Kaunolu

At the western end of the south coast lies Kaunolu, once a Hawaiian fishing village. The village enjoys particular fame as King Kamehameha I selected it for his summer residence and came here for the fishing. Today, little remains of the original Kaunolu. It has been uninhabited since about 1900, although the remains of 80 houses give the impression that it was once an important village. The large temple site Halulu Heiau and its rock drawings emphasize the previous standing of this historic place. The remains of the temple are located on the southern tip of the island in the western part of the bay. As its last inhabitant, Ohua, acting on instructions from Kamehameha V and regardless of the fact that Hawaiian religion had already been abolished some time earlier, hid the stone fish god Kunihi, which stood in the altar of a temple not far from Halulu Heiau. Ohua is said to have been put to death for damaging the stone idol, reputed to be buried in a ravine only about 328ft/100m from the temple.