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Ke’anae Arboretum
Located within the Hana Highway Region on Maui
Around half-mile beyond mile marker 16 on the Hana Highway you'll see a sign on the mauka side of the road marking the entrance to Ke'anae Arboretum. The arboretum is large with a paved parking lot makai after the sign.
Because of the sloped curve in the road, be careful crossing the street from the parking area to the arboretum. The Ke'anae Arboretum lies alongside the Pi'ina'au Stream on leveled terraces built hundreds of years ago by Hawaiians for growing taro, a mainstay of their diet. A 0.6 mile paved walkway takes visitors through timber, fruit, and ornamental trees from tropical regions around the world, many of which are marked with name plates. Inside the arboretum you can find some 150 varieties of tropical plants (including taro). This is a great location to see some indigenous flowers and the painted bark eucalyptus trees.
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An upper section of the arboretum features plants cultivated by the Hawaiians for food and other uses. This arboretum appears to have undergone a major renovation as of our last visit. The renovation included an expansion on the previous path that now leads into beautiful small taro fields not previously located in the arboretum. There are no facilities or amenities at this stop. Expect to spend 30 minutes to an hour here.
Founder & certified Hawai'i travel expert with 20+ years in Hawai'i tourism, University of South Carolina climate-research training, and NOAA weather-station experience.
Oʻahu starts calm and mild with just a few afternoon showers inland. Everything changes Wednesday night when tropical moisture pushes in from the south—an unusual pattern for us. Heavy rain becomes likely through at least Thursday morning, especially on the leeward side where rain doesn't normally fall this heavy. Thunderstorms are possible too. Thursday stays damp and showery as the system lingers, then improves Friday as it weakens, though scattered showers continue. Moderate swell on the south and west shores through the week, with moderate swell also on the north shore from a distant system. Plan indoor activities for Wednesday evening through Thursday morning. Beach days and hikes work better Thursday afternoon on.
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Maui starts calm with mild conditions through Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday night, deep tropical moisture moves in from the south—a rare pattern for Hawaii—and heavy rain becomes likely, especially on leeward areas. This wet spell continues through Thursday morning, with Thursday staying damp and showery before improving Friday. Southern and western shores will see moderate swell through the week.
Plan indoor or covered activities for Wednesday night through Thursday. Hiking and beach time work better Thursday afternoon onward.
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Right now it's calm and mild with just a few showers in the interior. Tonight southerly winds move in and heavy rain becomes likely, particularly on the western islands and leeward areas where rain doesn't normally fall. That wet pattern continues through Thursday morning, with thunderstorms possible around Kauai and Oahu. The Big Island will see showers and moisture linger through Thursday. Friday starts to improve as the system weakens, though south winds and scattered showers persist. Trade winds should return by Monday. Moderate swell affects southern and western shores through the week, with possible additional swell on west-facing beaches late week. Plan indoor activities for Wednesday night through Thursday, and save your hiking and beach time for Thursday afternoon onward.
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Kauaʻi starts calm with a few showers in the interior, and wind shifts to the south Wednesday—unusual for here. Heavy rain moves in Wednesday night and continues through Thursday morning, especially on the west side and leeward areas that normally stay dry. Thunderstorms are possible Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Visibility drops during the heaviest rain.
Friday clears gradually as the system weakens, though scattered showers and southerly wind linger. Weekend conditions improve toward normal, and trade winds return by Monday. Southern and western shores see moderate swell through the week; north shores stay moderate from a system to the northwest.
Plan indoor or covered activities for Wednesday night through Thursday. Daytime Wednesday is fine for outdoor plans. Beach and hiking days look better Thursday afternoon onward.
Created with AI from the official NWS forecast discussion · verify with NWS before heading out
