Kauai Ancient Site Guide

Maniniholo Dry Cave

Maniniholo Dry Cave is a roadside cave across from Ha'ena Beach Park, known for its wide sandy entrance, Menehune legend and north shore cliff setting.

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Maniniholo Dry Cave

Maniniholo Dry Cave, Kauai

Located across from Ha'ena Beach Park on Kauai's north shore, this dry cave is easily accessible as it is located right on the main highway. It is at the bottom of a steep cliff and is about 300 yards (274 m) deep. Its high roof lowers as you walk further to the back of it, where you'll also see a small opening. The interior of the cave used to be larger in the past, but when a tsunami hit the island in 1957, the waves carried sand into the cave and partially filled it.

The cave is named after Maniniholo, the legendary head fisherman of the menehune, Kauai's mythical little people. The menehune fishermen used to catch many fish at Ha'ena. They left some of their catch right here under the cliff and the rest they carried to the menehune in the island's interior. However, when they returned, they noticed that an akua (evil spirit) took the fish they had left there. So to catch the akua, they started digging the cave that you see today.

If you don't believe in legends, there is an alternative explanation about how the cave was formed. In the past, the ocean used to be higher and the cave was formed from thousands of years of wave action eroding the cliff at its base.

Key Features

Roadside dry cave across from Ha'ena Beach Park
Located along Kuhio Highway near mile marker 9
Wide sandy entrance at the base of a north shore cliff
Extends about 300 yards into the cliffside
Named for Maniniholo, a legendary Menehune fisherman
Connected with a story about an akua stealing fish
Sand inside the cave is associated with the 1957 tsunami
Flashlight or headlamp helps beyond the bright entrance
Parking is usually at Ha'ena Beach Park when spaces are open
Ha'ena Beach Park is separate from Ha'ena State Park farther west

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called Maniniholo Dry Cave?

The cave is named for Maniniholo, a legendary Menehune fisherman connected with a story about fish, an akua and the cave under the cliff.

How was Maniniholo Dry Cave formed?

Beyond the legend, the cave is often explained as an old sea cave formed when ocean levels and wave action reached the base of the cliff.

Why is there so much sand inside the cave?

Sand fills much of the interior today. Local accounts connect part of that sand buildup with the 1957 tsunami, when waves pushed sand into the cave.

Is Maniniholo Dry Cave a lava tube?

It is often called a lava tube in older travel descriptions, but the usual geological explanation is that wave action carved it into the cliff when the shoreline was different.

What is nearby besides the cave?

Ha'ena Beach Park is across the road, and the surrounding north shore has cliffs, beach views and access toward other Ha'ena landmarks farther west.