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Prince Kuhio Park
Located within the South Region on Kauai
The Prince Kuhio Park is a monument to Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole who was raised in Koloa. Had Hawai'i not been annexed to the United States, he likely would have reigned as king. Instead he was elected as a congressional delegate for Hawai'i for 10 consecutive terms. He was known as a tireless champion of Hawaiian culture and is so revered that his birthday, March 26, is a state holiday. The foundation of his home and fishpond are protected in the park. It is very well maintained with a pleasant view of the ocean.
Parking is available to the left in the back. Besides an ocean view, the park is home to the Ho'ai Heiau. It sits on the left side of the park and is an exquisite example of stone construction. Its lava stones are so well-fitted that they almost appear to be carved On Highway 50 from Hanapepe take a right onto Koloa Road near mile marker 11. Turn left onto Po'ipu Road from Koloa Road in south Kauai. The road will wind slightly past the Kiahuna Golf Course. At around mile marker 5 Po'ipu Road will branch off to the left. Follow the right fork onto Lawa'i Road with goes along the coastline. Prince Kuhio Park is less than a mile on your right.
Prince Kuhio Park
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana'ole was born here in 1871. Had the Hawaiian monarchy survived, he would have been king. Instead, he became Hawaii's first delegate to the United States Congress, serving 10 consecutive terms from 1903 to 1922. His work on behalf of Native Hawaiians earned him the title "The People's Prince."
What's in the Park
The park preserves the stone foundation of Prince Kuhio's birthplace home. A traditional Hawaiian fish pond sits on the grounds. Nearby is the Ho'ai Heiau, a sacred shrine with precisely fitted lava stones. The whole site is small, well-maintained, and free to visit.
You can walk the entire grounds in 10 to 15 minutes. There is an ocean view from the park, and the landscaping keeps the area pleasant even on warm days.
Prince Kuhio Day
March 26 is Prince Kuhio Day, a state holiday in Hawaii. Annual celebrations are held at the park with Hawaiian music, hula, and cultural events. If your trip overlaps, the festivities are worth attending.
Getting There
The park is on Lawa'i Road in Po'ipu, on Kauai's south shore. From Koloa, take Po'ipu Road south and follow the right fork onto Lawa'i Road. The park is less than a mile down on the right. Spouting Horn is just up the road, and Po'ipu Beach is a short drive back toward town. Easy to combine all three in one outing.
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Trade winds are strong right now, with high surf hitting the south shore today. Windward areas are seeing frequent showers through the weekend.
South-facing beaches have dangerous surf today through Sunday—stay out of the water unless you're an experienced swimmer. East-facing shores will build rough water by Sunday or Monday. The bigger picture is a tropical system, Fausto, heading our way. It's weakening but should arrive near the islands by Tuesday or Wednesday as a tropical storm or weaker system, bringing strong winds, rough seas, and heavy rain. The exact track is still uncertain, so check the forecast daily.
Get your beach time and water activities in today through early next week on the leeward side, where conditions stay calmer. Be ready to shift plans by midweek when conditions turn rough.
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Windy conditions across Maui right now, with trade winds gusting strong. South-facing shores have high surf today and will see another big swell Saturday and Sunday—the water's dangerous unless you're an experienced ocean swimmer.
Through the weekend, windward areas will get frequent showers while trade winds stay gusty. The bigger picture arrives midweek: Hurricane Fausto is weakening as it moves toward the islands and should reach Maui as a tropical storm or weaker system Tuesday or Wednesday. That'll bring rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain. Track and timing are still uncertain, so check updates daily.
Hit the leeward beaches and snorkel south Maui coasts today through early next week, but stay out of windward and south-facing waters through Sunday.
0:000:54
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Windy conditions dominate right now with strong trade winds pushing across the island. South-facing shores have high surf today—dangerous water if you're not an experienced swimmer.
Through the weekend, those south shores see another big swell Saturday and Sunday, and east-facing shores will build dangerous conditions by Sunday or Monday. Windward areas get frequent showers. A tropical system—the remnants of Hurricane Fausto—is weakening and headed toward the islands as a tropical storm or weaker system by Tuesday or Wednesday, bringing rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain midweek. Timing and track are still uncertain, so check updates daily.
Leeward beaches on the Kona side stay your best bet today through early next week, but avoid the water on the windward and south shores through Sunday.
0:000:57
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Strong trade winds are pushing showers across windward areas through the weekend. On Kauaʻi, expect frequent showers on the windward side.
High surf is running on south-facing shores today and will build again Saturday and Sunday—stay out of the water unless you're an experienced swimmer. East-facing shores will also see dangerous swell by Sunday or Monday. Hurricane Fausto is weakening as it moves toward Hawaii. By Tuesday or Wednesday it should reach the islands as a tropical storm or weaker system, bringing rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain. Track and timing are still uncertain, so check updates daily through midweek.
Beach time on leeward shores works through early next week. Plan water activities for today, but be ready to shift if Fausto's track becomes clearer—conditions will deteriorate by midweek.
Created with AI from the official NWS forecast discussion · verify with NWS before heading out