The Wailua river was the most sacred river for the Hawai'ians, on Kaua'i (the only island having things worth the name of ``river''). The river mouth was famous among polynesians. Some are thought to have come all the way from Tahiti to visit it. Along the river, from its mouth up to the Wai'ale'ale plateau where it origins, there are seven heiaus, i.e., temples or sacred places. The heiaus were made of a low rectangular wall of volcanic stones enclosing an area with some wooden buildings (there is nothing left of these buildings).

We cannot write about mount Wai'ale'ale without quoting the local statistic. Indeed, Wai'ale'ale is locally presented as the wettest point on the whole earth, with average annual precipitations of 440.22 inches (yes, more than 11 meters). Acccording to Wikipedia, this would only be the second rainiest point on earth, beaten by less than 8 inches...