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Mookini Heiau

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Mookini Heiau Review

This National Historic Landmark, an isolated heiau (an ancient temple), is so impressive in size and atmosphere it may give you what locals call "chicken skin" (goose bumps)—especially after you learn its history. The heiau's foundations date to about AD 480, but the high priest Paao from Tahiti expanded it several centuries later and it continued to be used by Hawaiian religious leaders. You can still see the lava slab where hundreds of people were sacrificed, giving this place a truly haunted feel. Nearby is Kamehameha Akahi Aina Hanau, the birthplace of Kamehameha the Great. The road is unpaved, and even with four-wheel-drive you could easily get stuck in the mud. Then it is a half-mile hike to the site.

    Contact Information

  • Address: Hwy. 270, Turn off Hwy. 270 at sign for Upolu Airport, near Hawi, and hike or drive in a four-wheel-drive vehicle 1½ mi southwest, North Kohala, HI, 96719 | Map It
  • Phone: 808/974-6200
  • Location: Kohala Coast
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