Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden

I was especially impressed by the small path leading down to the pond, where a group of fish calmly gathered near the water’s edge, creating a serene and beautiful scene. The surroundings felt like a living painting, bringing a sense of peace and relaxation. The wild ducks moved leisurely around the pond, completely unafraid of people. Their gentle presence added a touch of liveliness and harmony to the garden. Next to the pond lies a lush green lawn, like a natural carpet. It’s the perfect spot to rest, read a book, meditate, or simply lie down and enjoy the fresh air. Botanic Garden is more than just a botanical space — it’s a sanctuary for the soul, surrounded by the calm and purity of nature. A truly worthwhile stop for anyone seeking peace and balance.

Fun, informative and picturesque for the whole family! We stopped for just a short excursion and had a great time! The staff were extremely amiable at the front gate and information center! There are instructional guides for bird watching, labels on all the different types of trees, and giant fish that swim up to the bank that you can walk along! And one of the best parts is, it doesn't cost anything. Parking gets a little crowded on the weekends so get there a little before 9am when they open if you want to get a headstart! Highly recommend!!

One of the most extraordinary places I’ve ever seen and the entrance is free! I got there around 10m and walked the entire way to the visitor center and then of course inside. It gets busy fast but that early in the morning it was so lovely and quiet. The way to the lake was very muddy, I’m happy I had boots on. A good rule of thumb, any time you’re off-roading in Hawaii, wear hiking boots. Much better traction than silly summer shoes.

If you love nature, this is the perfect place for you. You’ll be amazed by the breathtaking views of lush green mountains and abundant vegetation. There is a small lake you can reach by walking, offering a peaceful spot where you might even see some ducks. The garden has many trails to explore, perfect for enjoying the serene surroundings and capturing incredible photos with Hawaii’s vibrant landscape as a backdrop. The soothing sounds of birds singing and the fresh air from the trees make the experience even more special. Highly recommended for nature lovers!

Solid choice for an 1 hour to half-day trip. + Great view for the mountain + Lots of things to view for visitors - Only detailed introductions of plants around the visitor centor area - Map provided in the visitor guide is not clear enough. Remember to take a photo of the larger map in the visitor centor - Not really a botanist garden but rather national park style - drive on the road and hike through the trial

Beautiful garden like a small walk/hike-ish. I like that its free and natural. Has multiple trails you can drive and walk too. i wish it wasn’t this muddy when it rains a bit. Wear shoes you can clean easy. People come here for a quick walk or even wedding photos! Yes bathrooms. Hours are its open 9-4pm i think everyday. No tickets needed. Bring a water bottle. You can refill it

Breathtaking place. Make sure to be prepared if you plan on doing some hiking and walking. It can rain jn the park unexpectedly, pack necessary gear. Ideally wear trekking shoes, paths are pretty slippery and muddy. Park also offers possibility of camping, we did not use it but it would be great to spend a night there!

We drove around first then walked towards the lake through the visitor center. The drive was so nice, turn all your windows down and breathe in the clean air. If you need restrooms most campsites have one. The walk to the lake was very informative, we learnt so much about cool plants and trees. Our favorite is the "Sexy Pink". Definitely keep your ears open for cool birds, we identified a couple cool birds singing in the rain.

Yes, this is a most beautiful place but did you know they host classes, such as meditation, painting and lei making? I like to come out the Friday before Memorial Day to make lei for veteran tombstones. Check out the classes on Honolulu Dept Parks & Recreation website! Most classes are free or low cost. Just another reason why #luckywelivehawaii

An absolute must to visit to get the breathtaking view of what Jurassic park might've looked like. Plan to go early to ensure a parking spot and get your cameras out as soon as you pull in because the entrance is breathtaking. No entrance or parking fee. There isn't too much more to see but it's still worth a visit drive and walk through.

I expected more for a botanical garden. We walked to the lake and felt it was a bit underwhelmed. There wasn't much to look at. A lot of greenery but nothing special that caught my attention. Some trails were muddy so I would recommend wearing a pair of shoes you don't mind getting mud on. There is a small education center next to the parking lot. There are also restrooms and portable potty to use.

Beautiful botanical garden. Visited today, 6/23/25. Free to visit. The drive is beautiful with lush greenery and trees. There's even a lake! The best part is there's restrooms available throughout and clean too! Definitely highly recommended and worth the drive to Kaneohe.

These Botanical Gardens are beautiful and better yet it is free to roam these beautiful tropical gardens. It is very serene and a great place to meditate and take in all the beauty. They close at 4:00 pm so be sure to allow enough time if you are doing a circle island drive around the island .

This was a very unique botanical garden as it was more like a forest, which was interesting. It is huge! A good and bad thing depending on what you are looking for. I was looking to see some native Hawaiian flowers and plants. I got to see plants, but saw pretty much no flowers even though I walked around for 1.5 hours. Pretty disappointing for me. I should've just explored peoples' yards as there was more to see than the area I walked around.

Fun place to run if hills don't bother you. I found this place ohana based, friendly locals/tourists/staff, and love the variety of plant life here at Ho'omaluhia! Hope to see you all here on my morning/evening runs when walkers/runners/bikers can visit with little to no cars!

Pictures do not do this garden justice. So beautiful and breathtaking. It's free to get in. Check in at the visitors center, get the map and start your adventure. You can start off by walking to the lake which is about a 10-15 walk, takes lots of photos along the way. Once you are done there you get back into your car and start your drive. You can stop at each one and walk or none and just drive. Either way you can enjoy the gorgeous views.

This place is beautiful and tranquil.. It's the best kept secret. ( People do not like to share this sacred space. ) There's several trails that lead to the pond and there is trails the go all around the property,, but it didn't check them all out. Some lead to some fantastic views. The trail we did, leading from the large parking lot, went through luscious trees into a courtyard down a rocky trail to the pond. And we followed another trail back to the parking lot. It's a long road that leads you around the property, you might want to drive, ( the one you see feature in everyone's photos/videos. ). Unless you don't mind walking. I brought a nice picnic and some things for photos. You want to make sure you have room in your camera. This place is picturesque Please note : There are drivers driving around to make sure people you are behaving. There are some rules, you have to park in the parking slots. No stopping traffic to take photos. And there are no dogs allowed.

Who doesn't love a free botanical garden?! Lol. Very pretty botanical garden with some light walking. Make sure to wear sturdy walking shoes or secure sandals because there's an area that can get muddy.

I've been coming to this insanely beautiful place for years. It is wonderful for a day spent in nature, a picnic, photos, running and cycling on the road, and even camping with a permit. I've done all of the above recently. Ho'omaluhia is magical, a curated expanse of plants both native and from worldwide. There's a pond full of koi to feed and the views are spectacular.

Such a beautiful spot to visit on O'ahu! Perfect for bringing your family and friends to take lots of scenic pictures both in the forests, along the pond, or on some of the scenic lookouts. It's free and maintained by the State. Visitor Center has maps and helpful information if needed. Just a reminder to be courteous of the environment, others, and passing cars!

My friend wanted to show me this place. It was so beautiful and amazing. You pull up and tell the guy you're local and a resident if you live here. The asks how many are in the vehicle. I told him two. Not sure if they do this to keep track of who comes in here. As we drove, beautiful trees and scenery here. There are multiple places you can park. I definitely liked that. People were taking photos here along the trees I thought posting me a d my friend would be nice. I would definitely come back here.

If my expat friend hadn't sent me an article on this amazing place, I don't think I'd have added this to my recent trip. We'd been to Oahu numerous times over the years but never heard of this breath taking place. Built by the US Army Corps of Engineers to control flooding for Kaneohe , its 400 acres. Plantings from various tropical regions of the world including plants indigenous to Hawaii. We did the one mile drive through the garden. We also visited the small visitor center. We avoided walking as it had just rained. What was the biggest ooh aah moment was the massive Ko'olau Range. Glance up and it'll take your breath away. It's a great photo opp. And the best part - free admission.

Dropped by the botanical garden on the way back to hotel from the beach. Cute and peaceful area. I felt zen leaving

After Sofie's Vet check I decided to drive through the garden to jump on the H3 from the Likelike side. There's a security person checking all visitors and vehicles at this entrance. I've driven through the garden numerous times but from the other side so I've never been stopped previously. I was told I had to turn around as I couldn't enter the park with an animal. Didn't make a difference that we weren't getting out of the car just no entry. The man was nice and polite so we just turned around and home on the Pali H3 exit. I'm not sure it they've started checking Likelike entrance because we've driven through numerous times but no can do on the Kamehameha side entrance (by Masa's).

We like botanical gardens a lot so when we found out about this place we had to go. Little did I know that it is completely free! No admission fee, no parking fee. Totally free. You start at the Education Center to get a map then proceed from there. Essentially, there is main road you can walk along or drive along to different "stops," where there are paths to walk to the lake or to see different groupings of plants and trees. Most people go to the first stop that has a path to the lake, so if you go a bit farther the crowds thin out substantially. We enjoyed this botanical garden but it was not the best we have been to in Hawaii. Don't get me wrong, the scenery is beautiful. But the prize is held by the botanical garden on the Big Island, north of Hilo. That one was spectacular. This one is good. Hint: the earlier you go, the less likely you will have problems with parking.

Stunning from the moment you drive in! Every turn on the road is more and more breathtaking. This is a free botanical garden and self-guided. There is no passing on the road so take your time taking photos/videos but be mindful of those driving behind you. Bring a good camera! We saw several people taking dressed up family photos and what an amazing spot to do so. We spent about 1.5 hr exploring. We parked at the visitors center and took the short walk down to the lake - amazing views and koi in the lake. We then drove to the end and got out of the car to walk around and take more photos and take in the sights. Several people packed in lunch and were eating at the picnic area. I'll definitely keep this place in mind next time I'm in Oahu!

100% a place to go to! HUGE free botanical garden. Astounding for locals, tourists, kids, elderly, active outdoors hiking people, everybody. Driving through this garden felt like I was transported into a different world. Lush green plant life everywhere and all around. Plenty of camping grounds as well, permits are needed. Even the hiking options are plentiful. We didn't know about the hiking option and just picked a random camping ground and started walking and it was gorgeous. You can also just drive through if you want to to hike. Lots of clean bathrooms. Great for a picnic. Aestically pleasing place for a photo shoot. Overall fantastic all around

We visited for the first time on our last visit. We were staying in Waikiki and it's worth the drive. We drove through and took a walk to the lake from the visitor center and walked up to the overlook. The scenery is unbelievable. Definitely a place to check out. You will not be disappointed!

It was fun to hike and explore the different checkpoints and see the different greenery.

Everyone comes here for that famous IG photo, which is immediately at the entrance upon entering. There's a guy at the front of the gate that tells you you're not allowed to stop and get out of the car to take any photos whatsoever as IG has made it such a huge issue. Other than that it's a nice drive through the park and to hike if you know where to hike.

Lovely drive. Narrow road, so drive carefully. 15 mph speed limit, so sometimes lines of cars stack up . Beautiful plants. Nice small education center. Scattered picnic areas.

A Local Gem In Kaneohe Town A stunning natural sanctuary that showcases the beauty and diversity of tropical flora. The name "Hoomaluhia" translates to "a peaceful refuge," and that perfectly encapsulates the serene atmosphere that visitors can experience within the gardens. The gardens were established in 1982 and have since become a popular destination for both locals and tourists seeking respite from the bustling city life. You can enjoy this garden free-of-charge with lots of parking and clean restrooms. A great place to lay your picnic basket and enjoy your company in lush surroundings.

Get your walking shoes on! And be patient with parking. This place gets busy. So much to see, and very peaceful when you are out looking. I forgot to take more pictures. I would love to go see the other botanical gardens.

If I could give a million stars I would!!!! If you can fit this oasis into your itinerary I suggest you make it happen. It is quite the feast for the eyes from beginning to end. There is something so healing to be smack dab in the middle of nature. This place makes you feel as if you have been transported somewhere out of this world. The colors are so vibrant. The mountain ranges look so huge as if they are standing guard. The walk down to the lake is a short 10 minutes from the parking lot and visiting center. If you think the pictures I've attached are beautiful seeing them in person is 1000 times better. As I told my boys, listen to the sounds. The sounds of the wind, birds, etc. I love that along the path down to the lake there were name cards in front of various plants and trees. There were several parking lots. There was even a camping spot where people had tents and were grilling towards the end of the drive. There were families taking what looked like their family photos (you have to get permission from the visitors center beforehand I believe). When you get to the entrance a gentleman stops your car and asks a few questions and then shares the rules of the garden and where the visitor center is. There were clean bathrooms at the visiting center. A great place to get your steps in if you are interested. We came a week before Christmas and although overcast it was still a big humid, but nothing you can't handle to enjoy this breathtaking paradise. This place reminds you that you are in Hawaii!

Beautiful location, where one can be one with nature. I loved every second of my time here. This being my second visit, I was sure to bring my camera along in an attempt to capture the beauty of this garden in paradise.

Beautiful. Free. Worth Visiting. I came here with my Dad while staying in Waikiki. We took a Lyft here and it was maybe about 25 mins away? Not bad. The drive into the gardens is beautiful. You've probably seen it on social media accounts from "influencers" lol. Beautiful, lush green gardens. We got dropped off at the visitor's center. It was open and you can meet some (volunteer?) staff there and learn about the gardens and Hawaiin history. There were restrooms nearby, refillable water stations and a vending machine for sodas and water. The grounds of the gardens were beautiful. Lots of beautiful backdrops with the mountains, the lake, tons of koi fish, and some trails you can walk around. You can really make this visit either short or as long as you'd like. My dad and I are hikers so we walked around the gardens on some of the paths from the map we got at the visitors center. We stayed here for about 3 hours exploring the area. Highly recommend visiting if you want a day time activity. Great spot for family photos and a place to walk around and take in the beautiful scenery.

This gem of a garden is tucked away in a nondescript neighborhood, but was an incredible way to spend a morning. It's free to the public, which makes it all the more amazing. The staff at the educational center was so knowledgeable and friendly. They even taught my daughter how to make ti leaves leis that are put on veteran headstones on Veterans Day. We took a short hike to the lake and enjoyed the birds and schools of fish as we marveled at all the beautiful trees, flowers and various plants. After the lake we drove to the end of the gardens for more scenic views and pictures. There were lots of parking spaces and picnic tables throughout the garden so you never feel crowded. One of the best deals in Oahu.

Good food and good vibes. Food took a little long but was very good. We had a few appetizers and Ramen. The ramen was pretty good as well forgot to take a picture.

Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden is an amazing and BEAUTIFUL spot hidden on the mountainside in Kaneohe. I have been here many times, but I was able to bring my kids along this time. They loved it! We're on a mission to do the 1000 hours outside challenge this year, so this was honestly the perfect place to come! There are so many things to do outdoors here, obviously. We spent 3 hours here today, plating with other kids, checking out the lake, looking for bugs, etc. They even want to learn how to fish now, and ask their Daddy of we could camp a day or two too! This botanical garden is by far, my favorite on the island. There are so many spots you could hang out at, ample parking, a multitude of things to do an see, it's a beautiful setting! You'll never be disappointed here, no way possible. An amazing setting to see so much of the nature beauty that God created.

While I had a fairly good time here, the staff was not friendly. One woman shouted at my group, demanding where we were going. I explained we were going to the lake. She said that we better be in our cars and leaving by 3:50. It was quite rude. I understand you want visitors to leave on time, but dont be rude about reminding people of when the park closes. Right after she yelled at me, she yelled at my husband, who was catching up to my group after putting things away in the car. We were out of the park before 4:00 and definitely not the last group. There was also a man working on some crafts, but he neither welcomed us nor explained what he was doing. Pretty much the only nice person at the garden was the man at the entrance. Terrible reflection of the "Aloha Spirit" to tourists. Other than that, the exhibit is boring. Not anything worthwhile other than the legend of the flowers. They really need to rethink how they present things. Also, the lake is more like a 5 minute walk. 10 if you are old, have a little kid, or taking a very leisurely stroll. There are also places to sit nearby.

This isn't like a typical botanical garden, it's a very large area to explore and I highly recommend driving to each individual parking unless you want to walk a lot. It doesn't cost anything to enter and they have picnic and camping areas. There are amazing views all around and it's definitely worth it regardless but there isn't a lot of color variety if that's what you're looking for. I'd also recommend tennis shoes since there's alot of walking and the trails can get muddy by the lake or if it rained recently.

We had the most amazing wedding ceremony there. The gardens are very helpful in planning, amazing views and perfect photo op.

Nice garden. I got a few bites so be sure to spray! Not sure I'd come back but glad I checked this garden out. The lake was okay.

Beautiful place no fee to enter plenty of places to stop to take pictures, several bathrooms along the way. Bathrooms were clean, mountains are simply beautiful.

Great free experience that you definitely should check out if you get the chance. We weren't prepared like we should have been to take some of the hikes that they offered because we didn't expect it at a botanical garden. Either way, we had a good experience.

Amazing views. You have the option to walk around or just drive through and take pictures along the parking spots. And it's free, so there's really no excuse not to visit! If you drive through, you will only need about 45 min including the time for photos. I promise you it will be worth your time.

The garden welcome center was tidy and bathroos were clean. The walk down to the lake was a nice easy stroll.

Most beautiful and stunning views hidden in Kaneohe! Took my grandkids and family who was visiting from Hayward, Ca. Just driving through H3 was captiivating! we were lucky finding a parking spot immediately was someone was pulling out. A 10 minute walk to the lake was enjoyable! Once we reached the lake the kids were so excited to see it full of gold fish.. Took some awesome pictures! would definitely retufn

Loved the vibe !! Our first time and we loved it!!! Great views. Sure will come backkkkk.

Deep in Kaneohe lies this beautiful garden! Full green lush plants and trees. Great for family picnics or just going to sit and relax and get fresh air. Came here on a Sunday with My family. It was busy but there's plenty of space around the lake for us to pick from. The lake is filled with cichlids and adorable little ducks.

This is somehow a free 400 arboretum that has plants from all over the world and a huge lake. The entry and parking is free though you may need to search fir a spot. Restrooms are available at the visitors center as are maps (look for the blue brochures) and some exhibits. The area is laid out in groups of plants from different countries with each group having trails and some even having campsites with restrooms. Expect to spend at least an hour or two here, especially if you bring a lunch to enjoy.

Great experience and completely free! The visitor center was also giving out frangipani flowers which was really cute.

One of my favorite parts of our trip! The gardens were so lush and serene and beautiful. I have never seen more greenery in my life! We went early morning right as they opened. I did read that it can get very busy but there wasn't too many cars or people at the time we went. Driving in, I was immediately awed. We ended up parking at the first or second little parking lot and walking to the lake. It's a super short walk, but it was rainy that morning so the ground was a little muddy. I didn't plan on getting out so I wasn't prepared for this part. Bring an extra pair of shoes you don't mind getting dirty if you want to get out and look around. We were able to drive through the whole thing at a nice and slow pace which was nice to be able to take our time and see everything. There is plenty of stops along the way to get out and take pictures. Also, a jeep would have been so fun to take pictures with here! Definitely going to rent one for my next trip to take the classic jeep photo. I can't wait to come back here!

Hoomaluhia gives you a chance to take a quick break from the beach and enjoy some of the other natural wonders of Oahu. The gardens entails a circular drive around a park with various stopping points. This park has a lot of rules posted everywhere. However, it does provide an opportunity to appreciate native (and some non-native) tropical trees, flowers and plants. The mountain backdrop is stunning and a lush green. I enjoyed the trail and the quick walk down to the lake. If you want to get out and explore this is a good park to do it.

HBG is in Kaneohe and is a free thing to do while you are on O'ahu. There is a lot to see from trying to identify the birds, and all the flora. The latter is divided up into sections so you can see flora native to Hawai'i, Polynesia and other parts of the world. Lastly, you can also camp in the area. You can walk the entire grounds bc it is relatively flat. Or you can do what we did: Drove to the sections that we wanted to see, and hopped out and follow the trail. Whatever way you choose to enjoy HBG, its worth the short drive fr Waikīkī. Fr Kaneohe you can go to the North Shore and enjoy Hawaiian food in Waiahole, or shrimp and huli huli chicken in Kahuku, and shave ice in Hale'iwa.

This review is based on comparison to previous visits. It's been about 5 years since I've been able to come home and visit. This place was a favorite in the past when we took our daughter to feed the fish and see ducks and try to fish. When we arrived, during the weekend, we were welcomed by park staff at the building, which is where you start your trek down to the lake. The lady could tell we were prepared with a loaf of bread, ready to feed the fish and go fishing. Unfortunately she told us they stopped the fishing several years ago due to unhealthy waters. If it were to return, it would be on a reservation basis :( in addition she mentioned the bridge which you would hike down to get to the fishing area was broken. So half of the walk was closed off. We did notice there was definitely a lot more visitors coming through than previous visits. It is a 10 minute walk down to the lake where the huge orange are just waiting at the shore to be fed. It was fun but a much quicker visit than anticipated. Not sure if it is worth a trip back, unless you really want to enjoy the views, a little hike, and feeding the fish.

We stopped by Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden at the beginning of our itinerary around O'ahu's windward (eastern) coast, and only really had about half an hour to spare. It is free to enter, and it's a scenic drive to various viewpoints. We arrived not too long after they opened, and there were some groups and tours there, but not too many. As we drove further in, we found that there were even less people. There were numerous picture perfect photo captures, and the people who were also taking in the scenery did not linger too long. We saw a small group taking wedding photos with the beautiful mountain ridges in the background. They offer various activities including fishing and camping depending on season. They apparently have tropical plants from Philippines, Malaysia, Tropical America, India & Sri Lanka, Melanesia, Hawaii, Polynesia, and Africa grouped geographically, although I didn't find the signage very helpful to indicate what was what or where to go. Overall, it was quite tranquil and I was satisfied with our sparse half an hour adventure, having minimal knowledge of where to go. There was a guard when we entered, but we weren't given advice on how to traverse the grounds. If you want a low key, rather peaceful nature area to go to, this would be a recommendation; the most prominent photo spot has signs telling you to move (drive) along, and while the rest of the botanical garden is pretty, you'd probably prefer photos elsewhere if you wanted to scream "Hawaii" in your vacation photos.