Puʻuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park

This 180-acre (73-hectare) park is located south of Kailua-Kona and bordered by Honaunau Bay’s black-sand beaches. Visitors are drawn to the park for its status as one of Hawaii’s most sacred sites. You can take a self-guided tour of the park or visit on a tour with a guide who provides cultural context and explains the ceremonies that took place at the site. Tours often include stops at other historic sites and a nearby coffee plantation.

• This national park is a must-see for visitors interested in Hawaiian culture and history.

• The Hawaii tri-park pass includes one year of access to Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and Haleakala National Park.

• The sacred site prohibits snorkeling, playing frisbee, picnicking, beach chairs, pets, weddings, and commercial filming among other things.

• Beach wheelchairs are sometimes provided at the visitor center (call ahead), but regular wheelchairs will not be able to navigate the park’s sandy paths.

Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park is located 45 minutes south of Kailua-Kona and an hour from the Kona International Airport. You can reach the park by car, bus, or private tour.

If you want to appreciate the sacred site in solitude, arrive just after its 7am opening.

The park’s visitor center is open from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Free ranger talks are held at 10:30am and 2:30pm daily. Sunset is a popular time to visit the park. The grounds close after sunset.

In ancient Hawaii, letting your shadow fall across a chief or eating forbidden foods was considered breaking kapu (religious law) and was punishable by death. If you broke a law, the only way to avoid being killed was to reach the nearest pu‘uhonua (place of refuge), where a ceremony could absolve you of your sins. While pu‘uhonua sites existed throughout Hawaii, Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park has been wonderfully restored for visitors.