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Pi’ilanihale Heiau
Take Highway 360 (Hana Highway) east toward Hana. 'Ula'ino Road is off the left near Mile Marker #31. Just after a mile down the road it gives way to broken pavement and the first stream ford. Beyond the ford, to the right, you’ll find the entrance to Kahanu Gardens, an extension of the National Tropical Botanical Garden. If the ford has water flowing through it above the pole-markers, turn around and do not try and cross the stream.
The 122-acre garden is home to a variety of rare native Hawaiian plants and several trees introduced by the Polynesians. The garden also has one of the largest known collections of breadfruit trees. A mile long trail meanders through the garden, allowing visitors to be their own tour guide. Beyond the forest edge you’ll find the impressive and colossal Pi‘ilanihale Heiau. Visitors are not allowed on the heiau, so you’ll have to view it from afar. The coastal views here are beautiful.
The last time we checked, the garden was open Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and free for children. It closes without notice, so don’t be surprised if you find “Closed” signs.
Photo courtesy of Forest and Kim Starr from the USGS.
Location: Pi’ilanihale Heiau is located in the Northeast Maui Region
Response by: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 06/11/2009 at 02:21 AM
the gardens are open 10-5pm, 3$ per person. The problem is how to find the temple in them, we did not, although we knew it was there. The gardens provide a "map" but on that map you can't find the temple either..
Response by: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/19/2009 at 05:55 PM
tis does not belong to you
Response by: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/12/2010 at 10:34 PM
To Elliot-well put. This is a VERY sacred site with much manna. I have been there, top to bottom and end to end, and have experienced all that it has to offer. It is not a place for malahini, who have no understanding of Maui culture or history. I was there over ten years ago during the Taro Festival with my kumu hula, Auntie Amy, and our halau, and we were privileged to be allowed to not only perform our sacred hula and pule, and to present our makana, but to ascend the stone staircase to the heiau itself. It is an experience I will never forget. Only one word can describe it-okakala-chicken skin. To all visitors, please show respect
Response by: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 08/30/2010 at 04:07 PM
to all those ppl who visited my family heiau i am very pleased that you had that expirience of viewing the heiau my grandmother is elizabeth kahanu and our family owns the botanicle gardens and the pi'ilani heiau we are very thankful for having such a beautifull place like this that is so sacred to our family and to us mahalo nui loa to all of you who showed so much love and respect to our aina
Response by: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 08/30/2010 at 06:20 PM
Sorry to disillusion all you folks, but Kahanu Gardens is a National Botanical Garden, so it doesn't belong to any family. The same holds true of the heiau. Originally built in 1245 by one of the Hana chiefs at a time when the island was divided, with two ruling chiefs, one in Hana and one for the rest of Maui. It was rededicated by Pi'ilani when he united all of Maui in the 16th century, NOT the 14th century. It is also an Historical Treasure, so sorry, Candace, neither it nor the Gardens are owned by your family or any other family, they are government property. Unless you can trace your geneology back through the centuries to Pi'ilani himself, I doubt you can make any claim to the heiau. When I visited the gardens and the heiau over ten years ago, Take Matsuda was the caretaker, and he never made any mention of your family.
Response by: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 08/30/2010 at 06:31 PM
To Candace-your grandmother could very well be descended from King Kahanu, to whom the lands were ceded by King Kamehameha III during the Great Mahele in 1848. This part of the ahupua'a belonged to several families, including Kahanu and Matsuda, but again, both the gardens and the heiau are now part of the National Botanical Park System. Perhaps you also knew Blue, who was the caretaker after Take.
Response by: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 08/30/2010 at 11:45 PM
To paka: for your information my Tutu Man (great grandfather) is Hanalei Kahanu and my great great grandfather had passed down the property which the heiau is built on to his grandchildren which is my TUTU MAN and his brothers and sisters........And by the way TAKE MATSUDA is my TUTU MAN'S nephew his mother is my TUTU MANS SISTER......the NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN is being taken cared by bishop estate and talking about tracing back my geneology trust dont need to because we already know wats ours.
Response by: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 08/31/2010 at 12:24 AM
BLUE aka FRANCIS is taking care of the botanicle gardens....is my tutu mans nephew.....and btw the chief had given the property to pi'ilani from the mountain to the ocean and the heiau was apart of it from then it was passed down to family generation to generations.... my great great tutu man is buried on the side of the gate behind the shack his last name is UAIWA we are one of the families who do have access to the property with no questions asked we are on that list to go onto the heiau and to give our respect to our ancestors.....but i wanna thankyou from the familie of KAHANU UAIWA OHANA very pleased to know that you are one of the many who has so much interest in the heiau and knows so much about it.... mahalo
Response by: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 08/31/2010 at 01:27 AM
No'u ka hau'oli. I have a very special connection to Pi'ilanihale Heiau. Aka, mai hiki 'olelo wau o kela. Pela paha e maopopo 'oe.
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