York City in Oct. 2025."

May 31, 2026 - Jun 11, 2026
"We would like to come to Bar Harbor, Maine for about 1 - 1.5 weeks during early June of 2026. We can do a simultaneous exchange then or non-simultaneous exchange before then in exchange for these dates."

Jul 6, 2026 - Aug 2, 2026
"We would like to come to Molokai for about a week sometime in the month of July of 2026 during summer break in exchange for a reciprocal exchange at our home in Hilo. We are also open to weekend exchanges for 3 nights or more before then."

Oct 4 - 12, 2025
"We would like to visit Argentina during Oct. 4 - Oct. 12, 2025 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."

May 31, 2026 - Jun 11, 2026
"We would like to visit Banff in early June of 2026 for about a week - 1.5 weeks. We need to be home by June 11th. We can do a simultaneous exchange or you can come to Hawaii for a non-simultaneous exchange in June or July of 2024."

Jun 1, 2027 - Jul 31, 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."

Jul 6 - 31, 2026
"We would like to come to Alaska for 1.5 - 2 weeks in July of 2026. We are open to locations. We can do a simultaneous exchange or a non-simultaneous exchange for June or July of 2024 at our home in Hawaii."

Dec 19, 2026 - Jan 4, 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."