This excursion takes you back in time with a visit to Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park, a sanctuary of Hawaii’s past, where traditional Hawaiian lifestyle is preserved. This ancient Hawaiian village of refuge for “kapu” or lawbreakers, features ancient temples and wooden images that depict stories from the past. Today the park continues to serve as a sanctuary for those seeking a peaceful destination and a safe haven for many species of wildlife that have made the park their home.

From the park we take a scenic drive to magnificent Kealakekua Bay, where you will have a scenic view from the hillside over the bay, which is home to an underwater preserve and the place where a monument to the infamous Captain Cook stands. This is the spot where he sailed in to discover Hawaii and was received as a god, Lono, was proved to be a mortal and was slain.

The next stop on the tour is the “Painted Church”, overlooking Kealakekua Bay. The church, painted by Belgian priests arriving in the late 19th century, is often referred to as the “Jewel of South Kona” serving as both an historical site as well as an active parish.

The final stop on this excursion takes you to the Kona Coffee Factory where you will learn about the process of cultivating and growing the world famous coffee produced in the Kona area, with plenty of time for sampling!