List of Top 10 Religious Sites in Hawaii (2024)

Hawaii is the social heart of the world and is home to a staggering cluster of sanctuaries and a variety of other creations of nature as well as that of man. It is entirely satisfactory to spend a majority of the length of your Hawaii vacation, unwinding by the pool of your luxury lodging or sunning yourself on the sands of one of the state’s many alluring sea shores. However, for the individuals who need to find the ‘genuine’ Hawaii, there could be no more excellent spot to investigate than its religious sites.

Religion has played a significant part throughout the entire existence of Hawaii. At the point when Christian missionaries showed up on the islands, they carried with them their conviction framework, and their religion. From little rustic sanctuaries to tremendous houses of God, situated in the core of Hawaii’s legislative halls, these Hawaiian chapels, churches, temples and sacred sites are altogether heavenly, both in their engineering excellence and for the affection of individuals who worship inside their premises. These religious sites are the perfect example of architectural excellencies and are a must visit during a Hawaii trip.

But with so many of these to choose from, we often get confused as to which ones should we visit or which ones not. Therefore, to ease you off this mind load, we’ve curated a little list of the top 10 religious sites in Hawaii that you can visit to add greater meanings to your trip.

List of Top 10 Religious Sites in Hawaii

Let us know about some of these religious sites in detail:

1. Byodo In Temple: Who isn’t fascinated by a centuries old Buddhist temple? Well, we don’t know about others but we certainly do. An imitation of a 950-year-old Buddhist sanctuary, Byodo-In Temple invites guests from all religions. The sanctuary fills in as a spot for love and reflection. You can find a 3 m (9 ft) sculpture of Lotus Buddha inside, painted in gold and covered with gold leaf. Visit the Japanese nurseries with peacocks, dark swans, turtles, and frogs. Focus on the three-ton metal chime close to the passageway, which is said to sanitize the mind and carry positive things to the individuals who ring it. On the sanctuary’s grounds, you’ll find a reflecting lake, contemplation specialties, and little cascades. This religious site in Hawaii remains open for visiting all throughout the week from 9 AM to 5 PM. On the off chance that you head inside, don’t forget to take off your shoes because it is mandatory. Image Source
2. Mokuaikaua Church: Have you ever explored an old church which is nothing short of a masterpiece? If not, then it’s your time to do so. Located in Kailua-Kona, Mokuaikaua Church is the oldest Christian church and an amazing religious site to visit in Hawaii. Mokuaikaua Church dates back to the 1830s. This religious site stays open throughout the week, and certain displayed artefacts are particularly fascinating. The church has a stone entrance which was constructed out of magma stone, different pieces of the structure include pieces of coral, stones from different sanctuaries, and ohia trees. You should definitely take a visit to this ancient historic church to find out about the Christian missionary history, or consider visiting for Sunday services.
3. Laie Hawaii Temple: Laie Hawaii Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) which is situated on the upper east shore of the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu. The sanctuary sits on a little slope, a half-mile from the Pacific Ocean, in the town of Lāʻie, 35 miles (56 km) from Honolulu. Alongside Brigham Young University–Hawaii and the Polynesian Cultural Centre, the Laie Hawaii Temple assumes a significant part in the town of Lā’ie, with the Visitors’ Centre pulling in more than 100,000 individuals every year. Additionally to the first structure and development, the sanctuary has been devoted for use by a few leaders of the LDS Church. The Laie Hawaii Temple was the main sanctuary constructed by the LDS Church outside the United States. The sanctuary is also the oldest to work outside Utah, and the fifth-most oldest LDS sanctuary still in activity. The Laie Hawaii Temple was in the past known as the Hawaiian Temple or the Hawaii Temple until the usage of the standard naming convention for LDS sanctuaries.
4. Kauai’s Hindu Monastery: Kauai’s Hindu Monastery was set up in 1970. It is the base camp of the Saiva Siddhanta Church, which was established in Sri Lanka in 1949 by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami and set up in the US from the outset in San Francisco in 1957. This Hindu monastery is a philosophical theological college and home to the twelve started masters of the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order and around twelve more amateur priests. This religious site is a must visit if you want to explore the wonders of Hawaii and stay open to visit all throughout the week from 9 AM to 12 PM. And in case you happen to reach there by your own car, a parking facility is also available here.
5. Kawaiahao Church: Kawaiahaʻo Church is a notable Congregational church situated in Downtown Honolulu on the Hawaiian Island of Oʻahu. The congregation, alongside the Mission Houses, consists of the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site, which was assigned a U.S. Public Historic Landmark (NHL) in 1962. Once being the national church of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the congregation is prominently known as Hawaiʻi’s Westminster Abbey. The name comes from the Hawaiian phrase Ka wai a Haʻo (the water of Haʻo), on the grounds that its area was that of a spring and freshwater pool of a High Chieftess Haʻo. It has likewise been known as the “sound pule lahui”, the Great Stone Church, the Hawaiian Tabernacle (luakini), the Mother Church, the Kingʻs Church, the Kingʻs house of prayer, and the “Aliʻi Church”. Today, Kawaiahaʻo is one of the oldest churches of Oʻahu and also one of the most established standing Christian spots of love in Hawaiʻi. Denominationally, it is also a member of the United Church of Christ and is a must visit religious site in Hawaii.
6. Star of the Sea Painted Church: The Star of the Sea Painted Church in Kalapana, Hawai’i was constructed in 1927 under the bearing of the Belgian Catholic evangelist priest Father Evarist Gielen, who painted the upper part of the congregation inside. In 1990, the congregation was moved to its current area, in front of a propelling magma stream. It is situated on Highway 130 between mile marker 19 and 20, and is available to the general population without charge for seven days every week from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. This religious site of Hawaii is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
7. Wai’oli Hui’ia Church: Want to visit the most photogenic church of Hawaii? Just go to Wai’oli Hui’ia church in Kauai. Built in the year 1912, Wai’oli Hui’ia is a full of greenery spired church famous for its beauty and scenic views. Surrounded by beautiful landscapes on all four sides, it is also one of the most visited churches in Kauai. Open for visit all throughout the week, it is a must visit religious site in Hawaii if you desire to explore the real beauty of the Island.
8. Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs: Around 16 miles from the edge of Kilauea, on the southeastern bank of the Big Island, is a trailhead that prompts Pu’u Loa, Hawaii’s biggest field of petroglyphs. The site, inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, contains more than 23,000 centuries-old etchings—of dimples, circles, bars, even people and cruising kayaks—in solidified magma shaped at some point between the years 1200 and 1450. Apart from being a travelog of sorts, the petroglyph field is a holy site where local Hawaiians have been known to cover the umbilical strings of babies. This sacred site is another must visit to explore the realness of the land of Hawaii.
9. Pu’uhonua o Honaunau Historical Park: For quite a long time, Hawaiian culture, separated locals into classes of bosses, ministers, talented workers and ordinary citizens, worked under an arrangement of laws called kapu. The discipline for breaking the kapu, set out by the divine beings, was death—except if the criminal escaped to a puuhonua, or spot of shelter. A standout amongst other saved pu’uhonua is situated on the west shoreline of Hawaii, around 20 miles south of Kailua-Kona, in Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park. Towards one side of the wall is a covered construction encircled by kii, or wooden carvings looking like Hawaiian divine beings. The sepulcher, called Hale o Keawe, once housed the bones of 23 bosses. The bones were thought to be blessing the site with mana, or otherworldly force, but they were removed during the 1800s, yet the spot is as yet viewed as a sacred ground.
10. Hikiau Heiau: On the western shoreline of Hawaii, in Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park, there is a huge, raised foundation of stacked volcanic rock. The porch, a consecrated temple called Hikiau Heiau, has been reestablished a few times after surf harm yet initially dates back to the eighteenth century. As per the locals, it is a sacred site of worship and honours the local God of the area.

FAQ’s on Religious Sites in Hawaii:

Q1. Are These Religious Sites in Hawaii Free To Visit?

Ans: Yes, most of these sites are absolutely free to visit and explore.

Q2. Are These Temples in Hawaii Easily Reachable?

Ans: Majority of these sites lie on a smooth stretch of land and are therefore easy to explore but there are a few which lie on top of a hill or mountain but they too are not difficult to explore.