- Koko Head
Koko Head is the headland that defines the eastern side of
Maunalua Bay along the southeastern side of the Island of Ookinaahu in Hawaiokinai. On its western slope is the community of Portlock, a part of Hawaiokinai Kai. Koko Head (at 642 ft or 196 m) is an ancienttuff cone that is somewhat dwarfed by its neighboring tuff cone, Koko Crater, with its peak, "Kohelepelepe" (or "Puokinau Mai"), rising to 1208 ft or 368 m. Koko Head itself has three significant depressions or old vents, the largest of which forms the well-known Hanauma Bay.This eastern end of Ookinaahu is quite scenic and most of the area is part of Koko Head Regional Park, administered by the
City & County of Honolulu . The following features and natural areas are found between Koko Head and the eastern end of the island at Makapuokinau:* Koko Crater is a massive tuff crater that visually dominates the area. Within the crater is a horse stables and the
Koko Crater Botanical Garden specializing incacti and succulents.
*Hanauma Bay is an old volcanic crater or tuff cone breached by the ocean.
* Lnaokinai Lookout is a scenic lookout that features a very distant view of the Island of Lnaokinai to the southeast of Ookinaahu. Molokaokinai, directly across the Kaiwi Channel, is closer and nearly always visible during the day; Lnaokinai is visible only under good atmospheric conditions, although if visible from anywhere on Ookinaahu, it will be visible from this pull-out/parking area.
* Hlona Blowhole is a blowhole in the rocky shore. A large pull-out/parking area is present. The adjacent Hlona Cove is best-known as the site of the love scene betweenBurt Lancaster andDeborah Kerr in the movie "From Here to Eternity ".
*Sandy Beach is a popular beach for surfing and a park popular for kite flying becausetrade winds (offshore here) are strong and steady most days. Sea conditions off the beach tend to be rough most of the time and the bottom drops away relatively quickly, so this in not a beach for relaxed swimming, but very popular for more extreme water sports and watchers.Photo gallery
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.