Punaluu Hawaii Map

About Punaluu, Hawaii

Punaluu is a locality in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. It has a population of approximately 1,374. The population density is 332.0 people per km². Punaluu is located at 21.5810°N, 157.8901°W. It observes the Hawaii Standard Time — no DST (Pacific/Honolulu) timezone. ZIP code: 96717.

Punaluu reveals itself where the Punaluu Stream spills its cool, mountain-fed waters into the Pacific Ocean, carving a path through a landscape defined by the rugged geometry of volcanic earth. It lies 7.7 miles north-northeast of Mililani Mauka, HI (from Mililani Mauka, HI: bearing 28°T), and is situated 5.0 miles south-southeast of Laie. The air here remains heavy with the salt of the tide and the damp, earthen scent of the nearby Hauʻula Forest Reserve, while the distant, jagged silhouette of the Koolau Range marks the horizon like a dark, serrated spine. Between the Punaiki Gulch and the Shoreline, the terrain transitions from the verdant, shadow-drenched slopes to a black-sand beach where the rhythmic collapse of surf against basalt creates a constant, low-frequency hum. Light at dusk hits the water with a sharp, metallic glint, illuminating the way the current pulls at the dark grains of the shore, a reminder that the land is forever in negotiation with the sea.

Punaluu carries the weight of a long history, echoing with the legacy of ancient voyagers who once recognized the value of these sheltered waters and the fertility provided by the stream. While the memory of sugarcane and pineapple agriculture lingers in the quietude of the fields, modern Punaluu functions as a place of intimate, local commerce where the pace is dictated by the sun and the swell. Those seeking the interior find their way toward the Sacred Falls Trail, a path that leads travelers past the towering drop of Sacred Falls, while the offshore view of the small island of Kukuihoʻolua remains a constant, silent companion to those working the taro lo'i. Life in Punaluu is defined by a deep sense of kuleana, a commitment to the land that manifests in the careful tending of gardens and the quiet respect for the tides that arrive from the Pacific Ocean, five miles distant from the calm, reflective surface of Mōliʻi Pond.

About This Punaluu Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Punaluu, Hawaii. Coordinates: 21.581, -157.8901. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service. Real-time local and world news feeds keep the page current.

Detailed location data for Punaluu includes the ZIP code (96717), telephone area code (808), county seat of Honolulu County (Honolulu), and school district assignment (Hawaii Department of Education).

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.