19. Big Island Manta Ray Snorkeling

Sometimes you just need a day on vacation where the alarm clock stays silent. This is exactly how we start our day on Big Island: we sleep in comfortably until half past seven, and some of us even sleep until eight. After the eventful and hiking-intensive days before, we take the day very relaxed and start with a large cup of local coffee from Hawaii on the porch. No stress, no time pressure – just real Hawaii feeling.
Before we set off, we remove the roof of our jeep. Open-air driving is simply the best way to experience Hawaii! We then make our way and cruise calmly down the coast. The sun is shining, the wind is blowing in our faces, and the Beach Boys are playing from the speakers – the absolute soundtrack of the scene. Our destination: the Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, one of the most significant historical sites of Hawaiian culture, located on the beautiful South Kona coast.

To understand the magic of this place, a look back into the past helps. The history of Hawaii begins as one of humanity's most impressive journeys. Around the year 300 to 800 AD, Polynesian navigators set sail from the distant Marquesas Islands and later from Tahiti.
Without compass or modern instruments, guided only by the stars, ocean currents, the flight of birds, and cloud formations, they cover thousands of kilometers across the open Pacific in their mighty double-hulled canoes. They bring everything they need for survival: crops like the kalo plant (taro) and sweet potatoes as well as pigs, chickens, and dogs.
On the uninhabited volcanic islands, these brave explorers create a completely new, isolated society. They live in deep connection with nature and develop a complex system of chiefs (Aliʻi), priests (Kahuna), and strict spiritual rules – precisely those laws that later determine the history of our current destination.
We arrive at the national park and immediately feel the spiritual atmosphere. But what kind of place is this actually? The Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau is a sacred, protected site of ancient Hawaii, surrounded by a massive, mortarless lava stone wall. The area is guarded by grim-looking wooden god statues – the Kiʻi.
Historically, something unique happens here over centuries: The park serves as an absolute sanctuary. In ancient Hawaii, the kapu system reigns, a web of extremely strict sacred laws. Anyone who breaks these rules faces the death penalty without exception.
The only salvation: The lawbreakers must flee from their pursuers, often swimming through the shark-infested surf to enter this sacred ground. Once a fugitive reaches here, a priest performs a cleansing ritual. The sin is forgiven, and the person is allowed to return home safely and without punishment. Women, children, and defeated warriors also find safe, inviolable protection here during times of tribal wars.

We walk in the historical footsteps of the ancient Hawaiians and stand in awe before the Great Wall. This massive wall of dark lava stone is over 300 meters long and stands completely without mortar – a fascinating architectural achievement that has withstood the test of time for centuries.

The midday sun is now beating down relentlessly from the sky, and we are constantly seeking the shade of the palm trees. Despite the heat, we feel ambitious: we're participating in the Junior Park Ranger program! Since we received the booklet for the