Waimea Valley

Hawaii, United States

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Waimea Valley in Hawaii is a historic nature park and botanical garden located on Oahu’s North Shore, spanning over 1,800 acres with a rich cultural and natural heritage.

The valley was once known as the "Valley of the Priests," serving as the home to the Kahuna Nui, the highest-ranking Hawaiian priests, since around 1092. It was used by ancient Hawaiians for agriculture, especially cultivating prized pink taro, and featured complex fish ponds and animal pens. In the 1970s, Charlie Pietsch II envisioned transforming the valley into a botanical garden and hired Keith Woolliams, a Royal Botanical Gardens graduate, to develop the plant collection.

The gardens now include 35 distinct collections with about 5,000 plant taxa from around the world, including rare native Hawaiian and Polynesian plants, as well as species from other Pacific islands. Waimea Valley offers hiking trails, waterfalls, and cultural demonstrations, serving as a sanctuary for native plants, a bird habitat, and a place for visitors to explore Hawaiian history and natural beauty, emphasizing conservation and education.