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Do You Believe in Ghosts or Hawaiian Superstitions?

Do you believe in ghosts, unexplainable events, or Hawaiian superstitions? I was born and raised in Hawaii and have heard so many Hawaii spooky stories--some first hand accounts from people that I know and respect, that I am a believer. I mean, why take any chances? Like many people in Hawaii, I have my own religion, but I also respect Hawaiian beliefs.

When I lived on Oahu it got easier to not be afraid because I lived in Honolulu with a constantly growing amount of people, street lights, and houses close to each other so you had neighbors all around you--safety in numbers. When I moved to the Big Island all of that changed!

We live in a rural area in the middle of a rainforest with only tress and birds--and the occasional wild pig--for neighbors. At night it gets super, super dark (unless there is a full moon) and we can see the glow from the current lava flow so we are constantly reminded that Madame Pele lives near us.

When we built our house, we had Reverend Komoku, a Hawaiian Christian man come to bless our house. He said a Christian prayer and Hawaiian prayer complete with holy water from a special koa calabash and ti leaf.

On Oahu, there are tours offered where a guide will take you to some of the most haunted Hawaii places on the island.

Oahu Ghost Tours is a popular attraction with 3 popular tours: Honolulu City Haunts night walking tour, Orbs of Oahu night driving tour, and Sacred Spirits day driving tour.

On our tours, guests are taken to some of the most haunted places on O'ahu, if not in all of the islands. Oahu Ghost Tours® will take you close-up and allow you to witness firsthand these very unique places...from the much feared Night Marchers, to the places where sacrifices were made to ancient gods and goddesses of Hawai'i, and to the more modern haunts, like those of old hospitals that housed sick children during World War II...from orbs, to extreme and instant temperature changes, to anomalies that seem to have no source. Many of these places are history by day, and haunts by night! Our guides are some of the most experienced and are experts on telling the stories of these spooky places. All stories are true, and all sites are real. Historical and ancestral information is used, as well as eye witness accounts. Hawaiian ghost tours are not like the typical ghost tours you may be familiar with on the mainland or in other locations around the world. As Hawaiians have their own way of dealing with the supernatural, you may see and witness several ceremonial events at the places visited. All of these events are important to the Hawaiian and their personal beliefs. Please be respectful of these. Also, some of the sites visited may not have a particular story behind the actual haunt. The location may be just a reputed hotspot where paranormal activity is extremely high and ghosts have made it their home for a reason that cannot be explained.

Call toll free 1-877-597-REAL(7325) or on Oahu call 524-4944 to make reservations. You can also book online.

Save 15 percent off the ticket prices for up to 4 people by purchasing an
A3H Gold Card! The Activity and Attractions Association of Hawaii Gold Card cost only $30.00 and will save you tons of money on many activities, attractions, shopping, and dining.

Best Big Island Hawaii Beaches to See Turtles in Natural Environment

This post is part of Blog Action Day--October 15, where bloggers around the world will unite by posting something about the environment on this day. If you are taking part in this project, please share your post by leaving it in a comment.

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For people in Hawaii--locals and tourist alike--it is a rare treat to see turtles in the ocean or on the beach resting in their natural environment. It is especially awesome if the only place you had seen a turtle before is in an aquarium.

The "honu", Hawaiian name for the green sea turtle, is not called green because of the color of their shell or outer appearance, but for the color of their flesh which is green from eating seaweed. The honu is an endangered animal but has made a remarkable come back and you can see them often in certain areas of Hawaii's ocean and beaches.

There is another rarer turtle whose numbers have not rebounded and is nearly extinct, it is the Hawaiian Hawksbill Sea Turtle, named for its sharp beak-like mouth. Hunted and exploited for their beautiful shell which often was referred to as "tortoise shell", the population is alarmingly estimated at less than 30 nesting turtles. They are the most endangered turtles in the Pacific Ocean.

Watch a video of exclusive rare footage of Hawksbill baby turtles emerging from their mother's nest.

Both the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle and Hawksbill Sea Turtle are protected by the Endangered Species Act. It is against the law to touch, harass, or harm the turtles in any way, and the penalties include jail time or large fines.

If you see a turtle while swimming or snorkeling in the water, give it 10 to 15 feet of space and enough room to surface and breathe. If you see a turtle resting on the beach, stay a respectful distance away to admire it or take photographs. This resting honu photograph is courtesy of Go Visit Hawaii.

The best place to see Honu green sea turtles is at Punalu'u Beach Park. At night however, you can sometimes see Hawksbill turtles laboring across the dark sand to lay their eggs in holes above the tide line.

Other good places to see Hawaiian turtles are:

Kaloko-Honokahau National Historic Park in North Kona

Kahalu'u Beach Park, about 6 miles south of Kailua-Kona on Ali'i Drive

Honaunau Bay near the City of Refuge

Read our other post Hawaiian Ocean Life and Coral Reef Etiquette with links to a underwater video of sea turtles and fish that inhabit the fragile reef environment and how we can protect it, and also a link to download a free Hawaiian Reef Fish ID Chart.

Hawaiian Ocean Life and Coral Reef Etiquette

Protecting the Hawaiian coral reefs and the Hawaiian ocean wildlife that depend on the coral reefs for their shelter and food, is a growing concern for everyone. With 7 million tourists visiting Hawaii annually--even though not all of them are swimming in the ocean--an engaging way to educate tourists was needed.

Enter Ziggy Livnat who wrote and produced a seven minute public service announcement about Hawaiian reef etiquette 3 years ago. You may have seen it if you flew Aloha Airlines to get to Hawaii, took a Norwegian Cruise ship voyage, or visted the Maui Ocean Center or the Waikiki Aquarium.

Livenat's video features a friendly talking humuhumunukunukuapua'a Hawaiian fish (shown above) taking viewers on a tour of the fragile reef system and letting people know what can be done to protect it. Simple things like not standing on the reef or resting your snorkel and dive gear on the coral rocks, not littering the ocean or chasing honu Hawaiian sea turtles--all of these things can make a huge impact on not degrading our ocean environment. The emphasis of his film is that everyone can enjoy the natural wonder and beauty of the sea while maintaining eco-friendly and bio-friendly practices.

Click here to see the award winning original English version of Hawaiian Reef Etiquette. It has also been recently translated into Japanese.

Read our other informative post and download a free Hawaiian Reef Fish ID Chart.

Move This 2 1/2-ton Stone, and Rule Hawaii

For generations the large rectangular 2 1/2-ton monolithic lava rock known as the Naha Stone lay forgotten and covered with weeds in a backyard in Hilo, Hawaii. Over half a century ago there was a revival in ancient Hawaiian relics; the Naha stone was found and given a new resting place in front of the Hilo Library on the Big Island of Hawaii, where it remains till today. The Pinao stone, the smaller stone standing upright next to it, once guarded an ancient Hawaiian Heiau or temple.

The Hawaiian prophecy or legend of the Naha Stone stated that the person who moved the Naha stone with his bare hands would unite and be ruler of all the Hawaiian Islands. One man did accomplish this feat, and his name was King Kamehameha the Great.

PROPHETESS PROPHECIES

And even as he spake these words, they who stood by were stricken with fear, for his face flushed red as with blood, and fire appeared to flash from his eyes, so that the fear spread even among the high chiefs who gazed upon him.

Then Kamehameha prepared himself for the ordeal, examining his hands and the stone that he might see how best to accomplish his purpose. And Kalaniwahine, taking hold of his hands, spake encouraging words unto him and said unto him:

"If indeed the Naha Stone shall be this day moved by thee, then shall the whole group of islands, from Hawaii to Kauai be moved, but if indeed it shall be moved and turned from its resting place, then shall all dissensions be removed, and thou and thy people and thy prophetess shall live and shall dwell henceforth in peace forever. For this is the prophecy of the Naha Stone, O Prince, so get thee to thy great task."

And now, as the people and all assembled, watched Kamehameha closely, he placed his hands under the stone and began to move them so that he might better take hold. Which being done, he cried these words:
"Naha Stone art thou:
And by Naha Prince only may thy, sacredness be broken.
Now behold, I am Kamehameha, a Niu-pio
A spreading mist of the forest."

Then gripped he the stone and leaned over it, and as he leaned, great strength came into him and he struggled yet more fiercely, so that the blood burst from his eyes and from the tips of his fingers, and the earth trembled with the might of his struggling, so that they who stood by believed that an earthquake came to his assistance.

THE STONE IS TURNED

And he put forth all his strength. and, behold, the stone did move under his arms, and he raised it on its side and with supernatural strength did over turn it, so that all who stood by were amazed and dumb with awe.

HAWAII NATURE NOTES, THE PUBLICATION OF THE NATURALIST DIVISION, HAWAII NATIONAL PARK AND THE HAWAII NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION VOL. IV FEBRUARY 1952 No. 3

Learn more about Kamehameha I, also known as Kamehameha the Great (c. 1758 – 1819)

You can stand in awe in front of the actual Naha Stone for yourself. Be respectful of this revered pohaku (Hawaiian word for rock or stone) and what it means to the Hawaiian people by not sitting or standing on it. If you have small children, do not let them climb on it or play on it. Many times you can still find fresh offerings of lei and smaller rocks wrapped in ti leaf which are called ho'okupu (gift or offering) decorating the Naha Stone.

The Hilo Public Library is located at 300 Waianuenue Avenue between Ululani and Kapiolani Street. There is no parking allowed in front of the library, but you can park in their free parking lot located on the side of the library building. Click here for map directions.

If you enjoyed reading this post, please spread the word about our Hawaii Blog. Mahalo (thank you)!

Photograph courtesy of And Hawaii.

Soak in Madame Pele's Natural Hot Tub in Hawaii

On your next Hawaii vacation to the Big Island, plan on relaxing in a natural pool of warm volcanically heated water at Ahalanui Pond, also known as the hot pond in Kapoho. Located along the Puna coast, this inviting geothermal pool where the temperature tends to hover around 90 degrees, is a mixture of hot water from thermal springs and cold ocean water. Ground water is heated as it moves through magma hot rocks on its way to the ocean and then mixes with the cold water of the sea and forms a naturally heated hot tub. Give thanks to Madame Pele (Hawaiian Fire Goddess) for showing her soft side with this wonderful healing spot.

The pool's water may look dirty to you at first, but it is considered a clear brackish water. A small inlet separates the pool from the ocean. We go there when people come to visit us from off island. Last time we swam there, my girlfriend was freaked out when a little fish brushed up against her leg!

The natural Ahalanui Pond is partially man made for the beach goers convenience. A cement walkway surrounds the calm water pool and there are steps and ladders leading to the water. The elderly and children can also enjoy this pool. A lifeguard is on duty during the day.

Ahalanui Park is located in Kapoho where it is always sunny and hot. Tall coconut trees surround the pool and there is a wonderful view of the Pacific ocean. The cool and gentle ocean breezes caress your face as you float on the water releasing any stress you may have had.

Ahalanui Pond located in Ahalanui Park is free and open to the public. The park has restrooms, showers, picnic areas, and free parking. A word to the wise, park on the ocean side (where the park entrance is located) of the street. Do not park across the street because cars frequently get "ripped off" or broken into when they park there.

To get to Ahalanui Park, take Highway 130 south from Pahoa town. When it dead ends at Highway 137, turn right. The Park is located on the left, just past Mile Marker #10.

See more photographs and information on Ahalanui Pond and Ahalanui Park.

TV Viewers Dream of Getting LOST in Hawaii on Vacation

When Kayak.com (notice the Kayak widget on our blog?) an online travel search web site polled nearly 600 people to think about TV shows and travel inspirations, 43.5% chose "Lost" as their number one travel destination.

A whopping 73% said they would like to tour the set of "Lost" and check out the "hatch" from the popular ABC television show. The TV show does not offer any public tours of the indoor film studio but don't let that stop you from visiting outdoor Hawaii locations where "Lost" was shot.

Sheila from Go Visit Hawaii is a big "Lost" fan. Recently, she and her husband were on Oahu exploring some of the key spots where scenes from "Lost" were filmed. She gives directions and advice for finding the survivor's camp, the submarine dock, Jin's father's fishing pier, Hurley's golf course, and more! See her post Finding "Lost" sites on Oahu.

1 out of 4 travelers said they visited a place because of a favorite television show took place there. Of the people surveyed, half said they have never taken a TV inspired trip but would like to in the future.

Where would you like to visit based on your favorite television show?

Directions to a Secret Hawaii Beach with Red Sand

Since I have been on the topic of different colored sandy beaches on the Big Island, I thought it would be fun to add another rare color sandy beach. On the Big Island we have white, grey, green and black colored sand beaches, but only a small sprinkling of red sand on the beaches in Hilo, Ka'u and South Kona.

The only major red sand beaches in Hawaii are found in the Hana district on the island of Maui. Red sand beaches result simply from the erosion of littoral cones composed predominately of red volcanic matter. (Beaches of the Big Island by John R.K. Clark)

The secret Hawaii beach is Kaihalulu Beach, more commonly known as Red Sand Beach is located on an extremely isolated part of Hana Hawaii. It is so isolated that if you go there and you see people sun bathing, they probably won't have any clothes on!

Hillary Clinton visits nude beach would be a great headline, but when she visited Red Sand Beach with her elderly mother, the secret service went up ahead before them and asked the nude beach goers to please cover up, which they reluctantly did. The nude sunbathers however did receive an reward -- having their picture taken with their clothes on next to Hillary Clinton.

Read more information and get directions to Maui's Secret Red Sand Beach.

Big Island of Hawaii Beach Sand Color Quiz

Take our Big Island of Hawaii beach sand color quiz. Can you choose the correct color of sand located at these 5 popular beaches on the Big Island of Hawaii?

Choose: A - White sand, B - Black sand, C - Green sand, or D - Grey sand

1. Kahalu'u Beach Park
2. Hapuna Beach State Park
3. ____ Sand Beach at South Point
4. Anaeho'omalu Beach
5. Punalu'u Beach Park

ANSWER:

Hawaii's beaches are magnificent and different from many other beaches around the world. Beach sand is created by the erosion of coral reefs, producing a "white" beach. In Hawaii, lava and volcanic sediment also add black, grey and green colors to our beach sand.

1. Kahalu'u Beach Park has a white sand beach.
2. Hapuna Beach State Park has a white sand beach.
3. Green Sand Beach at South Point has a green (of course) sand beach.
4. Anaeho'omalu Beach has a grey sand beach.
5. Punalu'u Beach Park has a black sand beach.

How did you score on our Hawaii Beach Sand Color Quiz?

When you visit any beach in Hawaii, enjoy the beach but remember that it is illegal to purposefully remove sand from any Hawaii beach.

Also, do not purchase sand online from companies promising to send you the actual sand from your favorite Hawaii beach. These companies are taking sand illegally and contributing to erosion and depletion of the natural habitat for Hawaii's ocean life, and destroying the beach for future generations of people.

See our related post Directions to a secret Hawaii beach with RED sand.

Free Hawaiian Reef Fish ID Chart

Snorkeling and scuba diving in the clean refreshing waters off of Maui, the Big Island, Kauai, and Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands opens up a wonderland of unique life and color. Snorkeling is safe enough for children to seniors to engage in, scuba diving on the other hand is not suitable for everyone.

It is important that you don't touch or walk on the reef -- coral is a living organism and can be damaged when it gets lots of foot traffic on it. The Hawaiian coral reefs are the home to all of the beautiful fish you will see. View this award winning 7 minute video about Hawaiian Ocean Life and Coral Reef Etiquette.

Click here to download a Free Hawaiian Reef Fish ID Chart from Snorkel Maui. Study it before your next Hawaii vacation. You could even have it laminated and bring it along with you.

Save yourself some time by making your reservations for snorkeling excursions and diving tours in Hawaii for the islands of Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, and Oahu. Compare tour descriptions, prices, and read customer ratings and comments for each snorkeling excursion.

Go Visit Hawaii posted a great interview with Mike Jones, the Head Dive Master for Trilogy out of Maui. In it he answers many of your questions about snorkeling in Hawaii.

Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano New Eruption Site

Our local Hawaii television news did a story on Kilauea Volcano today with some absolutely breathtaking video by air of the new eruption site. It is the first time lava has been seen flowing eastward of Pu'u 'O'o Crater in the last 15 years. The last eruption in this area was in 1990 and ended up destroying much of the town of Kalapana. Many people's homes were burned and their property covered under several feet of lava. (So technically you still own your property if you can find it, but you can't live there anymore or sell it -- as if there would be any buyers). Experts are monitoring the new lava flow and do not believe that this flow will take the same path.

View the Kilauea volcano eruption highlights and read the news story here.

This new eruption site at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is inaccessible by land, but you can reserve a helicopter tour and view it by air.

Check out the Kilauea Lava Flow Webcam.

Lava Returns to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

After a break of 12 days, lava was once again visible at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. People have been anxiously awaiting the return of Madame Pele, the sacred fire goddess who makes her home in Kilauea Volcano.

Yesterday, a new flow was seen at the bottom of Pu'u O'o crater. The view is anything but clear yet, as it is mostly obscured by volcanic fumes.

For complete daily updates on the Kilauea Volcano visit US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Over 250 Earthquakes Recorded Yesterday at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

It’s true, there were over 250 small earthquakes recorded yesterday at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, on the Big Island of Hawaii. This data suggested that magma is on the move under the surface of Kilauea volcano, and prompted the rare closure of the park.

“It looks like the rift has expanded a bit, possibly to accommodate magma, and the earthquakes are accompanying that process,” said Jim Kauahikaua, scientist-in-charge of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Read more details about the Kilauea earthquakes at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

The scientists at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park have very sensitive monitoring equipment, as the quakes must have been very tiny. We live about 30 minutes away from the park and did not feel a thing all day yesterday. The park was reopened today in most areas, and things seemed to have calmed down for now.

Please read our related post on Viewing Kilauea Volcano Lava Flow Into the Ocean by Sea.

If you are coming to the Big Island anytime soon, make reservations for a helicopter tour to see Kilauea volcano from the air.

Viewing Kilauea Volcano Lava Flow into the Ocean by Sea

On the Big Island of Hawaii at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you can hike (4-6 hour round trip) to see the lava flowing into the ocean and creating new land, or fly above the volcano flow on a commercial helicopter tour. However, a nice women who reads my blog emailed to ask me, since I live here, if I knew of any boat charters to view the lava spewing into the sea.

Well, since I spent an hour today trying to find out, I thought it would make a good blog post.

I called several boat charters from the yellow pages but most of them were sport fishing charters and no one could give me a business name of who did lava viewing tours by boat. One captain told me if their boat left from Hilo it would take all day as they had a slow boat and it would be a rough ride. Another captain told me although it sounds like a good idea, the location is prohibitive -- there is no place to lodge near the park, and it would be a long rough water trip out of Hilo.

Next I called the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and spoke to someone there. She said that she didn't know of any boat tours but even if she did, they are not suppose to recommend any commercial businesses. She did tell me though that a person sent them a video tape of their boat trip to see the lava flow, and when a ledge or cliff of lava rock broke off and fell into the ocean, it sucked the boat down and swamped the back of their boat with water! I don't know how close they were to viewing the flow, but that sounded pretty scary.

I did a internet search for volcano tours of lava Hawaii, and found an article about boats leaving from the Hale Beach Park near Pahoa in Puna, but it didn't have any contact names or phone numbers. I emailed them and will update this post when and if I get any new information. If you know of anything, please share via a comment.

You can see a daily report of the Kilauea volcano eruption from the US Geological Survey called the Kilauea Daily Update.