Finding the ghosts of Hawaii: Mysteries in paradise
Hawaii conjures up images of beaches, surfing and picture perfect ocean views. But ghosts?
Even in paradise, those beyond the grave are among the living if you know where to look. And for those who want to know more, there is a tour experience that looks deeper into Hawaii's ghost stories.
"It's a cultural experience, things that they never knew about historical things that they were not aware of, that they can't find in any tour, magazine or pamphlet," said master storyteller Lopaka Kapanui of Mysteries of Hawaii, a company that offers several walking tours to Hawaii's most haunted places.
"That's the advantage of being a cultural practitioner and a native of a place where you know a lot of the information that is not written down. Because we Hawaiians had a spoken language, everything was transmitted," he added.
Experience vs Tour
While they are labeled as "tours," Kapanui said the more accurate descriptor for the walking tours he offers through Mysteries of Hawaii are "experiences."
"I'm a storyteller, not a tour guide, so I'm not working for tips. The reason why it's an experience is because it becomes about the people who show up and much less about myself. And so according to people's capacity as far as spiritual reception or perception, depends upon how the thing goes. Sensitive people will experience things," he said.
Kapanui took over the experience from his former boss Glen Grant, who started a Honoulu ghost tour in the 1970s. Kapanui said it's been quite a journey since he took over the business.
"It was very strict about getting everything straight facts," he said. "I had to listen and remember a tour that was from 7 p.m. in the evening to 2 a.m. in the morning. There are seven stops and every stop had two hours of stories, which I had to memorize," he said. "And my mother trained me in the same way, which sort of freaked me out when I first met my boss. But you know, now I realize it was meant to be."
It's the reason why Kapanui said his tour experiences are different, because they are drawn from Hawaiian oral traditions.
Mysteries of old Honolulu
During a Saturday in early March, I took the monthly "Ghosts of Old Honolulu Walking Tour." This 90-minute experience started in downtown Honolulu. My group was small but very engaged as Kapanui laid out some ground rules before we followed the paths once walked by royalty.
Kapanui emphasized they do not use scare tactics: "There is no one hiding in the bushes to frighten you," he said. "We don’t pretend to see things that are not there."
From the state library building where we started, the group walked over to the Iolani Palace where we heard stories about sightings of Queen Lili‘uokalani from an upstairs bedroom where she was once imprisoned for months after the overthrow of the Hawaiian government.
From there, we walked across the street to see the Kamehameha Statue, Banyan trees, the courthouse and the post office, also known as the King David Kalakaua building, which all have historical backstories and are supposedly filled with ghostly appearances.
The post office, for example, is believed to be haunted by the ghost of a postal worker named Benedict Westkaemper. At several points during the experience, we were were asked to take pictures of each other in front of the Banyan trees and in the post office, and some of the pictures later revealed something or someone in the shadows.
Kapanui also asked us to record ourselves near the Banyan trees and the courthouse where major events have taken place and ghostly sightings continue to haunt the grounds. "That's why I tell people that this is really about you and how your energy, your mentality, and the things you bring with you right now," said Kapanui.
Related: Traveling to Hawaii just got a whole lot easier; TPG was among the first to try it out
Bottom Line
Hawaii is more than just beaches, surfing and good food. It is home to realms of spirits whether you know it or not. You can discover more if you dare to explore further.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.