Kealakekua Bay

Kealakekua Bay on Hawaiʻi Island’s Kona coast was settled more than a thousand years ago and became a major ceremonial center in ancient Hawaiʻi, with Hikiau Heiau, sacred royal burial cliffs, and villages closely tied to the Makahiki season. It entered world history in 1779 when Captain James Cook arrived, was first welcomed, then was killed on the shore after relations broke down. The bay also figured in the struggles surrounding Kamehameha I’s rise, later drew traders and explorers, and changed after the collapse of the old religious order. Today it is valued both for its archaeological and historical importance and as a protected marine area.

Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii · United States