Coconut Island (Hawaii)

Coconut Island, or Mokuola is a small island in Hilo Bay, just offshore from Lili'uokalani Park and Gardens, in Hilo, off the island of Hawaii. It is a small park with a large grassy field, picnic areas, restroom facilities, and a few tiny sandy beaches. A popular recreational activity is to jump off the tower into the waters of Hilo Bay. In November 2025, the pedestrian bridge, which was the only connection between the island and the main island of Hawaii, collapsed as a county worker drove a mini-excavator across the structure, closing the popular Hilo park indefinitely. The name Mokuola translates as "healing island" or "island of life" from the Hawaiian language. Moku meaning "island" and ola meaning "life." It was the site of an ancient temple dedicated to healing. It is located off Banyan Drive. Legend tells that anyone who was sick or feeling ill would be healed by swimming around Mokuola three times. In ancient times, Mokuola was a pu'uhonua (place of refuge), where natives or warriors could "redeem" themselves. Many native Hawaiians would also bury their children's piko (umbilical cords) under the flat rocks here, so the rats would not find them (piko are often considered sacred to Hawaiians, as they are the connection to their mothers and to their blood lines).