Also referred to as Punaluʻu Nui, 800-year-old Kaneʻeleʻele Heiau was the region's luakani, or place of human sacrifice. A large flat stone below the southwest corner of the temple walls is believed to have served this purpose, while a pit full of bones discovered during construction of nearby sugar warehouses appears to confirm it. Reach the heiau by following a short steep trail up above the warehouse foundations at the northeast corner of Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park. It's not easy to spot.
Look for a path heading east from the heiau paved with smooth gray stones set to ease the journey of barefoot warriors over the rough ²¹Ê»²¹ (rough, jagged type of lava). This section of the 175-mile Ala Kahakai (Trail by the Sea) National Historic Trail is well preserved and provides a great day hike east to Kamehame Beach (3 miles), a turtle nesting site protected by the Nature Conservancy, or southwest to Kawa Bay (2.7 miles). You may need to ask the lifeguards for navigational help.
