Hawaii's Plantation Village

The Hawaii’s Plantation Village living history museum in historic Waipahu in central Oahu offers a personal, up-close way to learn about Hawaii's plantations and their contribution to the islands' multi-ethnic heritage. Since 1992, the 50-acre site just below the Oahu Sugar Mill has celebrated the history of immigration and plantation work from the mid 1800s through the 1940s.

Hawaii's Plantation Village is neither a tourist trap, nor a dusty field-trip-only experience. You'll tour furnished homes, community structures, and plantation-era architecture in a small group with tour guides who receive enthusiastic reviews from many visitors. They're often retired local educators and the descendents of people who once worked in the plantations, and have many personal stories to bring the history of the village to life. Tours can last up to two hours, with plenty of chances to ask questions.

You'll learn why foreign workers were needed, and how cultural differences among the earliest immigrants have shaped the culture of Hawaii to this day. For example, the first waves of Chinese workers were single men who were in Hawaii for years, and began marrying and starting families with Hawaiian women. The Japanese workers who arrived later would get settled, and then order "picture brides" from home. And the Portuguese workers who were part of the later waves of immigration arrived with their wives and children in tow, with the intention of settling in Hawaii permanently.

TripAdvisor users call Hawaii's Plantation Village "a diamond in the rough" and "an eye-opening opportunity." Since some of the tour is outside, remember to pack sunscreen and mosquito repellant, and consider the morning tour to beat the heat. There is a small museum store and picnic areas, and the staff can recommend many local restaurants nearby.