Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mother, and child. There are also post-European contact petroglyphs of ships,
anchors, goats, horses, and guns.
The largest concentration of these stone symbols in the Pacific lies within the
233-acre
Puako Petroglyph Archaeological District
, near Mauna Lani
Resort. Once hard to find, the enigmatic graffiti is now easily reachable. The
1.5-mile
Malama Trail
starts north of Mauna Lani Resort; take Highway 19 to
the resort turnoff and drive toward the coast on North Kaniku Drive, which
ends at a parking lot; the trail head is marked by a sign and an interpretive kiosk.
Go in the early morning or late afternoon, when it's cool. Plan to stay an hour.
A total of 3,000 designs have been identified, including paddlers, sails, marchers,
dancers, and family groups, as well as dog, chicken, turtle, and deity symbols.
The
Kings' Shops
(
&
808/886-8811
), at the Waikoloa Beach Resort, offers
a free half-hour tour of the surrounding petroglyphs Tuesday through Friday at
10:30am and Saturday at 8:30am; it meets in front of the Food Pavilion. For the
best viewing, go Saturday morning.
Visitors with disabilities, as well as others, can explore petroglyphs at
Kaupulehu Petroglyphs
in the Kona Village Resort, Queen Kaahumanu
Highway (
&
808/325-5555
). Free guided tours are offered three times a week,
but reservations are required (or you won't get past the gatehouse). Here you can
see some of the finest images in the Hawaiian Islands. There are many petro-
glyphs of sails, canoes, fish, and chiefs in headdresses, plus a burial scene with
three stick figures. Kite motifs—rare in rock art—similar to those found in New
Zealand are also here. This is Hawaii's only ADA accessible petroglyph trail.
Warning:
The petroglyphs are thousands of years old and easily destroyed.
Do not walk on them or attempt to take a “rubbing.” (There's a special area in
the Puako Preserve for doing so.) The best way to capture a petroglyph is with
a photo in the late afternoon, when the shadows are long.
NORTH KOHALA
Lapakahi State Historical Park
All ages.
This 14th-century fishing vil-
lage, on a hot, dry, dusty stretch of coast, offers a glimpse into the lifestyle of the
ancients. Lapakahi is the best-preserved fishing village in Hawaii. Take the self-
guided, 1-mile loop trail past stone platforms, fish shrines, rock shelters, salt
pans, and restored
hale
(houses) to a coral-sand beach and the deep blue sea
(good snorkeling). Wear good hiking shoes or tennies; it's a hearty 45-minute
walk. Go early or later in the afternoon; during most of the day the sun is hot
and shade is at a premium.
Hwy. 270, Mahukona.
&
808/889-5566.
Free admission. Daily 8am-4pm. Guided tours by appointment.
Mo'okini Luakini Heiau
All ages.
On the coast where King
Kamehameha the Great was born stands Hawaii's oldest, largest, and most
sacred religious site, now a National Historic Landmark—the 1,500-year-old
Mookini Heiau, used by kings to pray and offer human sacrifices. The massive
three-story stone temple, dedicated to Ku, the Hawaiian god of war, was erected
in
A
.
D
. 480; each stone is said to have been passed hand to hand from Pololu
Valley, 14 miles away, by 18,000 men who worked from sunset to sunrise.
Kamehameha, born nearby under Halley's Comet, sought spiritual guidance
here before embarking on his campaign to unite Hawaii. The temple is not open
to the public, but you can see it on the third Saturday of the month, when a
group of volunteers meets at the site to pull weeds and clean up property sur-
rounding the temple. If you are interested, call the Mo'okini Preservation Foun-
dation Oahu at
&
808/373-8000;
be prepared to do some work.
Moments
