Red soil stretches as far as the eye can see in all directions, boulders as big as cars seem to have fallen from the sky and landed haphazardly in random spots, and vegetation is alarmingly sparse, prompting many people to liken it to a moonscape. This is Keahiakawelo, or Garden of the Gods, a place with an intriguing legend behind it. The two great Kahunas, Lanai and Molokai, faced each other off in a battle to keep the fires raging on their islands for longer than their counterparts. In a bid to defend his pride and defeat his opponent, Lanai sacrificed every piece of vegetation on his island to feed the fires, leaving the strikingly barren landscape of today as a gigantic battle scar.

Gazing at the shadows cast by the rock formations is truly a heavenly, awe inspiring sight, which will evoke an appreciation of the strange and diverse landscape of our planet. At dusk, the orange glow of the setting sun seems to light the island on fire once again, colouring everything a brilliant shade of red. Feel free to get on foot an explore, roam and discover the sweeping coastal views of Molokai and Oahu, and try to spot the Axis Deer, Mouflon Sheep and Turkeys that somehow survive in the region. But whatever you do, just don’t remove or stack any of the rocks, as this is strictly forbidden in Hawaiian culture, and you may very well end up bringing the punishment of the Gods onto your heads!