ALOHA!
So there are historic sites that come with grand views to be found all around the island of Lanai!
And one of the ways to get experience a bit of history and beautiful views is by visiting the Garden of the Gods!
The Garden of the Gods aka Keahiakawelo is one of the spots on Lanai that’s usually recommended to go to when youโre on Lanai for a few days, or if you’re looking to do a drive around the island.
This is one of the Lanai activities that will have you driving on an unpaved road to get there.
So in order to drive to the Garden of the Gods, it’s basically off-road driving. I’m pretty sure basically all rental cars on Lanai are 4-wheel-drive, so if you rent a car, you will more than likely be fine to do this drive!
You’ll take a dirt road, and eventually you will come to what looks like a whole bunch of big rocks. It’ll give you grand coastal views too.
And if you are interested in learning a bit about Hawaiian culture, you can find informational signs all around Lanai that will give you a glimpse into what life for Hawaiians was like on Lanai long ago. You can also find these signs at the Garden of the Gods to learn a bit about the significance of this historic site.
As explained once you reach the Garden of the Gods Keahiakawelo historic site and scenic overlook:
The region around Keahiakawelo is one of the most significant storied landscapes on Lanai.
There are numerous traditions describing how native Hawaiians were able to survive on Lanai.
The view plane from Keahiakawelo opens out to the eastern end of Molokai.
It’s also mentioned that you can visit the Lanai Culture and Heritage Center to further explore Lanai history. This is located in the main town area of Lanai City.
Can you get to Garden of the Gods without a car?
If you don’t mind a SOLID day hike (aka LONG day hike), then you can also visit Garden of the Gods even if you’re on Lanai without a car.
You can get dropped off by the Lanai shuttle at the end of the paved road, and from there it’s around 6 miles to the Garden of the Gods.
So you can think of it of at least a 12+ mile round trip hike. You’ll be walking the same road the cars drive. Here is google maps for reference.
If you’re lucky, maybe some local fisherman will offer you a ride to cut down on your hiking time and distance. But it’s probably best not to rely on this!
Most people will drive to Garden of the Gods, and then further on to Polihua Beach.
Electric mountain biking tour to Garden of the Gods
You can also go by ebike to Garden of the Gods through a Lanai Adventure Park tour. If you are traveling solo to Lanai, this is cheaper than renting a jeep on Lanai for a day! It wouldn’t be unusual for a car rental on Lanai to cost around $200 a day. (If you are 2 people, it probably isn’t too big of a price difference when comparing the mountain biking tour vs car rental.)
More below about Garden of the Gods!
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Now…
More PHOTOS from the trip to Garden of the Gods!
Including how to get there!
The start of the direct road to Garden of the Gods is located near the main town area of Lanai City in the middle of the island.
You’ll be driving away from town, past the Four Seasons Sensei Lanai wellness resort, past a small Hawaiian church, and you might see some horses too.
Garden of the Gods is on google maps listed as Keahiakawelo (Garden of the Gods), so you can use that to generally navigate away from Lanai City.
You can also use the mapsme app (you’ll download the Hawaii map) to find the road that leads to Garden of the Gods. (I also used mapsme to find the start of the Koloiki Ridge Trail.)
It’s right after the entrance to the Lanai Ranch that the road becomes an unpaved road.
When I used the mapsme app, the Lanai Ranch was marked as “stables at Koele.”
And then once you start driving on Polihua Trail, you can simply follow the road, and you shouldn’t have any problem. There are some directional signs along the way.
Just remember, Keahiakawelo is Garden of the Gods!
So onwards you drive until you see a big fields of rocks and boulders!
When you start to see a few big rocks, you’ll know you’re getting closer! (But you’re not quite there!)
And then… you’ve made it to the Garden of the Gods of Lanai!
And then…
What to do after your trip to Garden of the Gods?!
Polihua Beach
If you’re driving, you can keep going further along the road towards the secluded at remote Polihua Beach! It’s possible that you might be the only one there!
Also, as explained by the people of Lanai at the Garden of the Gods site:
From Keahiakawelo, the 4×4 trail becomes more rugged as you descend towards Polihua Beach.
It’s also noted that there are 2 more historical sites that can be found in the area:
- The Point of Kaena (Lae O Kaสปena)
- Heiau at Kaสปena Iki, said to be Lanai’s largest ancient Hawaiian temple
It is listed that the “only access to these sites is found along rugged coastal trails that are not marked.” Happy adventuring on Lanai! If you are interested in finding these sites, you might stop in to the Lanai Culture and Heritage Center for tips!
On your way back from Garden of the Gods and Polihua Beach, you can also stop by the Kanepuu Overlook and the Kanepuu Dryland Forest Preserve Trail. You’ll have passed signs for each of these on your way to Garden of the Gods. So you can make a stop at these places on your way to Garden of the Gods too.
Kanepuu Overlook
Kanepuu Dryland Forest Preserve Trail
And then when you’re ready, you can head back towards Koele, where you came from!
And that’s a bit about driving on Lanai to see Garden of the Gods!
See more of Lanai:
- Driving to Shipwreck Beach
- Where to search for Lanai petroglyphs (more Lanai history!)
- Hiking the Fisherman’s Trail and Hulopoe Heritage Trail (more Lanai history!)
- More of the best of Lanai
Plus see the best of West Maui.
HAPPY VISIT TO GARDEN OF THE GODS!
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