The Ahu’ena Heiau in Kailue-Kona is a truly fascinating historical site in Hawaii. A heiau, pronounced, hay-au, in its simplest form means a temple or a place of worship. But the significance and tradition behind heiau go much deeper than a simple physical structure. Ancient Hawaiian heiaus were built for many reasons, including the treatment of the sick, offering the first fruits, starting and stopping rain, increasing the population, achieving success in distant voyaging, ensuring a nation’s health, or reaching peace. You’ll find the remnants of these temples across the Hawaiian Islands, and while all are sacred, there is one heiau, in particular, that is so revered no one is allowed to step foot inside or on the grounds surrounding it.

Located on a small, artificial island across from Kamakahonu Beach and King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel in Kailua-Kona, the Ahu’ena Heiau is truly fascinating.
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Built by King Kamehameha I between 1812 and 1813 to honor Lono, the god of fertility, Ahu’ena was a temple of peace and prosperity.
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Many ritual prayers took place here, though it was not a temple of human sacrifice.
Mark/Flickr
These rituals focused on humanity’s higher nature, and Kamehameha would gather the kahuna who would go into a deep trance and receive messages from the gods at the oracle tower (the tallest structure of the heiau).
The stone platform, or paepae, is home to three main structures:
John Hyun/Flickr
Hale Mana, thatched with ti leaves and trimmed with fern was where the King and his advisors met, and prayer was held, the Hale Pahu which housed the great ceremonial drum and the large white tower, ‘Anu’u, where the high priests communed with the gods. Surrounding these structures are tiki representing various gods, including Koleamoku, the god of healing.

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The heiau served as the king’s personal refuge and was his home for the last years of his life.
John Hyun/Flickr
It is even believed that King Kamehameha died here. As the myth goes, his bones were prepared according to an ancient ritual soon after his death and taken to a secret burial place, perhaps Wawahiwaa Point north of Kailua.
Today, Ahu’ena is so revered that no one is allowed to set foot inside or on the grounds surrounding it. You can, however, check it out from the nearby Kamakahonu Beach.
Mark/Flickr
Ahu’ena is not only a National Historical Landmark but is considered to be one of the most important historic sites in the Aloha State.
ひでじいさん/TripAdvisor
The temple was restored in the 1950s, became a Designated National Historic Landmark in 1962, and three decades later, was added to the Hawaii State Register of Historic Places.
History buffs will love admiring this unique site from afar, but everyone can appreciate the sense of serenity you'll find here.
Mark/Flickr

Have you ever seen Ahu’ena Heiau from afar? If you’re looking for another Hawaiian heiau you’ll never be able to visit, this underwater heiau in Hawaii is truly fascinating.

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More to Explore

More Ancient Hawaiian Heiau

Chris Muras | December 22, 2022

What does heiau mean in Hawaiian?

The Hawaiian word heiau means a place of worship or Hawaiian temple. It is a sacred place where divine energy, or mana, is gathered and transferred through prayer and ritual. It could be a physical structure or simply a special location in nature, such as a beach or hillside. Often heiau made use of stone markers or platforms in square, rectangle, or rounded formations.

Is there heiau in Oahu?

Yes, there are several Oahu heiau. The Pu'u o Mahuka Heiau is located in Oahu. This two-acre heiau is the largest on the island and sits atop a high bluff 300 feet above the sea overlooking Waimea Bay. Another is the Hale o Lono Heiau, which was built between 1470 A.D. and 1700 A.D. It was dedicated to worshiping Lono, the god of agriculture.

Here is a few more ancient heiau on Oahu:

What happened at Puukohola Heiau?

Located on Kauaʻi, the Puukohola Heiau was built around 1790 by Kamehameha the Great, who played a prominent role in unifying the warring Hawaiian islands. It is said Kamehameha received a prophecy from his priest Kapoukahi to build the Puukohola Heiau in tribute to his war god Kuka'ilimoku. It is also said that Kamehameha's brother Keali'imaika'i, was instructed not to assist in the construction or he would be defiled in the eyes of the war god. Keali'imaika'i disobeyed and assisted the workers with the stone construction. When his older brother found out he collected all of the stones Keali'imaika'i worked with, placed them in a canoe, and sailed them over the horizon to dump them in the sea to appease the war god.

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Ahu’ena Hheiau, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, USA