Yip Camp and Eco-Retreat Center

Tom was absolutely wonderful—so accommodating, even when we booked his cottage at the last minute! He made us coffee in the morning, gave us a lovely tour of the property, and was such a joy to chat with. He even sent us home with fresh fruit and flowers! The cottage itself was cozy and comfortable, and I was especially happy to find the shower had nice hot water. Highly recommend!

Abby C.

2 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· October 2025

16 ft car ·

Fern Forest RV Site 2

Staying at Thomas’s place was absolutely wonderful! From the moment we arrived, Thomas was incredibly kind, welcoming, and attentive, a truly wonderful host. The camp itself is quiet and peaceful, surrounded by the beauty and stillness of the Big Island. It’s definitely rustic, simple, and close to nature, but that’s exactly what makes it so special. You can really disconnect, slow down, and enjoy the essentials. Waking up to birdsong and falling asleep under the stars, accompanied by the gentle chorus of coqui frogs, felt absolutely magical.

Camilla S.

8 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· October 2025

Tent · With kids ·

Rooster Tent

Spent a lovely two nights at Yip Camp! Thomas was welcoming, made sure we had everything we needed, and offered some good local recs. Nice place to land while exploring the volcano, and so close to nature !

Anastasiya B.

5 reviews

Recommends

· October 2025

Thomas was great! Just what we needed for crash pad while driving around the island. Highly recommend!

Danielle B.

2 reviews

Recommends

· September 2025

Beautiful little site. Close to the national park and a bunch of cute stuff. Thomas was super nice and welcoming

Jack S.

2 reviews

Recommends

· August 2025

Cute cottage

With pets ·

Great location on a nice quiet street. Good for a walk in the woods. Close to Volcano National Park and also Mountain View. Cute cottage we stayed in. Frogs at night were cool to hear

James A.

2 reviews

Recommends

· August 2025

16 ft car ·

Thomas was great to talk to and a welcoming host.

Jonathan C.

2 reviews

Recommends

· August 2025

With kids ·

This place was amazing! My boy had a great time exploring the property and the host was super friendly and accommodating. Would recommend this place to anyone.

Jordan J.

2 reviews

Recommends

· July 2025

Blessed by nature!

22 ft campervan · Group trip ·

Thomas’ van site provided everything we wanted. The night we spent there was amazing! We had the best sleep for the first time in many years. Even the sound of frogs was music to our ears and the cool breeze served as the best natural blanket ever! It was cloudy but we caught a short window to see full stars and the most beautiful Milky Way. Wa ter is scarce up there in the mountain area, so our kids learned to wipe dishes before doing washing them. So glad we got to learn how to use the marine toilet, too! Living in the city, we tend to take everything for granted and kids don’t get enough chances to appreciate what they have. Experience like this is so precious, and I am certain that my family will remember the precious time we had at Thomas’ beautiful property for a long time. He was so kind, funny, and full of wisdom and knowledge! We enjoyed our conversations very much. Make sure you get there well-prepared! (Gas, water, food, batteries, towels, essential medicine, etc.) With the right mindset and preparation, your trip will be rewarding. We already want to go back! :)

Emi W.

2 reviews

Recommends

· July 2025

Happy days with Thomas and Yip

With kids ·

We loved visiting with Thomas! We had so much fun feeding the chickens they were so cute and small.And we also loved feeding the koi fish.And at night we heard frogs.The shower was warm which we appreciated after a sweaty day exploring the national park. It rained mostly every day but we were dry inside. Our 8 year old loved sleeping in the loft. When we drove onto the property, there was a big sign to beware of dog…. The reality was a teeny dog named Yip which gave us all a big laugh. Yip has a big bark and personality and does not bite :)

Kendall O.

10 reviews

Recommends

· July 2025

Off the beaten path and worth it!

With kids ·

Off the beaten path and charming. We loved falling asleep to the rain and coqui frogs. Plenty of space, neat and tidy! Wish we had more time to stay and visit.

Jessica M.

7 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· July 2025

This property was beautiful! Would absolutely stay here again. Booked this last minute- host was very accommodating and welcoming.

Amber S.

5 reviews

Recommends

· June 2025

10/10 Experience

Group trip ·

If you want a comfortable campsite with a friendly and informative host at an amazing price, then look no further than Yip Camp. While a bit off the main road, the location is very close to the Volcanoes National Park and not too far away from Hilo, which provides an excellent basecamp for hiking and lava spotting expeditions. The facilities are clean and functional, with an impressive amount of included amenities. The solar power was not working when we arrived, so Thomas was kind enough to run an extension cord out of his bathroom window so we could charge our devices. He checked in with us every day to make sure we were finding everything alright, and gave us plenty of tips and suggestions for the area. Overall, an amazing stay, I would highly recommend!

Nicholas S.

2 reviews

Not recommend

· June 2025

Perfect Off-Grid Experience!

Thomas's Yip Camp is perfect if you have wondered what the off-grid experience on the Big Island is all about. Tucked in the forest at - I'm guessing - a 2,000 ft elevation, the weather is cool, but not cold and you are surrounded by an abundance of vegetation., and super quiet! Enjoy the peace and quiet of nature in a remote Big Island location!

Karuna G.

2 reviews

Recommends

· June 2025

We had a great time camping at Yip Camp, Thomas was very knowledgeable of the area and friendly! We would recommend arriving before dark when you first get there if possible, because the roads can be tricky. Overall we had a great time and would love to come back!

Grace M. A.

8 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· June 2025

16 ft car ·

Thomas’s place was great! We went to see the volcano and needed a place to sleep for the night. We decided to sleep in our car but the property was awesome. He has a little cottage there too and places to tent camp if needed. Thomas always responsive even when I changed our arrival time.

Michelle O.

2 reviews

Recommends

· June 2025

With kids ·

Stayed in the yip cottage, and it was great. Nice camp spot for an overnight stop for our adventure around the island. Close to Kīlauea. Had everything we needed, brought extra stuff just in case… we enjoyed visiting with Thomas and loved his off the beaten path property!

Jake S.

7 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2025

12 ft campervan ·

We stayed in a camper van at Yipcamp and we had such a good time! Thomas has beautiful property in a location that is very close to volcanoes! I would definitely go again :)

Megan D.

7 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2025

Dope Camping Trip

Loved the secluded spot and easy access to Kilauea hiking trails inside Volcano. Thom was awesome and gave us some insight on the area. Super great trip overall and would def come here again. Thanks again Thom rlly appreciate everything!

Jacob R.

2 reviews

Recommends

· May 2025

15 ft campervan ·

Fern Forest RV Site 2

It was a great camping there with jungle all around you , nice and peaceful atmosphere there.

Shallu A.

3 reviews

Recommends

· May 2025

Yip Camp was a delightful retreat in the jungle near volcanoes. Thomas was very communicative and friendly, and added finishing touches like a fresh bouquet of flowers on the nightstand in the tent. Great base camp for visiting the south and east parts of the island, falling asleep to rain on the roof and coqui frogs.

Ben L.

4 reviews

Recommends

· May 2025

16 ft car ·

Fern Forest RV Site 2

My partner and I booked a last minute one night trip from Oahu to Big Island because of Kīlauea’s eruption. Thomas’s spot was very easy to find and extremely close to volcanoes national park. He extended a very warm welcome upon our arrival, even though we got in a bit later than anticipated. He gave us a quick tour of the spot, which was very peaceful and beautiful. While we ended up staying in the park most of the night due to Kīlauea‘s activity, he was extremely accommodating. If ever taking a multi-day trip back to Big Island to explore Hilo side, will definitely stay at his property again!

Joey R.

2 reviews

Recommends

· May 2025

Forest Retreat

16 ft car ·

I loved my stay at Thomas’s place so much! His house is far out in the middle of a forest — perfect if you’re looking to disconnect and get into some nature. There is WiFi signal there, so that’s good. At first the outdoor shower phased me - but I actually fell in love with looking up at the moon while showering. Water is Hot. A sink would be a nice addition. Also, Thomas’s dog Yip is such a cutie! It’s chilly in the forest — perfect if you’re sleeping in your car.

La N.

2 reviews

Recommends

· May 2025

Camping with Yip!

I loved camping at this Yip Camp! Thomas was such an amazing host, made us feel very comfortable and recommended a lot of cool locations around the area! Even offered to make us some coffee in the morning before our outing and brought us some towels when we had forgot ours. Volcano national park is just a 20 minute easy drive. This location is pretty isolated and about a 15-20 minute drive to any food/ restaurant, the choices are pretty limited but I would DEFINITELY recommend mt view bakery. Small local bakery with the best treats and sandwiches. Also recommend Frankie’s pizza nearby which we also really liked. Thomas also has a little dog named Yip and we loved him! The cabin itself was very cozy, bed was very comfortable and we stayed warm all night. If you’re looking for a fancy airbnb or glamping to stay at, this is not the place for you. This is definitely more of a camping feel, more in tune with earth and the nature around you, with outdoor shower and toilet, no electricity, and no sink so be prepared & there was a gas stove available for use. But that definitely didn’t stop us from having an amazing time. Loved hearing the coqui frogs all night, the roosters crowing in the morning, and being greeted by yip on our arrivals. Would definitely stay here again if given the chance! Thank you again for your hospitality!

Arianna A.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2025

Cots were great. Definitely tent style sleeping. It rained a lot but thankfully I stayed dry! Thank you thank you!!

Ray P.

2 reviews

Recommends

· April 2025

19 ft campervan · With kids ·

Amazing place and amazing host! We had a really good time!

Agnes N.

8 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· April 2025

16 ft campervan ·

This place is out there…which we loved! Yip camp was a great escape for us, and close to Volcanoes NP, which we visited both days while at Yip Camp. Outdoor (concealed) shower and toilet are clean and close to the parking spot. We ended up with a larger than expected campervan rental (18’ Ram Promaster). We fit, but only just. Thomas and Yip were great hosts. Enjoyed our conversations! Would recommend, especially if you are looking for some solitude!

Zach (&Krista) W.

4 reviews

Recommends

· April 2025

Amazing little spot!! So cozy, feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere but so convenient for visiting the volcano. Sounds of nature, camping with frills, and the perfect spot to come back to after an adventure. And obsessed with Yip, the host dog!!

Jaeda W.

6 reviews

Recommends

· March 2025

Thomas was very kinda and welcoming. This campsite is remote so nice for anyone looking for a getaway from the hustle and bustle of every day life. Beautiful stars at night and the cabin was comfortable.

Colleen F.

2 reviews

Recommends

· March 2025

Fabulous stay