Pahala

Pahala Review

About 16 mi east of Naalehu, beyond Punaluu Beach Park, Highway 11 sidesteps 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.

Wood Valley Temple. In Pahala you'll find Wood Valley Temple, a serene and beautiful Tibetan Buddhist temple dedicated by the Dalai Lama during his 1980 visit. Today, you can visit the temple, meditate, attend a service, browse the gift shop, or book lodging in the temple's guesthouse for a complete Buddhist retreat. 808/928-8539. www.nechung.org.