Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park – Hawai’i

This park is located on the West side of the Big Island nearby Kona and, as described in its website, is home to some of the most significant traditional Hawaiian sites in the Hawaiian archipelago. One of the most prominent features of the park is the puʻuhonua or place of refuge which is a massive 965 foot long masonry wall. Serving as a sanctuary in ancient times for defeated warriors, noncombatants, and those who violated the kapu (sacred laws), the Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau remains a most sacred place to those who step foot on its grounds.

During our visit, we learned that the protected waters of Hōnaunau Bay combined with the availability of water from brackish springs provided the ideal location for the aliʻi – Hawaiian royalty – who established important residential and ceremonial sites nearby, an area known today as the Royal Grounds. For several centuries, the puʻuhonua, the Royal Grounds and adjacent areas formed one of the primary religious and political centers within the traditional district of Kona.

Encompassing approximately 420 acres of land that extends through three ahupuaʻa (traditional Hawaiian land divisions), the park contains many other important sites which reflect over four hundred years of Hawaiian history. We were really impressed by all of this. Such sites include the historic 1871 Trail, a 1-mile segment of a trail that traverses the park coastline, as well as the remains of an abandoned farming and fishing village known as Kiʻilae Village. Other prominent features within the park landscape include the presence of three hōlua slides.

Some of the photos and videos we took while visiting this Park are presented below:


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