Puʻu Pehe

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From Hulopoʻe Beach a path (of around 0.75 miles) leads south to the end of Manele Point, which separates Hulopoʻe and Manele Bays. The point is a volcanic cinder cone that's sharply eroded on its seaward edge. The lava here is a rich rust red with swirls of gray and black, and its texture is bubbly and brittle – so brittle that huge chunks of the point have broken off and fallen onto the coastal shelf below.

Puʻu Pehe is the name of the cove to the left of the point, as well as the rocky islet just offshore. This islet, which is also known as Sweetheart Rock, has a tomblike formation on top that features in the Hawaiian legend of Pehe. According to the legend, Pehe was a beautiful maiden who was stashed away in a cave by her lover, lest any other young men on Lanaʻi set eyes on her. One day, when her lover was up in the mountains, a storm suddenly blew in and powerful waves drowned Pehe. The grief-stricken boy carried Pehe's body to the top of Puʻu Pehe, where he erected a tomb and laid her to rest. He then jumped to his death in the surging waters.


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