Tucked away in the rainforest of Hawaiʻi’s Big Island, the off-grid community of Laʻakea is living proof that people can thrive outside the modern grid.
For nearly 20 years, this intentional group has embraced a shared dream of sustainable living in the rainforest, choosing connection, simplicity, and self-reliance over convenience and consumerism.
The challenge of living in an off-grid community
The journey wasn’t easy. Living in an off-grid community meant letting go of public utilities, individual ownership, and traditional income.
One resident said, “We’re completely off-grid here, so nothing comes in except for a satellite dish.”
That includes their electricity, which comes from the sun, and water, which is collected from rainfall.
Early on, the group faced the reality of building their lives—and homes—from scratch.
“There were only like three structures on the land already and all the rest of them we’ve built ourselves,” a member shared.
A shared vision
The spark began with a group of seven people who pooled their resources to buy land.
They aimed to create a space where people could live near nature, grow food, and share everything.
“We made decisions together from the very beginning before we even bought the land,” one founder explained.
An explicit agreement helped them stay united: no manual labor unless agreed upon and full participation from everyone.
Living among the fast-growing plants of the rainforest proved a blessing.
“We could survive without going to the supermarket,” a resident noted.
Fruits like rollinia, jaboticaba, leafy greens, and tropical staples fill their gardens.
A new way to live in an off-grid community
Today, Laʻakea is a thriving, intentional community lifestyle hub.
Residents compost all waste, share daily chores, and rotate cooking duties.
“We have a rotation,” said one member about dinner preparations.
They’ve also built a whole system around cacao—from harvest to homemade chocolate.
One resident reflected: “I love just like working on the land and making food together and just doing things together.”
That joy, rooted in teamwork and purpose, keeps Laʻakea going strong.
Living here also means redefining success. Many members live without full-time jobs, sustaining themselves through low expenses and shared resources.
With a $35,000 buy-in or $550 monthly contributions (including food, housing, and land), residents say they can “live in paradise.”
Features of the off-grid homes
Laʻakea’s handmade homes are as creative as they are practical.
One standout house uses Cordwood Construction, where short logs are stacked between mortar and sawdust for insulation.
“It’s drier and warmer inside… or if it’s hot outside, it’ll be cooler inside,” explained the builder.
Other homes feature bamboo yurt-style roofs or artistic walls made from glass bottles—pieces cut, taped, and arranged into sun-like designs.
“It became more like a sea monster,” joked the resident who built it.
Their sleeping areas are simple and separate from the shared spaces.
“You have your sleeping structure, and then everything else is communal and shared,” a resident noted.
Food and farming practices in an off-grid community
Food is at the heart of Laʻakea’s grow-your-own food lifestyle.
Using permaculture and agroforestry, they grow tropical starches like taro and cassava and leafy crops like chia and kale.
Fruit trees rise above, while plants like edible hibiscus grow below.
From fresh vinegar from jaboticaba to a fully hands-on chocolate-making process, the off-grid community turns local resources into nourishing meals.
“We don’t have enough to feed everybody for long, but we have enough to get by,” a resident explained.
Their diet even includes wild pigs—“We have a deal with the pigs,” they laugh. It’s all part of their sustainable living in the rainforest philosophy.
Shared spaces and rainforest innovation
Life here isn’t about having your own kitchen or bathroom—it’s about sharing.
The main house holds the communal kitchen and Wi-Fi, while the shower house features solar-heated water and wood-fired hot tubs.
For children, one house even included a wall built for climbing. “Kids could literally climb the walls,” one member said with a smile.
After 18 years, they built the shower house with a practical outdoor design and ferrocement hot tubs, proving that patience and teamwork yield results.
Living in harmony and purpose in an off-grid community
At its core, Laʻakea isn’t just a home—it’s a movement.
The off-grid community offers a blueprint for a simpler life rooted in shared values, nature, and purpose.
Here, people choose intention over isolation and participation over consumption.
Their model shows how anyone can explore living without a full-time job, embrace a grow-your-own food lifestyle, and be part of a thriving, intentional community lifestyle—even in the middle of the rainforest.
One resident said, “We’re doing this together.”
Watch the quick tour of this off-grid community and see how they live and sustainably:
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