The Haunting of Nu‘uana Pali Lookout Highway

Honolulu County, Honolulu, Hawaii

Photo: Wikimedia

The Nu‘uana Pali Lookout Highway winds through one of the most dramatic and spiritually charged landscapes in Hawaii. Towering cliffs, dense vegetation, and powerful winds dominate the area, creating a place where nature feels alive and watchful. Long before the highway existed, this land was already sacred — and already soaked in blood.

In 1795, the Battle of Nu‘uana took place here during King Kamehameha I’s campaign to unite the Hawaiian Islands. As warriors fled across the steep cliffs, many were forced over the edge, plunging hundreds of feet to their deaths below. The valley floor became a mass grave, and local tradition holds that the spirits of those who died did not move on peacefully. Instead, they remain bound to the cliffs, the wind, and the narrow passes that cut through the mountains.

One of the most enduring legends tied to the highway is that of a woman dressed in white who appears late at night along the roadside. Drivers report seeing her standing quietly, often soaking wet or barefoot, asking for a ride. Those who stop describe an overwhelming sense of sadness or unease as she enters the vehicle. Moments later, she vanishes without a sound — sometimes leaving behind wet footprints, a sudden coldness, or the lingering smell of rain and earth.

Other motorists have reported hearing chanting, whispers, or cries carried unnaturally on the wind, even when the road is otherwise silent. Some experience sudden dizziness, nausea, or an intense feeling of being watched. Mechanical failures are also commonly reported, including stalled engines, flickering lights, and radios that abruptly cut out while passing through the area.

Local belief warns against carrying pork through the Pali, as it is said to offend Pele, the volcano goddess, and the spirits tied to the land. Those who ignore this warning often report bad luck, accidents, or vehicle trouble until the item is removed. The winds themselves are thought to be more than weather — many believe they are the voices of the dead, sweeping through the cliffs as a reminder of the battle and the lives lost.

Even in daylight, visitors describe an oppressive heaviness that settles over the lookout. Shadows seem to move where none should exist, and the cliffs feel closer than they appear. At night, when visibility drops and the wind howls through the mountain passes, the Nu‘uana Pali Lookout Highway becomes a place where history, nature, and the supernatural blur — and where the past is never truly silent.

Visitor Information:
Address: Nu‘uana Pali Drive
Honolulu, HI 96817
Note: This area includes roadside pull-offs and lookout points. Use caution and be mindful of weather and high winds.

The Haunting of the Volcano Goddess

Madam Pele, the Volcano Goddess – Maui County, Mauna Loa, Hawaii

Photograph ©Thalia D. Naidu

Madame Pele, the renowned Volcano Goddess, stands as an enduring legend in the rich tapestry of Hawaiian mythology. According to the captivating tale, Pele faced expulsion from Na-maka-o-kaha’I by her sister, the sea goddess. Seeking solace, she sought refuge atop Mauna Loa, translated as the "Long Mountain," where the warmth she yearned for could be found once more.

Mauna Loa, the largest volcano globally, sprawls across half of Hawaii's Big Island, boasting a formidable presence. This geological giant has rumbled to life in a staggering thirty-three eruptions since the year 1843, with the most recent documented eruption dating back to 1984.

The captivating lore surrounding Madame Pele extends beyond the confines of myth, as islanders and visitors alike claim to have glimpsed her descending from the mountain to issue warnings of impending eruptions. Notably, numerous sightings recount her accompanied by a small, white dog, adding an element of mystique to the narrative.

Intriguingly, the year 1959 marked an unusual chapter in the saga of Madame Pele when members of the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory staff reported sightings of a white dog. In their attempts to capture the elusive canine, they faced repeated failures. Remarkably, in December of that fateful year, two active craters erupted, coinciding with the mysterious appearances of the white dog. Although sightings persisted until around 1966, the connection between the enigmatic dog and the volcanic activity remains an unexplained phenomenon.

As for Madame Pele herself, the legend describes her attire—a striking red muumuu—and her constant companion, the little white dog trailing faithfully behind. It is whispered among the locals that encountering Madame Pele demands a friendly disposition, as an unfriendly encounter may incur swift and dire consequences, with death lurking in the shadows. Thus, the myth of Madame Pele continues to weave through the cultural fabric of Hawaii, where the volcano's tales are both captivating and cautionary.

Personal note: As absurd as this story sounds, a skeptical reporter is said to have seen Pele and the volcano erupted two days later. Also, volcanologists, studying the volcano, admitted to seeing her shortly before eruptions! The scientists confessed that they could not scientifically explain this phenomenon but did agree that if you see her you’d better high-tail it out of there!

Address:
Mauna Loa, Hawaii

The Haunting of Ford Island

Ford Island –Honolulu County, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Photograph ©Travlr

Ford Island sits snugly in the center of Pearl Harbor. Many men died here during the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Would it be any wonder that this little island is reported to be haunted?

Residents have made reports of disembodied voices and footsteps in empty rooms of their homes. Some have reported finding objects in their homes unexplainably moved or stacked up.

Other paranormal phenomenon includes lights and appliances that turn on in the middle of the night for no apparent reason, a glowing misty apparition that floats through homes and shadowy figures walking around the trees and buildings on the north side of the island; these figures look like people but then disappear into thin air.

Some who have visited the airstrip claim to have feelings of urgency, as if some unseen emergency were going on around them; others have added to this description by saying they heard the sounds of men running past them in boots but they didn’t actually see them.

Many have claimed to hear the sounds of men moaning in pain. And at one building in particular, reports have been made of locked doors opening and closing on their own, accompanied by unexplained drafts of cold air.

Many apparitions have been spotted on this island, most are dressed in uniform, and they seem to roam, without destination, around the island.