Mauka Cabins
The nonprofit Pālehua Conservation Initiative was created in 2023 to promote ‘āina-based education and stewardship that protects and restores natural, cultural and community resources of the southern Wai‘anae mountains and throughout Hawai‘i.
We do some of this work in our Mauka Cabins.
Pilihonua
Our retreat site on Pālehua, Pilihonua is a place for gathering indoors or outside, with a view all the way to Lē‘ahi. It is home to multiple structures, including Hale Koa and our Mauka Education Center, as well as a large lawn where keiki koa sprout alongside adult koa and ‘ōhi‘a lehua. Here, we welcome organizations and groups to gather and grow through enriching events and peaceful retreats.
Hale Koa at Pilihonua
Renovated in 2023, Hale Koa at Pilihonua was originally a WWII galley, which is reflected in the open interior and large central table. The space was designed by local interior design company Citron & Date to feel cozy yet inspiring, with roots in island nostalgia. It features a prominent wraparound lanai and easy access to the large outdoor lawn.
Image: IJfke Ridgley
Ossipoff Cabin & Goodsill Cottage
Built high on a ridge of the Waiʻanae mountains in the mid 1950s, Ossipoff Cabin was the personal retreat of tropical modernism architect Vladimir Ossipoff. Every detail expresses his design philosophy and understanding of the mountain microclimate. Restored with care in 2020 by the Gill ʻohana, the cabin continues to exemplify the indoor-outdoor, Japanese-inspired style that Ossipoff embraced in future projects.