To ancient Hawaiians, the Wailua River was among the most sacred places across the islands. The river basin, near its mouth, was one of the island’s two royal centers (the other was Waimea) and home to the high chiefs. Here you can find the remains of many important heiau (ancient stone temples); together they now form a national historic landmark.
Shutterstock / Abbie Warnock-Matthews
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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Nearby attractions
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Perched high on a hill overlooking the meandering Wailua River, well-preserved Poliʻahu Heiau, a luakini (temple dedicated to war god Ku), is named after…
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