About 16 mi east of Naalehu, beyond Punaluu Beach Park, Highway 11 flashes past this little town. You'll miss it if you blink. Pahala is a perfect example of a sugar-plantation town. Behind it, along a wide cane road, you enter Wood Valley, once a prosperous community, now just a road heavily scented by eucalyptus trees, coffee blossoms, and night-blooming jasmine. Here you'll find Wood Valley Temple (808/928-8539. www.nechung.org), a serene and beautiful Tibetan Buddhist temple dedicated by the Dalai Lama during his 1980 visit. Today, you can explore the gardens and the temple, attend a service, or book lodging in the Temple's guesthouse for a complete Buddhist retreat.
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