The Nuuanu Pali Lookout on the eastern Koolau Mountain Range, is one of the best views on O'ahu affording a stunning cliff edge panorama east overlooking the plains of Kane'ohe a thousand feet below and out across the vast waters of the Pacific Ocean. This view really does take your breath away and was a great climax to our highly enjoyable 'Circle Island' bus tour.
It was here in 1795 that King Kamehameha and his warriors defeated the O'ahu armies with superior European weaponry by cornering them against the cliffs and sending thousands to their deaths over the steep drop to their deaths on the jagged rocks hundreds of feet below.
It is said that the bleached bones of O'ahu's fallen warriors could still be seen strewn across this land during the time of Mark Twain's visit. This great victory allowed him to unite all the Hawaiian Islands except Kauai through force, which he could only 'conquer' years later by diplomatic means with the help of Europeans.
This spot also happens to be the windiest place on O'ahu and as it was already extremely windy on the island when we made this trip - it was so bad up there that even the tour bus we took was shaking violently in the buffeting wind, quite exciting actually!
As you can see by the photos, perhaps I was lucky not to be swept off to join all those other unfortunate souls back in 1795. . . !