Kahanu Garden
Kahanu Garden
4
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
About
Kahanu Garden is one of five locations of the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG). Kahanu is home to large collections of Breadfruit and other ethno-botanical plants of the pacific as well as Pi'ilanihale Heiau believed to be the largest heiau in The State of Hawaii and a National Historic Landmark.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
179 reviews
Excellent
96
Very good
44
Average
22
Poor
8
Terrible
9
Kurt H
Salt Lake City, UT536 contributions
Jan 2020
So you take the road to Hana and think you could see a botanical garden on Saturday. Not to be. Turns out that they are already shutting down at 1:30pm and the gate is locked at 2pm. If you started out really early and didn't enjoy the road, then you would have time. Otherwise, you might run out of time. Caution. There also are other evaluations suggesting they didn't think it was worth it.
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
honu-lover
Kihei, HI751 contributions
If you want to experience more of Hawai`i than tee shirts and lauas, then explore ancient Hawai`i. I missed the East Maui Taro Festival in the spring, so I drove down the road to Hana in mid-summer to find the Kahua Garden. Don't expect the abundance of flowers and fragances like the other tropical gardens. Though there are flowers and sweet tropical scents. This is Hawai`i's best preservation of the plants brought to Hawai`i from Polynesia by the first settlers about 2,000 years ago. These plants are known as the Canoe Plants: sugar cane, banana, laurel, bottle gourd, taro, bamboo, mountain apple, sweet potato, bitter yam, kava, tumeric and many more. There is a $10 fee to enter the park. It takes about 30 minutes to walk the circular route. The park also contains the largest heiau in all of Hawai`i, the Hale O Pi`ilani Heiau, a stone structure that was once lost to the jungle, and is now a national historic landmark. That's why I would have paid more to enter the park, just to see the heiau (hey ee ah). It is so large that it reminded me of Mayan temples and pyramids I have seen in Mexico and Belize. There are also groves of coconut trees, and breadfruit. The park gives you a 36 page booklet printed on glossy stock with photographs of each plant. It is a small encyclopedia of information, including an appropriate chant or poem for each plant in Hawaiian and English.
Written August 30, 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ibrahim A
Los Angeles, CA61 contributions
This place is a treasure of history, culture and beauty. It also contains the largest historical temple in all of Hawaii. We are talking 3 acres wide.
Is also home of the largest bread fruit tree collection and variety in the world.
I could write about it forever, but the bottom line is, don't miss it and ask for a guided tour with Pi'ilani. She will make your your even more enjoyable.
Is also home of the largest bread fruit tree collection and variety in the world.
I could write about it forever, but the bottom line is, don't miss it and ask for a guided tour with Pi'ilani. She will make your your even more enjoyable.
Written July 30, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RonnyG
Houston, TX46 contributions
Kahanu Garden is one of five participating gardens of the National Tropical Botanical Garden. As such, I expected its primary function to be as a research facility which is also open to visitors who are seeking some of the historic/human context of the lush tropical plant life they are experiencing on Maui. So, I wasn't surprised or dismayed that the entry charge is $10 or that development has been kept to a minimum. The Pi`ilanihale Heiau is very impressive, regardless of which angle it is viewed from, and the rest of the garden has plenty of information about plant history and utility if that interests you. If not, I have to say the vast open lawn of the garden provides sweeping views up the forested and mist-shrouded slopes of Haleakala, and dramatic shoreline views are there, too, for those who care to walk the path along the seaward edge of the garden. I enjoyed the time I spent there in late June very much.
Written July 3, 2004
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LightPacker20575
Hialeah, FL1 contribution
Thank goodness this special place hasn't been spoiled by viewing towers. The monumental heiau is historic and a tribute to the determination and faith of an ancient people. Thumbs up to Kahanu and the National Tropical Botanical Garden for not bending to crass commercialism.
Written December 18, 2003
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CDL83
Edmonton, Canada45 contributions
Dec 2013 • Couples
Stopped here as we drove to hana. At first your thinking your going off roading as you take an unsaved road. Once you get there it's beautiful lush green and full of history! It was neat to see the architecture and learn the facts. There are some beautiful views! On a different note, they got brand new washrooms and are pretty clean (helpful after that curvy road!)
Written August 7, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mauijojo
Carmel, NY28 contributions
Oct 2014 • Couples
We are members of the National Tropical Botanical Garden and visited their 3 gardens on Kauai. We booked a guided tour of Kahanu Gardens and when we arrived, we were told that the guide was there the week before waiting for us. The lady at the front gate offered to take us through the garden before she went home. As it turned out, she was related to the people who previously owned the land. She showed us the graves of her ancestors and explained the history of the area. There is a gigantic heiau on the property and she told us the story about how her ancestors saved the heiau from destruction when the missionaries came. She chanted in Hawaiian for us and it was the most beautiful moment of our trip! This is not a flowery botanical garden, but is significant for the research NTBG is doing on breadfruit and it's peaceful location.
The restroom was built by some students and is the nicest restroom we have ever seen! No kidding!
The restroom was built by some students and is the nicest restroom we have ever seen! No kidding!
Written May 14, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth G
San Francisco, CA6 contributions
Aug 2014 • Friends
We almost didn't stop here after being ripped off at the "Garden of Eden"! THIS garden is a real botanical garden. Beautiful and interesting stop! Recommended.
Written August 29, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael S
Prescott, AZ50 contributions
Oct 2019
So many people see and experience only the glitz and tourist pieces of Hawaii and miss it's history, culture, and traditions. This is a stop to help renew your view of what the islands were not long ago and how traditions are being upheld. The Heiau is superb and the place overall is uplifting in a quiet way. The staff was knowledgeable and wonderful as are most Hawaiians if you treat them with respect. This stop was a highlight of our Maui adventure.
Written October 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
782kamil
London, UK18 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
Avoid unless you need to use a restroom for 10$ pp. Few random trees, large grassland, 2 half decent lookout points which you can get on your way to/from hana anyway. Can't see much of a temple, overall very disappointing experience during this amazing drive. I usually don't post any reviews of places on tripadvisor but this time I felt obliged to warn fellow visitors.
Written June 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nominal cost; and you receive a very nice booklet with the name and detail description of the various plants. A very beautiful, peaceful, relaxing garden. A true Hawaiian experience. Maybe $10 to enter the grounds, you drive your car in, then walk after you park. Do take water did not see any water fountain.
Written October 26, 2017
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