Aloha! If you are looking to experience the more rural and authentic side of Hawai'i, we would be honored to host you in our simple but cozy bungalow in the jungles of Hawai'i Island! Enjoy the lush scenery and beautiful views of Rainbow Eucalyptus from the bungalow deck or the nearby pool/hot tub. Kick back and relax on the comfy king bed or plush couch after a day of exploring Hilo town, Volcano National Park, and the waterfalls & multicolor sand beaches of the Big Island! Our Hale Pau Hana bungalow ("work done, time to play!") is situated on 5 lush acres on the windward side of the Big Island. It features: • 1 bedroom with new King bed and plenty of storage space for clothes. NOTE: While we are happy to accommodate up to 4 guests, there is only 1 proper bed. Other sleeping options available upon request include a queen air mattress or twin memory foam mattress for the floor, or a small crib for infants. • 1 bathroom with walk-in shower and eco-friendly but rustic COMPOSTING TOILET **For information about this toilet and how it functions, please scroll down to the 'Other things to note' section below** • Open living room/kitchen space with dining table, oversized couch, and LED TV. • Large back deck with lounge chairs, gas grill, dining table, and hammock, and a peak-a-boo ocean horizon view through the nearby Rainbow Eucalyptus. • Access to the pool and hot tub located off of the main house occupied by property owners. Though the pool/hot tub is SHARED with owners, you will usually have it all to yourselves during the hours it is available to guests (sunrise to 9:00 pm daily). Kitchen appliances include a full-sized fridge/freezer, microwave, Cuisinart double-burner countertop hot plate, coffee maker, toaster, and all the dishes and cookware that we thought you may need. An on-demand water heater supplies the hot water, while a wall unit air-conditioner cools the whole space down if needed. A variety of fruit trees are scattered throughout the property, including Papaya, Banana, Orange, Tangerine, Grapefruit, Lime, Guava, Coconut, and Starfruit. Our guests are welcome to any fruits that are ripe and in-season during their stay. Being on the slopes of Mauna Loa means we are at a pleasant elevation that results in warm ~but not overly hot~ days and cool nights: The max is usually mid/upper 70s daytime and low/mid 60s at night. The few acres around our main house and the bungalow are a mixture of landscaped and natural foliage, while the lower couple of acres are left in mother nature’s hands. We consider ourselves very lucky to have multiple mature and colorful Rainbow Eucalyptus trees on our land, whose beauty we hope you will enjoy just as much as we do! Guests are welcome to explore the grounds around the bungalow, as well as use the pool and hot tub located off of the main house. We ask that guests not enter the gated back yard of the main house without permission. Hosts own and live on the property full time, and are always available either in-person or via phone should guests have any questions or concerns during their stay. We are often outdoors doing projects or property maintenance, and guests are always welcome to say "aloha" and visit. We love meeting new people and talking about this wonderfully unique and diverse island, and are always happy to share tips or advice on things to do or see! **COMPOSTING TOILET** WHAT IS IT? The toilet is of European design and works WITHOUT water or use of a septic system. It's basically like a fancy out-house, but with a bit more comfort and better odor-control ;) Please consider whether you would be comfortable with this more rustic-style of bathroom before booking! HOW DOES IT FUNCTION? Liquid waste will go through a grate at the front of the toilet and be filtered to the outside of the bungalow where it will evaporate/water nearby plants. Solid waste will fall through the trap door towards the back of the toilet (that will automatically slide open when weight is applied to the seat) and into a bucket lined with biodegradable plastic bags that can be removed and composted. Toilet paper may be disposed of through the trap door and into the bucket as well. DO YOU HAVE TO EMPTY IT YOURSELF? NO, you do not have to empty the toilet yourself; we will take care of that! We've found that replacing the composting bag every 4th day or so during heavy use seems best, but should you feel the toilet needs to be emptied more or less frequently, we are happy to do so :) DOES IT SMELL? Since the trap door remains shut at all times when the toilet is not in use, and there is an electric fan system within the toilet that vents air up a pipe and out through the roof of the bungalow, there are generally little to no odors present in the bathroom when the toilet is not actively being used. It can smell a bit when you are actually SITTING on the toilet and doing your business, but what toilet doesn't?! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WEATHER: Yes, being on the lush and jungle-y East side of the island means it DOES rain. Most of the time rain is confined to evening/overnight/early morning showers and we experience lovely weather the rest of the day... but there are times where it will rain most/all of the day, sometimes for several days in a row (and some months are historically wetter/dryer than others, so we recommend doing your research on climate before traveling here!). If it IS rainy here on the East side, it is almost always dry and sunny on the West 'Kona' side of the island, so you can always cruise over there to explore and spend the day. ENVIRONMENT: Much of East Hawai’i is inhabited by geckos, lizards, Coqui frogs, a variety of birds and insects, and wild chickens & pigs - and our property is no exception! You will be serenaded by the tiny-but-mighty Coqui frogs every evening, and we would highly recommend YouTubing a video showcasing their singing if you are unfamiliar with them to see if it agrees with you. Our property is in the middle of farmland, so many of our neighbors have chickens/dogs/sheep/cows/geese that will also be making their own noises from time to time. You may occasionally find a gecko climbing the walls inside of the bungalow, but they are polite and adorable little house guests that keep to themselves. EXTRAS: Surfboards, limited snorkel gear, camping equipment, personally guided excursions to special sites, or anything else that may make your visit more enjoyable, we are likely to be able to provide - please contact us for more info. This experience blends comfort with real untamed rural Hawaii. Rough/unstable/slippery terrain, pools, falling branches/fronds/coconuts, wildlife, natural disasters and adventure activities have inherent risks. Use of the property, amenities and all extras is strictly at the discretion of our guests, who assume all associated risks. Entry keypad code will provided; hosts are not responsible for theft or loss of personal property. Guests are wholly responsible for any damages to the property or loss of inventory. Lastly, our nightly pricing has been lowered to account for the Transient Accommodation Tax (TAT) of 10.25% that is required in Hawai'i, and which will be collected through AirBnB. Our TAT Tax ID #: TA-024-008-9600-01