Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( www.hawaiistateparks.org ; off ʻAiea Heights Dr, ʻAiea; 7am-7:45pm April-1st Mon in Sep, to
6:45pm 1st Tue in Sep-Mar) In the hills above Pearl Harbor, this park protects the ru-
ins of Keaʻiwa Heiau , a Hawaiian stone temple used by kahuna lapaʻau (herbalist heal-
ers). For hikers and mountain bikers, the park's steep and sometimes muddy, but never-
theless scenic 4.8-mile ʻAiea Loop Trail starts from the top of the paved driving loop
road and ends back at the campground.
In ancient times, kahuna grew scores of medicinal plants on the heiau grounds. Among
those still found here are noni (Indian mulberry), whose pungent yellow fruit was used to
treat heart disease; kukui (candlenuts), a laxative; and ti leaves, which were wrapped
around a sick person to break a fever. The heiau itself was believed to possess life-giving
energy that could be channeled by kahuna.
If you follow the hiking loop trail, you'll eventually be rewarded with sweeping vistas
of Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head and the Koʻolau Range. About two-thirds of the way
along the trail, the wreckage of a C-47 cargo plane that crashed in 1943 can be spotted
through the foliage on the east ridge.
The park's few campsites are well- maintained, but there's not a lot of privacy and it
rains frequently at this elevation. Facilities include covered picnic pavilions with BBQ
grills, restrooms, outdoor showers, drinking water and a payphone. There's a resident
caretaker by the front gate, which is locked at night. Camping is not permitted on Wed-
nesday and Thursday nights; advance permits are required ( Click here ) .
From Honolulu or Waikiki, drive west on the H-1 Fwy, then merge onto Hwy 201 W
and take the Stadium/ʻAiea turnoff and merge onto Moanalua Rd. Turn right onto ʻAiea
Heights Dr, which winds up through a residential area for over 3 miles to the park. From
downtown Honolulu, TheBus 11 ʻAiea Heights stops about 1.8 miles downhill from the
park entrance every hour or so.
Tours
Widely advertised in Waikiki, Pearl Harbor tours range from big buses to excursions in
WWII-era amphibious armored vehicles ('ducks'). These tours don't add much, if any-
thing, to the experience of visiting the memorials and museums. Besides, commercial
tour boats aren't allowed to disembark at the USS Arizona Memorial.
Eating
The visitor center's Aloha Court has cheap fast-food concession stands. On Ford Island,
the Battleship Missouri Memorial and Pacific Aviation Museum both have cafes. Down-
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