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Oahu Sacred Sites: Explore Ancient Hawaiian Culture
5.0
24 Ratings
Honolulu
Embark on a half-day Oahu Sacred Sites Tour and delve into the rich history and culture of Polynesia. Explore ancient Hawaiian sacred grounds and discover the hidden gems of the south, central, and east side of Oahu with a knowledgeable local guide.
Embark on a half-day Oahu Sacred Sites Tour and delve into the rich history and culture of Polynesia. Explore ancient Hawaiian sacred grounds and discover the hidden gems of the south, central, and east side of Oahu with a knowledgeable local guide.
Duration:
6 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Makapu’u Point - Renowned as one of Oahu’s most stunning viewpoints, Makapu’u translates to ‘bulging eye’ in Hawaiian. It is named after a Tahitian deity who resided in a local cave and was known for having eight luminous eyes.
- Kaka’ako Waterfront Park - Also referred to as “Point Panic Park,” this public park is situated in Kakaʻako, just…
- Makapu’u Point - Renowned as one of Oahu’s most stunning viewpoints, Makapu’u translates to ‘bulging eye’ in Hawaiian. It is named after a Tahitian deity who resided in a local cave and was known for having eight luminous eyes.
- Kaka’ako Waterfront Park - Also referred to as “Point Panic Park,” this public park is situated in Kakaʻako, just south of downtown Honolulu. It features the captivating spiral of Whales Chamber.
- Byodo-In Temple - Nestled at the base of the Ko’olau Mountains within the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, this temple was inaugurated on June 7, 1968, to honor the centennial of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. This O’ahu temple is a smaller-scale replica of the over 950-year-old Byodo-in Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Uji, Japan.
- Ulupo Heiau State Monument - This ancient site is steeped in legend, initially linked to the menehune and later to prominent Oʻahu chiefs like Kakuhihewa in the 15th century and Kualiʻi in the late 17th century.
- He’eia State Park - Located on Oʻahu’s windward side, visitors can explore the rich history of He’eia State Park, also known as Keʻalohi Point, and its significant historical transformations. The park is home to various native and Polynesian-introduced plants, and features Oahu’s oldest fish pond, highlighting its historical importance.
- Kahi Hali’a Aloha - This memorial, known as the place of loving remembrance, was designed by lineal descendants to safeguard Hawaiian ancestral remains. It is the first memorial of its kind to provide permanent and respectful protection for generations of Hawaiian ancestral remains.
What's Included
- Local guide
- Bottled water
- Driver/guide
- Landing and/or facility fees
- Surcharges on fuel
- Local guide
- Bottled water
- Driver/guide
- Landing and/or facility fees
- Surcharges on fuel
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Embark on a half-day journey off Oahu’s standard tourist trail, where you’ll unravel the ancient sacred realms and history of Polynesian culture, guided by a local cognizant guide. The guide provides an air-conditioned vehicle for your comfort and service, brimming with the spirit of Aloha! 5-6 historic, religious, and sacred locations in the south,…
Embark on a half-day journey off Oahu’s standard tourist trail, where you’ll unravel the ancient sacred realms and history of Polynesian culture, guided by a local cognizant guide. The guide provides an air-conditioned vehicle for your comfort and service, brimming with the spirit of Aloha! 5-6 historic, religious, and sacred locations in the south, central, and east regions of Oahu are on your visit list.
- Dress code is smart casual
- Minimum age is 18 years
Location
Honolulu Zoo
Kapahulu Avenue
Travelers meet tour guide at 9am in front of the big banyan tree at the entrance of Honolulu Zoo
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(24 Ratings)
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1 star
Shant_a
Jun 4, 2025
Great tour - Ama was a great host, and as a native Hawaiian, he's a wealth of local and historical information. Highly recommend booking this tour!
Review provided by Viator
U7393onannal
Aug 29, 2024
Extraordinary experience - This excursion is highly recommended.
The Guide took us to very special places.
We went to a holy place and made a "sacrifice" here (flowers with food in them).
We also went to a very large cemetery where all kinds of different cultures have their own place.
There is also a beautiful Buddhist temple with a large gong and a very nice garden.
We also went to the Hare Krisna for lunch.
I would recommend this excursion to anyone who wants to see something different from the "ordinary" tourist spots.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rrustva
Mar 3, 2024
Places you have never heard of but won’t soon forget. - My husband and I have been coming to Hawaii for more than 25 years and more than half of the places we went to on this tour were places we had never seen before. It was Amazing and Eva’s knowledge and respect for these very special places was thoughtful and engaging.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E5652qdlisaj
Jan 6, 2024
Beautiful tour - Great tour, knowledgeable and welcoming guide. Lovely spiritual focus with stunning landscapes. We loved our tour, thanks Simina ; )
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Redstar1943
Apr 27, 2023
A Most Peaceful Tour - My sister and I had already taken a standard tour of Oahu but wanted a more peaceful and personal tour. We booked Off the Beaten Path Spiritual Tour and were not disappointed. Our tour guide, Leihoku met us at the Banyan Tree in front of the Honolulu Zoo. We traveled in a very comfortable Mercedes van. During the tour we visited many Historical sites and she gave us the history behind the Hawaiian Culture.
At one of the locations we paused to give an offering to the gods. At another we took the time to meditate with her. All in all it was one of the most relaxing and informative tours I have ever been on. Thanks to Leihoku we left Hawaii with a vast knowledge and understanding of the Hawaiian Culture.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gd8811
Sep 29, 2022
Excellent tour, excellent guide - My mother and I booked a small group off the beaten path tour, and luckily ended up with a whole tour to ourselves. We learned so much about the island, its history, got to see beautiful locations and spiritually significant sites. Our guide Eva was wonderful, clearly appreciative of her surroundings and passionate about sharing her knowledge of the people and the land. 10/10 would recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mrhollio
Jul 25, 2022
Ring the bell! - Eva met us at the zoo early in the morning. After introductions, we jumped into her car and she proceeded to take us around the the south-east of the island. Eva was extremely knowledgeable about Hawaiian culture, history, spirituality. Eva was accommodating, friendly, and showed us how to ring the bell properly at the Buddhist temple. The family enjoyed the day tremendously. I would recommend Eva to my friends and family and anyone coming to Waikiki. Thank you Eva!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elibowlby
Mar 17, 2022
Simina is amazing!! - Our experience on the Sacred Sites tour was nothing short of wonderful and extremely eye-opening. Our guide, Simina, was super knowledgeable and extremely friendly. She helped us understand the culture and history behind different religious and spiritual sites around Oahu. Being a tour of only three people, everything was super personalized and questions could be easily asked. We wish this experience was more popular, because we had the time of our lives!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michele_b
Mar 8, 2022
Beautiful Hawaiian Experience - Simina was patient, thoughtful and informative. She was attentive to our needs. Very security conscious. Perfect driver in our comfortable Mercedes’ van. She took her time to share the Hawaiian culture stories. What an amazing tour.
Review provided by Viator
J4247hfcathyp
Sep 15, 2024
A great day out, but turn off the radio. - The sites we saw were great. I learned a lot about Hawaiian spirituality. The guide knew a good deal about the various sites. However, she seemed a bit disorganized about what all we were going to see. Another thing was that when she wasn't telling us about sites while she was driving, she turned on the radio. LOUD. When she'd start talking again, those of us in the back couldn't hear what she was saying. We asked her several times to turn down the radio, which she did, then cranked it again when she wasn't talking. There is nothing wrong with silence when there's nothing to say. It gives the guests a chance to absorb the scenery and also be able to think up questions. The radio either shouldn't be on at all, or kept at a lower volume. The guide was very difficult to hear even when the radio was turned off as she's somewhat soft-spoken. It would help if she had a microphone like many of the other guides we've encountered. There are a variety of hands-free devices she could have used. It would have made the tour SO much better.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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