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.
Laʻie Temple
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.25 MILES
In the shadow of Diamond Head, the former mansion of billionaire tobacco heiress Doris Duke is a sight to behold for art-lovers and celebrity hounds…
Stones of Life of Kapaemahu and Kapuni
26.45 MILES
Near the police substation at Waikiki Beach Center, four ordinary-looking volcanic basalt boulders are actually sacred and legendary Hawaiian symbols…
19.46 MILES
This somber memorial is one of the USA's most significant WWII sites, commemorating the Pearl Harbor attack and its fallen service members with an iconic…
21.94 MILES
Hawaii’s version of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, the Bishop Museum showcases a remarkable array of cultural and natural history exhibits…
23.87 MILES
No other place evokes a more poignant sense of Hawaii’s history. The palace was built under King David Kalakaua in 1882. At that time, the Hawaiian…
24.19 MILES
This exceptional fine-arts museum is among the best of its kind anywhere. The collection is effectively a 'best of' summary of major art movements…
Pearl Harbor National Memorial
19.26 MILES
One of the USA’s most significant WWII sites, this National Park Service (NPS) monument narrates the history of the Pearl Harbor attack and commemorates…
8.49 MILES
With deep-blue waters, a varied coastline and a mix of lava and white sand, Pupukea, meaning ‘White Shell,’ is a very scenic stretch. The long beach…
Nearby attractions
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…
0.83 MILES
A cultural park owned by the Mormon Church, the PCC revolves around Polynesian-themed ʻvillages’ representing Hawaii, Samoa, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Fiji,…
1.06 MILES
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…
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…
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…
1.7 MILES
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…
2.74 MILES
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…