In ancient times, the ponds on the royal grounds were used to keep fish such as moi and mullet that were eaten by the chiefs. In recent times, tilapia have been introduced into the ponds for mosquito control. However, the park is in the process of removing these non-native fishes that are not naturally a part of our Hawaiian ecosystem.

Hundreds of years old yet beautifully restored, Puuhonua o Honaunau remains one of Hawaii's most sacred historic places. Follow the park and map and take a self-guided walking tour and explore the grounds including the Great Wall, standing 12-feet high and 18-feet thick. Fierce kii, or wooden images of gods, guard the Hale o Keawe Heiau, a sacred temple that housed the bones of 23 alii (chiefs). A black lava rock shoreline hindered those who broke kapu from approaching by sea.