the West Side
Kaneana Cave
A tall limestone cave cut into the cliff on the Waianae coast, a few steps off the highway.
Why go
A sacred place named for Kane, the god of creation, that you can walk straight into from the road.
The catch
This is a wahi pana - a sacred place - and not an attraction. There are no signs, no lights and no facilities, offerings are still left inside, and nothing there is yours to take or move. Expect graffiti and litter on the walls, bring a torch, and watch the ceiling as well as the floor - the rock is loose and the ground is uneven. The car park is across Farrington Highway and traffic moves fast, so cross carefully and leave nothing in the car. It is about 90 minutes from Waikiki with little else out that way but Makua Beach and Kaena Point, so go because you want the west side, not for the cave on its own.
- How long
- 30 minutes
- With children
- With care
- Effort
- Easy
- Cost
- Free
- Parking
- Easy
Getting there
Driving times on real roads, from the same data the trip planner routes on — not straight-line distance.
| From Waikīkī | 1 hr 16 min | 43 miles |
|---|---|---|
| From HNL airport | 1 hr 18 min | 39.5 miles |
| From Mākaha | 10 min | 4.4 miles |
| From Ko Olina | 39 min | 16.6 miles |
Add traffic. These are free-flowing times, and the H1 through town at eight in the morning is not free-flowing.
Hours, fees and access rules have not been checked against a primary source for this entry yet. Confirm before you build a day around it.
See it on the map Build a trip around it
What else is close
Nearest by road, which is not the same as nearest on a map — and not the same as sharing a region either.
- Kaena Point, Keawaula end12 min awayThe end of the road on the west coast, and the trail out to the northwest tip of the island.
- Kaneaki Heiau16 min awayA fully restored heiau up Makaha Valley, with reconstructed thatched structures.
- Kaena Point, Mokuleia end17 min awayThe North Shore approach to Kaena Point, past Dillingham airfield where the road runs out.
- Kuilioloa Heiau17 min awayA heiau on the point at the end of Pokai Bay, out over the water on three sides.
- Ko Olina Lagoons38 min awayFour man-made lagoons on the dry west side, each one ringed by rock so the water barely moves.
- Wet'n'Wild Hawaii41 min awayThe island water park, out at Kapolei on the dry side.