"Place of Refuge, Pu'uhonua o..." Top 5 Page for this destination Pu'uhonua o Honaunau Tip by makai

<font color=blue><b>Place of Refuge, Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Park</b></font>
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Officially called in Hawaiian, Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, the Place of Refuge is probably the most visited Kona tourist site out of Kailua. Surprisingly it is a National Park so that there are two such on the Big Island including the Volcanoes National Park. This place was very important to Hawaiians.
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If you broke a kapu (law) in those days then you were under a rather unpleasant immediate death sentence (This was before Miranda). However there was an out. If you could paddle your canoe fast enough to reach this place of refuge, then all your sins would be forgiven and you could return to your village life. There are murals here of one guy paddling like mad, only to be caught and killed by the king's warriors in their huge battle canoe within a hundred yards of his salvation. You can see how the missionaries were able to make hay selling confessionals.

Directions: To get here go south out of Kailua on Hwy 11, pass through Captain Cook, and take the right turn at the post office in Honaunau (Hwy 160).