Experience Hawaii’s past through tiki carving, ancient sacred temples, lava rocks, and coastal beauty at Pu’uhonua o Honaunau.
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Pur recent visit to Pu’uhonua o Honaunau was not our first time there. There’s just something about this place that kept drawing us back, so when we returned to Hawaii’s Big Island, we knew we had to visit there again.
The park’s official name is Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, and it’s part of the U.S. National Park System. For locals, this area is sacred, filled with deep and fascinating stories. Visitors can see ancient temples, traditional Hawaiian structures, and striking tiki statues built by the island’s original inhabitants.
When visiting Hawaii, it’s worth exploring more than just beaches as there is so much to see and learn. The Big Island particular, offers a perfect blend of history, natural wonders, and laid-back island life.
What is Pu’uhonua o Honaunau?
Pu’uhonua o Honaunau once served as a place of refuge for the local people, and it’s still considered a sacred site today. The area features several ancient structures, temples (heiau), wooden statues (tiki), and even a fishpond. Their exact age isn’t known, but it’s believed they could be as much as 450 years old.
It’s known that in ancient Hawaii, there were sacred laws known as kapu. Many things were forbidden, such as walking on sacred grounds or women eating together with men.
Breaking kapu could result in a death sentence. In that situation, only one thing could save a person’s life; Pu’uhonua o Honaunau, also known as the City of Refuge. People would do everything they could to reach Pu’uhonua, because if they managed to enter its grounds, they would receive a blessing and forgiveness. Escaping enemies was difficult, and reaching the refuge required swimming across the bay.
It is said that there were serveral of these places of refuge, or Pu’uhonua, across the Hawaiian Islands. Pu’uhonua o Honaunau is the largest and best preserved of them all.
Visiting Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical park
Pu’uhonua o Honaunau is located on the west coast of Hawaii’s Big Island, about a 30-minute drive from the town of Kailua-Kona. The easiest way to get there is by car or by booking a tour.
The best way to start you visit at Pu’uhonua o Honaunau is at the Visitor Center, where you can pick up a detailed map and learn about the fascinating history of the area. Inside the small museum, you’ll find some artefacts from ancient Hawaiian life, and the gift shop is perfect if you want a few unique souvenirs to take home.
As you make your way toward the royal grounds, you’ll be greeted by the Ki’i, a wooden carved figures also known as “tiki”. Standing tall and proud, they guard the sacred site and instantly transport you back in time. Beside them is the reconstructed heiau, a traditional Hawaiian temple, called Hake o Keawe. For a long time, this heiau housed the bones of several high-ranking chiefs, believed to to protect the pu’uhonua through their spiritual power, or mana.
It’s a place that radiates both peace and reverence, where history feels very much alive.
There are also a few other traditional structures on-site, including one called Canoe Hālau, which was once used to store canoes. Today, visitors can see beautifully crafted old-style canoes on display. It’s a wonderful showcase of the locals’ impressive craftsmanship. It was fascinating to learn about life in ancient Hawaii and how much was made entirely by hand back then.
Behind the ancient structures lies a small pond once used to store freshly caught fish from the sea and reserved exclusively for the island’s chiefs. Its official name is the Royal Pond, or Anchialine in Hawaiian. From here, leaders could easily choose the most delicious-looking fish for their dinner.
Right by the shore, you can spot an old stone table where locals once played a traditional Hawaiian game called Kōnane. It’s a bit like chess, but instead of pieces, players used light and dark stones. We gave it a try ourselves, though we never quite figures out all the rules!
This time, our visit was slightly overshadowed by mosquitos. Just before our trip to Hawaii, the news was full of reports about a dengue fever outbreak on the Big Island.
Normally, dengue isn’t found in Hawaii, or anywhere else in the U.S., so it’s believed that the virus arrived on the island in the bloodstream of a traveler. From there, it spread quickly through mosquito bites, especially among locals.
Authorities had worked hard on prevention and control efforts, but many travelers still ended up canceling their vacations. For us, that wasn’t an option, and by the time we arrived, the worst of the outbreak was already over.
During our visit, Pu’uhonua o Honaunau, and especially its parking area, seemed to be absolutely swarming with mosquitos. Interestingly, we didn’t encounter them anywhere else on the island. Because of that, our park visit ended up being a bit shorter than planned.
We had also planned to check out the snorkeling spot right next to the park, which is said to be one the best places on the Big Island to see colorful fish and coral. The beach there is very rocky, and you have to climb over stones to get into the water. The waves can also be quite strong, so it’s best suited for confident swimmers and snorkelers.
I remember from our previous trip that there a small sandy area where child could play. But now, seeing it again, there was really just tiny patch of sand, and it’s definitely not a safe place for a small child to swim. The slippery rocks, now crowded with people, didn’t feel very inviting anymore.
The underwater world in that area is absolutely stunning, so if you’re into snorkeling and traveling with older kids or adults, I highly recommend bringing your swimsuit and a towel for your park visit. However, the spot isn’t suitable for little ones, so we decided to head back to the beach by our hotel instead.
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This park isn’t huge, but it’s absolutely fascinating and set in a stunning location! You don’t need a full day here; two or three hours is plenty, and then you can go snorkeling afterward, of course. Or to lunch in a near by restaurants, like South Kona Grindz. Hawaii has many great dishes you should try out!
Other must see places on the Big Island include Volcanoes National Park, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, and Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site. And if you get the chance to visit the island’s rare green sand beach, don’t miss it!
If you’re planning to visit multiple Hawaiian islands, be sure to check out our tips for exploring Oahu, too.
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