An ancient Hawaiian aquaculture pond on Hulēʻia Stream, enclosed by a stone wall roughly 900 feet long. HTA dates it to about 1,000 years ago, legend says the Menehune built it in a single night, and it has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973.
Why we love it
It’s a five-minute stop, but it tells you more about pre-contact Hawaiian engineering than most museums, and the river-valley view is lovely.
What to expect
This is a roadside overlook, not a park. Pull off at the marked turnout on Hulemalu Road above Niumalu and look down on the pond, the long rock wall separating it from the stream, and the stream valley beyond. Interpretive information is minimal, so read up first: fishponds like this let small fish in through gated channels and kept them as they grew, and fish from ponds were often reserved for aliʻi (chiefs). There are no facilities, and the pond itself isn’t open to visitors.
Know before you go
- Parking
- A small roadside pull-out on Hulemalu Road. Watch for traffic on the narrow road.
- Access
- View from the overlook only. Don’t walk down to the pond or its walls.
- Facilities
- None. It’s a few minutes from Nāwiliwili and Līhuʻe.
- Directions
- From Highway 50, take Puhi Road, then turn left on Hulemalu Road. The overlook is on the right.
- Respect
- It’s a cultural site on the National Register. Take nothing and leave nothing.
Illustrative photo — not taken at Alekoko (Menehune) Fishpond.
Photo: Christopher P. Becker aka Polihale at en.wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
