Hikiau Heiau is an ancient temple built by King Kalani'opu'u. The temple is located at Napo'opo'o Beach in Kealakekua Bay, and stretches 250 feet long and 100 feet wide. While it looks rather innocent, there is a dark history to this heiau. It is called a "luakani" heiau, which means that it was built as a place of human sacrifice.
The temple was the site of Captain James Cook's landing in 1778, and the natives thought that Cook was the returning of their god Lono, who was thought to be god of agriculture. When Cook landed, it was the native time of harvest, and they assumed that it was Lono. They gave him a feast in, thrown in his honor. After Cook left, he was forced to return because of a broken mast on his ship. The locals were curious as to why a god would need to return to land because of a broken ship, and soon Cook found himself in a dire situation. Tensions high, Cook tried to take the chief as a hostage to get a rowboat from the natives. He was eventually killed in the conflict.
Be sure to stop by this amazing historical site. Don't worry: the human sacrifice stopped a while ago!