2017 Map of Manuka Bay

About this map

The southwest coast of the Island of Hawai‘i appears here as a land of geological transitions and coastal waypoints along the Pacific Ocean. This coastal landscape is dominated by kīpukas—islands of older vegetation surrounded by more recent lava flows—including Kīpukakaulanamauna, Kīpukamālua, and Kīpukakaupua‘a. These natural features reveal the volcanic history of the region, where fingers of forest survive amidst the hardening of the land. Running parallel to the rocky shoreline is the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, a corridor of cultural and historical significance that connects the various coastal points. Between the prominent markers of Kānewa‘a Point and Kaunā Point, the shoreline is broken by small inlets and bays such as Manukā Bay and Kaulanamauna, which provided critical access points for local seafaring and subsistence in this arid coastal environment.