Things to do / Travel Guide
Maui Historical Sites
Two very different types of historical sites are on Maui. The Haleakala High Altitude Observatory, is a mecca for astronomers, and Halekii-Pihana Heiau State Monument, is witness to the ancient culture of Hawaii, dedicated to the last ruler of Maui, Kahekili.
Molokai Historical Sites
The primary historical attraction on Molokai is Kalaupapa, the site of the ministry established in 1873 by Father Damien De Veuster, a Christian missionary from Belgium. Now a national park, “Father Damien's,” as it is known to locals, was once a colony for people afflicted with leprosy. As the five-mile peninsula that is Kalaupapa is separated from the rest of Molokai by gigantic rocky cliffs, the site can be reached either by riding a mule or donkey down a 1,600-foot cliff trail, or by taking a short, five-minute plane flight (costing about $50 roundtrip) from the airport on Molokai. If you wish to hike to the site, you must first obtain a permit from a tour operator that runs trips up to the mission.
Lanai Historical Sites
Also, for fans of unusual-looking rock formations, there's the acclaimed “Garden of the Gods,” located on the northwestern side of Lanai. Garden of the Gods is, in reality, not a garden at all, but rather a nearly empty stretch of land filled with giant rock formations that change colors as the position of the sun in the sky moves courtesy of the Earth's planetary revolutions. Garden of the Gods is considered historic by some locals, who believe that the gods of ancient Hawaii designed it, and that the spirits of ancient Hawaiian warriors rest in peace there.
View reefs, a lighthouse and several historic wrecks off of Shipwreck Beach on Lanai or go pre-historic with the Luahiwa Petroglyphs, south of Lanai City
Historical Sites in Hawaiian Islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai, including Kahului and Lahaina
Historical-Sites
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