Sacred Spirits Driving Tour

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Now that you’ve surfed, snorkeled, swam and hiked Hawaii’s breathtaking waters and mountains, change your pace and visit Oahu’s intriguing ancestral sites. See the birthplace of the fire goddess Pele and the dwellings of Hawaii’s “little people,” the Mehehune. Legendary for their craftsmanship, these tiny hill and valley denizens were said to have built temples, fishponds, canoes and houses. Marvel at the burial grounds of Hawaii’s former royalty and petroglyphs carved in stone. See the amazing Heaiu Fish Pond, reputedly constructed with massive stones by the Mehehune themselves. Built as ceremonial temples, some also believe that the heaius were agricultural centers designed to guarantee successful harvests and crop fertility, or to honor success in war.

The Sacred Spirits driving tour allows you to see Hawaiian history at its best. Be astounded by the beautiful Nuuanu-Kapena waterfalls, which tumble into a serene green pool surrounded by lush foliage. Learn the legend of the kapua dogs, guardian spirits which are carved in petroglyphs on the stones surrounding the waterfalls. See the Ulopo Heiau ceremonial site, a massive terraced platform one hundred and forty by one hundred and eighty feet wide with thirty foot high walls, constructed under the direction of an al’li, or Hawaiian chieftan. Also fascinating are the Kukaniloko Birth Stones. Kukaniloko, which means “to anchor the cry from within,” was a location where royal women were brought to give birth. Established in the 12th century, these rounded stone outcroppings are designed not only to honor the birth of the ali’i, but to mark seasonal changes and map stars. The Sacred Spirits Tour will leave you with a sense of reverence and awe for Hawaiian history and tradition.