Camping on Oahu has its challenges. Unlike other islands in Hawaii, many campgrounds on Oahu have litter and/or roughness issues. However, you can find very few beautiful, clean, quiet, safe, and scenic places to camp on Oahu. Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe is one of them.
Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens lives up to its name, which translated into English means, “to make a place of peace and quiet.” This is a very peaceful environment. And the rules are very strict about noise; For example, even in the middle of the day, radios and CD players should be kept low enough not to disturb neighbors at camp.
The gardens meander across 400 acres and are set back by castle green like the majestic peaks of the Ko’olau Mountains. Plants from tropical regions around the world are geographically grouped here, and special emphasis is placed on preserving plants native to Hawaii. The Hawaiian park here like many others here has some very nice tent sites, along with clean indoor restrooms and showers.
You can camp here for free from 9 a.m. on Friday until 4 p.m. on Sunday, except for Christmas and New Years. There is no camping the other days of the week, but this is a nice place to stay for the weekend. Although there is no 24 hour security, everyone I spoke with said it was very quiet.
The gardens gate closes at 4pm and those who camp there will be given car passes so they can use the last gate open from 5:30-6:30pm Given all this, and that it’s about a mile from the gate to the first campground, this takes it off the list of “party spots”. Since there is no beach access, it is not a place for big families to gather with good Hawaiian music and food too. People come to the gardens to enjoy the flora and fauna and the tranquility.
While there is no beach here, there is a trail that will take you to a great place to watch the sun rise over the ocean.
Tent sites are located on the lawns and include fire pits and picnic tables. You must bring your own firewood and grills.
The staff we spoke to at the park visitor center were warm, generous with their time, and very knowledgeable. The center houses an art gallery with cultural exhibits and a botanical library. You’ll also find a network of trails and a lake (catch and release fish; no swimming).
The Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens is close to many great attractions, water play, and other destinations including Byoda Temple tucked away in the Valley of the Temples featuring a larger-than-life Buddha statue, meditation garden, and pond with 10,000 koi; Kaneohe Bay, with its white sandbars, appears as small islands in the azure waters at low tide. the cities of Kaneohe and Kailua with their many shopping and dining opportunities; the country and town of Waimanalo in Hawaii where horses still roam freely and the beach is one of the best on the island; and Kailua Bay, the quintessential water playground on the Windward side that offers a long stretch of white sand and sheltered waters popular with beginner boogie boarders, kayakers, and windsurfers.
A variety of programs are offered in the gardens throughout the week such as orchid cultivation, weather making, and botanical painting to name a few. Some of these are fee, while others are free. For the current schedule, use the contact information above and request one.
The Hawaiian environment is emphasized in these programmes. Day use and camping programs can include ethnic, craft, botanical, gardening, and environmental activities. Free nature hikes, covering topics such as local birds, cloud watching and medicinal plants, are offered at 10 a.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The catch for this free and quiet campground in a park? It’s in a rainforest. So remember to bring a tent and waterproof equipment. It will still be warm, so something lightweight like a coat that fits in your pocket or a lightweight jacket will work best. You might also like some mosquito repellent, although I didn’t bother with it. Here, you’ll find picnic tables and campfire rings. If you want to use a tarp, bring poles because they don’t allow anything to be tied to the trees. A small camp stove or hibachi may also be useful.
You can get a detailed map with hiking trails at the visitor center or at the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens. However, the website’s map doesn’t include a legend, so if you use it, just know that hiking trails are shown with dashes, and that the H-3 Freeway is shown with bold print dashes. Distances are not shown on the map, but the visitor center can answer your questions.
