Discovering Kualoa Ranch’s Moli’i Fishpond

Yesterday I had the pleasure of exploring Kualoa Ranch. Located on the northeastern side of Oahu in the countryside, it is less than an hour from Honolulu. The ranch terrain varies from rainforest and valleys to awesome cliff faces. It is truly a paradise for outdoor recreation with many places accessible only by horseback or by foot. It is a beautiful spot not to be missed on a visit to Oahu.

In ancient times, Kualoa was one of the most sacred places on the island. It was a residence of kings, a place of sanctuary and a training spot for royalty in the arts of war, history and social traditions. The current family owners strive to be stewards of the land by preserving it from development. The ranch is open to the public and a very popular spot for weddings and private events. Most recently it has been a popular filming location for the “Lost” television series. Other filming has included “Jurassic Park”, “50 First Dates”, “Along Came Polly”, and “Godzilla”.

One of the many hidden gems I discovered on the Kualoa property, is the 800 year-old Moli’i fishpond. To my amazement it is one of the largest fishponds in the state of Hawaii. Ancient Hawaiian fishponds are a good example of aquaculture. Hawaiians are the only Polynesians known to harness the ocean in this manner using brackish water ponds near the ocean for stocking and harvesting fish. (Posted CM – photo: Kualoa Ranch)

Posted by: Abby Lapointe on Feb 13, 2008