Last updated: March 30, 2021
Thing to Do
Self-Guided Walking Tour
Discover Life in Ancient Hawaiʻi
The easiest and most popular way to explore the many cultural sites at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park is through the self-guided walking tour. This tour takes you back in time as you explore the ancient Royal Grounds, which were once reserved for the chiefdom of Kona. Passing beyond the wall that borders the Royal Grounds you will walk onto the Puʻuhonua, where people found refuge during war or after breaking a kapu (religious law). The self-guided walking tour is about half of a mile long. The terrain is a mixture of crushed coral sand and lava rock. Descriptions of the stops on the self-guided tour may be found in the park brochure or an audio tour is available on this app in the "Tours" section on the main menu.
Details
Duration
30-60 Minutes
Activity
Self-Guided Tours - Walking
A self-guided tour takes you back in time as you explore the ancient Royal Grounds, which were once reserved for the chiefdom of Kona. Passing beyond the wall that borders the Royal Grounds you will walk onto the Pu'uhonua, where people found refuge after war or breaking a kapu (religious law).
This tour explores the many Hawaiian cultural sites within the Royal Grounds and Puʻuhonua. Highlights include various carved kiʻi (carved images representing various Hawaiian gods), reconstructed Hale o Keawe, heiau (temples), royal fishponds, and more.
The area encompassed by this tour is exposed with very little shade. We encourage all visitors to bring water and reef-friendly sun protection.
This tour explores the many Hawaiian cultural sites within the Royal Grounds and Puʻuhonua. Highlights include various carved kiʻi (carved images representing various Hawaiian gods), reconstructed Hale o Keawe, heiau (temples), royal fishponds, and more.
The area encompassed by this tour is exposed with very little shade. We encourage all visitors to bring water and reef-friendly sun protection.
Pets Allowed
No
Activity Fee
No
Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.
Reservations
No
Season
Year Round
Time of Day
Day
Accessibility Information
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park is currently working on updating facilities to allow for accessible access to the Royal Grounds and Puʻuhonua. In 2016, it came to the attention of park management that the ramp to the Royal Grounds was built too steep to be ADA accessible. For the safety of visitors, rentals of beach wheelchairs have been put on hold until safe, accessible access is available. A project to install an ADA accessible ramp began in August 2020 and completion of the project is slated for 2021.
The trail is a mixture of crushed coral sand (Royal Grounds) and lava rock (Puʻuhonua).
While pets are prohibited in the Royal Grounds and Puʻuhonua, service animals are allowed.
The trail is a mixture of crushed coral sand (Royal Grounds) and lava rock (Puʻuhonua).
While pets are prohibited in the Royal Grounds and Puʻuhonua, service animals are allowed.