Learn About the Park

Honokōhau Beach as viewed from a traditional hale.

NPS Photo

E Komo Mai! Welcome!

Since long before written history, a strong spirit of life has flowed through this land and the water that washes upon its shore. Hawaiians saw this spirit in the pools of water fresh enough to drink, the ocean animals to catch for food, the plants to shape into shelters. And so they settled here. They lived makai— on the beach and lava fields—harvesting food from the sea; they lived mauka—upland where enough rain fell to grow taro and banana. They traveled the mauka-makai trails to share their harvests. They lived by kapu—laws that protected the food and water. Their way of living in harmony with the land and sea changed little for centuries, and then almost disappeared. Today the Hawaiian spirit is strong again, and is celebrated and nurtured here at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park.

The people of Hawai‘i and the National Park Service welcome you to Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, which was established in 1978. We invite you to explore the park, enjoying its natural beauty and visiting sites that still speak of the Hawaiian people who thrived here for centuries.

Learn more in our park brochure, and by visiting the links below.