Did You Know that Pālolo was Once Home to an Airstrip?

Pālolo is so much more than a little valley behind Waikīkī. Learn some of its history here.

July 20, 2018

Rachel Ross Bradley,

The view of Pālolo Valley from Ka‘au Crater.

Photos: Courtesy of Dreamstime

Those who live in Pālolo know that it’s not only convenient and more affordable than other valleys in town, it’s also a unique community, a beautiful valley full of resources and a wonderful place to call home.

Pālolo Valley spreads out over 2,584 acres—it goes farther up between St. Louis Heights and Wilhelmina Rise than most would expect. There’s much more than residential homes in Pālolo. Start to explore the valley and you’ll find a trailhead for the Ka‘au Crater Hike, an Olympic-sized community swimming pool, the 120-year old Pālolo Chinese Home care facility,and a commercial pocket of shops, restaurants and services on 10th Avenue.

Mu Ryan Sa Temple is open daily.

Pālolo Valley Housing was an airstrip until 1951. And there was once a 33-acre quarry in the valley. The beautiful Buddhist Mu Ryang Sa Temple, open daily to the public for meditation, was built in 1980. Its name means broken-ridge temple, a result of its roofline being modified during construction to meet city height restrictions. Rumor has it there was a golf course as well, opened in the early 1930s.

Now, Pālolo is home to people who have lived their entire lives in the valley, first-time homebuyers and everyone in between. Right now, there are 11 homes for sale, ranging in price from $785,000 to $1,577,000. In the past year, 48 homes have sold. The best deal: a fixer-upper for $525,000. The most expensive: an 18-bedroom, 17-bathroom “monster house” built in 2008 that sold for $1,870,000. The median price for a single-family home was $810,000. Affordable is a relative term on O‘ahu, but it beats some of the nearby neighborhoods.