In the town of Kalaheo, just off the beaten path, lies a hidden gem, Kukuiolono Park and Golf Course. The park was once the site of an ancient Hawaiian Heiau and, more recently, the late Walter McBryde estate.
The park offers extensive walking paths and gardens with breathtaking mountain and ocean views. The challenging 9-hole golf course is popular with the locals for its beauty and the most inexpensive greens fees on the island.
The newly renovated Japanese garden is a great place for a stroll down a quaint path and over a footbridge. Visitors can see fountains, statues, bonsai trees, and other plantings. The garden path leads up to a unique and extensive collection of Hawaiian lava rock artifacts and a newly built meditation pavilion.
There are also numerous opportunities for joggers, walkers, and hikers here. From the Japanese garden, a paved path leads out to a bluff that offers unrivaled views of the South and West shores of Kauai. It is even possible to view whales here during the appropriate season. From the lower parking lot, hikers can walk along a wooded path that winds through an ironwood and Eucalyptus forest. The path seems particularly peaceful when the wind blows through the ironwood trees.
Kukuiolono Park is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. To get there, head south on Papalina Road from the light in Kalaheo; when the road begins to head downhill, make a right on Puu Road, where you will find the entrance. For more information about Kukuiolono Park and Golf Course, call 808-332-9151
