Laʻie Temple


In 1919 Mormons constructed a smaller but still showy version of their Salt Lake City, UT, temple here at the foot of the Koʻolau Range. It was the first Mormon temple built outside the continental US, and today this dazzlingly white edifice may be the Windward Coast's most incongruous sight. There's a visitor center where volunteers will tell you about their faith, but nonbelievers are not allowed inside the temple itself.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Hukilau Beach

0.48 MILES

North of Laʻie Shopping Center is a crescent of white sand that’s a leisurely place for swimming when summer waters are calm. Just beware any time the…

2. Malaekahana State Recreation Area

0.83 MILES

The long, relatively uncrowded beach with buff-colored sand is popular with families. Swimming is generally good here year-round, although there are…

3. Polynesian Cultural Center

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A cultural park owned by the Mormon Church, the PCC revolves around Polynesian-themed ʻvillages’ representing Hawaii, Samoa, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Fiji,…

4. Laʻie Point State Wayside

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Crashing surf, a lava arch and a slice of Hawaiian folk history await at Laʻie Point. The tiny offshore islands are said to be the surviving pieces of a…

5. Mokuʻauia

1.11 MILES

When the tide is low you can wade from Malaekahana State Recreation Area's southern Kalanai Point to Mokuʻauia (Goat Island), a state bird sanctuary about…

6. Laʻie Beach Park

1.2 MILES

A half-mile south of the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) main entrance, this is an excellent bodysurfing beach, but the shore break can be brutal, thus…

7. Kokololio Beach Park

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A wide patch of sand, good surf and decent parking make this a great beach to pause for a picnic and a splash. There's a wide lawn, picnic tables and…

8. Hauʻula Beach Park

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Right along the highway in the middle of town, this narrow, ironwood-shaded beach has a shallow, rocky bottom that isn’t too appealing for swimming but…