Leslie Karst

10 Things You Might Not Know About The Orchid Isle

As you may know, the “Orchid Isle” is the nickname for the Island of Hawai‘i, where my new mystery series is set and where I’ve lived half time for the past seventeen years.

a Big Island beach

It gets its moniker, “the Big Island,” for two reasons: First, calling it by its official name, “Hawai‘i,” would be confusing, since that’s also the name of the state. And second, it truly is “big” compared to the other main islands of the state, which put all together would not be as large as the island of Hawai‘i.

I came up with the idea for my Orchid Isle mystery series as I thought back about how surprised I’d been on my very first visit to Hawai‘i at how different the Big Island was from what I’d imagined it would be from all the Hollywood movies and glossy tourist brochures I’d seen over the years. But it was different in a captivating, almost magical way, largely because of the island’s active volcanoes. The presence of those volcanoes has shaped not only the island’s geology, flora, and fauna, but also the culture of those who’ve lived here ever since the intrepid Polynesians made the long voyage from the South Pacific to the archipelago by outrigger canoe some eight hundred years ago.

Leslie at the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa

And the history of immigration to the Hawaiian islands has led to a society all its own. Long after the original Polynesians came the whalers, then the missionaries and other haoles, who ended up in control of vast sugarcane and pineapple plantations. Next came wave after wave of workers brought in to work those plantations, including Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and Filipinos. As a result, the Big Island is now one of the most culturally diverse places in all the country.

So when I set out to write a cozy mystery set on the Big Island, my biggest desire, in addition to of course crafting a compelling mystery story, was to bring to readers a picture of what the place is truly like—not for tourists, but for those who actually live here.

hula dancers at Volcanoes National Park

My newest Orchid Isle mystery, book two in the series—Waters of Destruction—releases on April 1st, and so I thought it would be fun to share with you today ten things about the Big Island that you might not know:

1. It’s home to eight of the thirteen total climate zones that exist on earth, from humid/tropical on the lush windward side of the island to polar/tundra atop the frigid slopes of Maunakea. So no matter whatever is your pleasure climate-wise, you’re bound to find it here.

2. There are five volcanoes on the Big Island—two of which are active (three, if you count Hualālai, which looms over the tourist town of Kailua-Kona and last erupted in 1801—just yesterday, in geologic terms).

3. The rainiest town in the United States (Hilo) is on the Big Island, just a hour-and-a-half drive from one of the driest spots in the country, on the Kohala Coast.

4. Measured from its base upon the sea floor to its peak, Mauna Loa is the second-tallest mountain on earth, with a total height of 9.17km (5km of which is underwater).

5. The coconut palm is likely not native to the Hawaiian Islands, but rather was brought there by Polynesian voyagers some 800 years ago as one of the “canoe plants” they took to their new home. Other canoe plants include ti, banana, taro, sweet potato, and sugar.

6. All of the some fifty species and subspecies of Hawaiian Honeycreepers endemic to Hawai‘i are ancestors of a single, large, mixed-sex flock of common rosefinches that likely arrived from Asia some 7.2 million years ago.

7. The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago made up of 132 islands, atolls, reefs, shallow banks, shoals, and seamounts stretching over 1,500 miles from the island of Hawai‘i in the southeast to Kure Atoll in the northwest.

8. Since the 1960s, NASA has used the lava fields of Mauna Loa for astronaut training. The jagged, rocky ground is similar to the Martian and lunar surface, and is the perfect place to master the moon walk.

9. A small portion of the Big Island is technically part of Britain. The bay where English Captain James Cook was killed is marked by a 27-foot-tall obelisk surrounded by a small parcel of cordoned off land. A 19th century Hawaiian princess gifted the site to the British government, who still owns and maintains it as a tract of sovereign soil.

10. The Wailuku River originates high upon the slopes of Maunakea and passes through Hilo before entering the sea. Its Hawaiian name translates to “waters of destruction,” and on average at least one person dies in its treacherous waters each year.

the Wailuku River after a heavy rainfall—waters of destruction, indeed!

So hopefully you can visit the beautiful Orchid Isle yourself some day—and if not, at least do some armchair traveling to this magnificent place by reading Waters of Destruction and Molten Death!

Aloha!

Readers: Have you ever been to Hawai’i? Or any other tropical locale?

31 thoughts on “10 Things You Might Not Know About The Orchid Isle”

  4. Leslie, I always love your cool photos from Paradise–you are such a talented and creative photog! But I did not know most of these facts. I particularly love the NASA fact. Wow. And also that there is a little bit of the UK in your state.

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  5. Leslie, this was fascinating! Loved it and can’t wait to read your new book.

    I adore Hawaii. I’ve been three times – to Oahu, Kauai, and Maui. My dream is to go to The Big Island because I go for the spectacular beauty and not the beaches so much and it feels like there’s lot of that on the Orchid Isle.

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  6. Shanks for the super cool lesson Leslie! What an incredible home you have. I’ve never been, but would love to someday. I’ve been to Puerto Rico, though and would go back tomorrow if I could.

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  9. I really enjoyed my visit there three and a half years ago. (That, long?! I guess it’s time to go back.)

    Just starting your new book today. Looking forward to it.

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  10. I sure miss the days when I could hop over to Hawaii from California; it’s a really long flight from Texas! I’ve been to the Big Island twice, and the second time I saw your book in the volcano visitor center. There really is something so magical about the Orchid Isle! Of course, a lot of my favorite places were recommended by you, like the gorgeous botanical garden.

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  11. My husband and I have never been to Hawaii though we used to go to San Francisco every year to attend an Art Deco Market after Thanksgiving in the 1980s and 1990s. We are getting too old to do it now and do not want to board our puppy and it is a long way from Georgia now and Texas before. But I love your books and will live through you. Thank you for writing such good books for me to read.

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  12. Hi Leslie, for these fun facts about Hawaii Big Island – it’s on our bucket list. We went to Oahu in 2022 and we loved it! Love the island, the people , the food, and everything! – Emily

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  13. I know all of those facts, but I lived in Hawai’i (on Oahu) from 1969-1997. My family also lived in Hawai’i from 1956-1960 (my USAF Dad was stationed there) and my brother and sister were born there. My sister has lived on the Big Island (in Kapa’au) for many years now (she never left Hawai’i once we moved back in 1969). The Big Island is my favorite place in the world, and I so want to go back. My nieces are part Hawai’ian, as are my grand-nieces and grand-nephew. Also, one of my grand-nieces is a paniolo – she has been riding horses almost since she could stand, and she participates in rodeos. Something you didn’t mention – Parker Ranch is one of the oldest cattle ranches in the country, pre-dating most ranches on the Mainland. It’s also one of the largest ranches in the country. I read Molten Death and loved it. I read it slowly, because it took me home. I actually read a lot of the dialog out loud to myself, just to hear the local talk. I’m looking forward to the new book, which comes out on my birthday!

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  14. I love visiting the Big Island. Thanks for the fun facts. On a recent visit, a friend gave me the nickname Hualālai because nearly every day it has its head in the clouds. Do you think they were trying to tell me something?

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  15. Leslie! This is an amazing post, and I learned so much–thank you. And the picture of you in front of the eruption is incredible–WOW! It looks so dangerous! (Glad you’re safe, you brave author, you.)

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