Founder & certified Hawaii travel expert with 20+ years of experience in Hawaii tourism.
Oahu Heiau
Waianae Cultural Sight
Finish your historical and cultural tour of the island of Oahu at Kaneaki Heiau, a fascinating temple that is made completely out of natural materials and constructed by ancient Hawaiians.
This special piece of ancient Hawaiian culture is believed to have been built in the 16th century and a temple. Kaneaki Heiau is hailed as the most well-restored temple or heiau in Oahu. when visiting, please keep in mind that there are a few sections of the site that are off-limits to the public in an effort to keep the site as preserved as possible.
For reference, the term heiau translates to temple, and specific to Kaneaki Heiau, this temple is dedicated to the god of Lono. The other three Hawaiian gods are Kū, Kāne, and Kanaloa, all of whom represent different aspects of the ancient Hawaiian culture.
If you want to feel like you’re among royalty, you’ll love this fact. According to history, King Kamehameha, who was the founder and first king of the Kingdom of Hawaii, used to worship here until he passed away, after which the heiau wasn’t used.
To get to this historical and culturally significant destination, you’ll want to begin by heading southwest on Take I-H-1 west and HI-93 west to Makaha Valley Road in Mākaha. From here, you’ll want to continue on Makaha Valley Road and then take Maunaolu Street to Alahele Street. The total time it takes for this trip depends on where you begin, but from the center of Oahu, the drive is about 45 minutes long.
