Gingerhill Farm Retreat

We had an absolutely fantastic stay at Gingerhill! 5 out of 5 stars, 2 thumbs up, would do again. We stayed in the Jungle Canopy, which is a perfect oasis for two. We like to travel more DIY-style (and honestly, on a budget) and this fit the bill perfectly. It’s pretty much as described - a glamping tent canopy with a small kitchenette, running water, toilet, and outdoor hot shower. If you are looking for 5-star accommodations and lux service, then this is not the place for you, but if you want a nice retreat from the tourist bustle and like to travel more on the independent side, you can’t go wrong here. After a long day exploring, it felt so good to come back to our little jungle retreat and rest and recuperate. The bed is amazingly comfortable. Once we got used to the noisy nightlife, we slept very well. The kitchenette has a small refrigerator, hotplate, sink, and - very important - coffee grinder, coffee provided! and french press. The basics in terms of dishes, utensils, etc are also provided. A major bonus were the farm kitties who came by to say hello multiple times. All our interactions with the owners and staff were lovely - they were very quick to respond to any of our requests for assistance or amenities. Some tips for anyone booking here and important to note - this is only for the Jungle Canopy - all of the accommodations are slightly differently equipped: 1 - bring headlamps and extra lighting - maybe a solar lamp or two. These were absolutely essential. While there is modest lighting, it wasn’t quite adequate especially after dark. You really are surrounded by jungle vegetation and natural lighting is limited. 2 - bring ear plugs. The frogs and jungle life at night are pretty deafening at first. We needed ear plugs the first couple of nights and then, amazingly, we adapted and were able to sleep without them. Tips that go beyond the Jungle Canopy: 3 - There is a very good grocery store less than 5 minutes from Gingerhill - the KTA. We got everything we needed there, service was friendly and we were pleasantly surprised to find that prices were not as expensive relative to the mainland as we expected. 4 - Our favorite snorkeling spot, or at least, in our top 3, was one of the closest to Gingerhill. There is an informal parking area for the Captain Cook Monument hiking trail about 5 minutes away. The hike is a bit long and steep compared to other places with closer ocean access, but the snorkeling there was on par with everything else we explored. It had perhaps the most abundant fish we saw. 5 - If you’ve done your homework, you know that a lot of sunscreen is not good for coral reefs. While you can buy “reef-safe” sunscreen, the best option is none at all. Consider using long-sleeve rash guards or dive skins instead - it offers superior sun protection with no concerns about harmful chemicals in the water.

The place is very nice. The nature is very loud so you have to be prepared for that. We stayed at the Kukui Cabine which was nice. Unfortunately the lights outside were not working and there were no curtains where the toilet and the shower was. Other than that it was something totally different and a good experience.