Kualoa Regional Park
As the morning sun and Windward gusts sharpen the tips of its mountainous coast, I always gain a deep appreciation of the land and a true feeling of natural, raw Hawai’i here in Kualoa. No Starbucks, large hotels, or mainland restaurant chains; just a glowing natural landscape and a salty, ocean breeze.
Kualoa Regional Park is exceptionally special in the morning, so bring your camera. It’s nearly always empty save for locals trading morning runs for morning swims. This park is a peaceful place, with a backdrop of seemingly razor-thin and spine-like ridges rising through open-air and overlooking the eastern coast and the offshore islet of Mokoli’i, or “Chinaman’s Hat.” The islet is accessible by kayak only a third of a mile from the shore.
Although Mokoli’i is nicknamed “Chinaman’s Hat” for its shape, Hawai’i culture maintains that it is actually the remnants of the tail of Mokoli’i, a lizard slain by the Hawaiian goddess Hi’iaka. Moreover, Kualoa literally means “long back,” referring to a large lizard. The Kualoa area certainly looks like a lizard curling up along the coast between Waikane and Ka’a’awa from a terrain map!
Peacefulness is another great reason to visit this park and this side of the island altogether. The park offers sprawling grassy areas, picnic tables, and beach access. If you are looking to escape Honolulu’s busy beaches and traffic, this is the perfect getaway on your getaway!
Kualoa Park also has access to one of two fish ponds in Windward Oahu. A’pua Fishpond is located at the end of the beach park road, but the much larger Moli’i Pond can only be accessed with a tour from Kualoa Ranch, a historic site dedicated to Hawaiian culture.
Kualoa Ranch
Nestled between those towering, lizard-shaped mountains Kualoa Ranch sits in a valley of Hawaiian history. Old Hawai’i tradition held these lands sacredly, and today, it’s the owners’ mission to preserve the culture and teach its history.
Kualoa Ranch is privately owned by eighth generation descendants of a doctor who served as an advisor to King Kamehameha III. The Ranch has since been protected from unnatural development, although it offers tours and educational opportunities for those seeking a deeper understanding of Hawaiian culture.
Amongst all-terrain Raptor tours into the jungle, Moli’i Pond and even a Jurassic experience (many movies were filmed in Kualoa), the establishment offers a most important tour: The Mālama ‘Āina Experience. This boots-on-the-ground (or in the mud) eco-adventure offers a hands-on, agricultural understanding of how native Hawaiians cared for the land for centuries.
On your way to or from Kualoa, Hawaii, stop off at Waiahole Poi Factory for a traditional Hawaiian feast. This unassuming roadside stand serves up fern leaf salad with slow-roasted pig and of course poi, a kind of paste made from taro. Finish it all off with one of their unique Hawaiian ice creams.
Hawaii Sustainability Tips
1. Be respectful. This may be a vacation for many, but first and foremost, it is someone’s home. People regularly visit Hawaii for its beauty, so if you already practice aloha ‘āina, it should be easy to mālama ‘āina.
2. Use a reef-safe sunscreen. Reefs are most often damaged by human contact, which also should be avoided.
3. Join a beach cleanup! There are a plethora of coastline cleanup crews dedicated to preserving and protecting the beaches and waters that make Hawaii famous, like Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii and 808 Cleanups.
4. Eat local! From food trucks to farmers’ markets, get the freshest ono grinds (Hawaiian for delicious food) from the people who catch and serve same-day grub!
Kualoa, Hawaii, is home to some of Oahu’s best beaches and most rugged landscapes. If you’re looking to explore beyond Honolulu, look no further than this gem of the Windward coast.
