Top Ten Haunted Places in Honolulu

Posted: 10.24.2020 | Updated: 04.11.2025

Moana, Ukeleles, tiki-bars, that place where Obama came from, and the spot that inspired that godawful Bay movie… That’s the long and short of what Jane and Dick America know of Hawaii. Sure there are the beaches and hotels, and the crazed honeymooners blowing all their dough, but as a whole, the island chains are still shrouded in mystic. Here’s a quick crash course on Hawaii before we start to point out the spooky bits in this top ten haunted spots in Honolulu piece.

The Hawaiian Islands are a chain of eight major islands, several atolls, and many islets stretching about 1,500 miles across the North Pacific. Originally called the Sandwich Islands—named after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich—they kept that name until 1840. Today, they’re named after the largest island, Hawaiʻi.

Other quick facts:

• The first European expedition was in 1527.
• Hawaii is the only U.S. state that is not geographically attached to North America. 
• The Islands are the exposed crowns of a vast undersea mountain range, formed by volcanic activity.
• Honolulu, found on the island of Oahu is the State Capital.
• It is rude to decline to wear a lei flower if someone offers it.
• Jurassic Park and Tropic Thunder were filmed there… and hundreds of other films. 

Oh, and it’s one of the richest culturally heavy states in the Nation. A state with its own belief system and traditions. A state mired in mythology, superstition, and more boogeymen per square inch than on a Nightmare Before Christmas.

Craving a thrill for haunted placed in Hawaii? Join our Honolulu ghost tour and uncover haunting legends that still whisper through the island’s darkest corners.

What Are The Most Haunted Places In Honolulu?

Honolulu isn’t just paradise, it’s also haunted. Iolani Palace, ‘the only royal palace in the U.S.’, is said to echo with ghostly footsteps and sightings of Queen Liliʻuokalani. At the Moana Surfrider, guests report a woman in white, while the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani is known for flickering lights and eerie whispers. These historic spots hold more than tropical charm—they may hold spirits of the past, making them some of the most fascinating haunted Hawaii locations to explore.

Top Ten Haunted Spots In Honolulu

A BIG CLARIFICATION: when I say Honolulu, I mean the city on the island of Oahu. Honolulu is just a city in the archipelago, but the entire archipelago is considered the county of Honolulu. So, in the strictest sense, the nomenclature fits. With that said, there are many haunted places in Hawaii, especially around Honolulu. If you’re looking to explore them, Oahu ghost tours offer an exciting way to experience the spooky side of the island.

10. Iolani Palace

Moans, scary sounds, macabre visions, weird lights, and, well, just about anything that would get a fringe scientist’s heart racing, Iolani Palace is the go-to place if you want an excuse to change your underwear. The placest pressure-cooked by all manner of supernatural fisticuffs. 

Constructed in 1882, the palace was once home to Hawaii’s last ruling royalty, King Kalakaua and his sister Queen Liliuokalani.

Queen Liliuokalani passed away in 1917, but it is said that her spirit still roams the halls of the stately home. 

9. Morgan’s Corner

In 1948 two escaped felons, James Majors and John Palikiko butchered 68-year-old widow Therese Wilder on Morgan’s Corner. Wilder was tied, hammered, and smothered in her bed. It became a nationwide event and the yellow rags went hog-wild with the “Murder in Paradise” angle… they ran with it. 

Morgan’s Corner is now abandoned and not a single remains. At night the unexplained stories surrounding this place come alive and leap at passerby’s throats. Turn your hair white apparitions; unexplained sounds; spine-tingling screams; the perpetual feeling of someone cutting the rug on your grave.

Natives believe that Wilder never left… and that her two malefactors, those knaves, also haunt the area. For those brave enough to uncover their stories, Oahu ghost tours offer the perfect opportunity to explore this eerie legend and many others across the island.

8. Nuuanu Pali Lookout

In 1795, King Kamehameha, Chief of the Big Island at the time, tried to combine the islands by declaring war against the chief of Oahu, Chief Kalanikupule. This was a historic event and one of the most bloody periods in Hawaiian history. 

Mid-skirmish, King Kamehameha troops, having invaded Oahu, start pushing hard the flanks of Kalanikupule’s dwindling army. It comes down to mano a mano action, but Kalanikupule’s warriors are simply overwhelmed. The battle continues, the invading army closes ranks and forces the beleaguered soldiers to choose their fate; die by their hands of by theirs. Kalanikupule’s warriors, more than 400, jump off the edge of Pali to their deaths. The bones of the combatants are said to still be on the floor of the cliff.

Visitors have stated that at night you can hear the howls, cries, and desperate bellows of the fallen warriors. Reports of shadowy figures abound and the area is said to be cursed. Pali Lookout is one of the many spots where the infamous Nightmarchers travel through and to the natives a no-fly zone on certain evenings. 

During the day the Pali Lookout is frequented by visitors for its panoramic view of East Oahu. But by night, it has been told that you can hear the howling and crying of the fallen warriors. There have also been several reports of shadowy figures seen in the area — but you can pay it a visit to see for yourself.

7. Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor

It was going to happen, we were going to talk about Pearl Harbor. You all know that story; On December 7, 1941, thousands of officers lost their lives when Pearl Harbor was attacked. It more or less tossed the Yanks into the fracas that was World War II. Hangars 37 and 79 were miraculously left standing by the attack. In 2006 they were converted into the Pacific Aviation Museum… And it’s full of ghosts. 

The place is up to its earlobes in spooks. Toss a rock and it’s come back, showered in ectoplasm, and boinged you on the head. In 2012 the museum became an episode of ‘Ghost Hunters’. Unidentified sounds and lights were recorded during the show’s investigation. 

6. Manoa Falls

This popular hiking trail is popular for its surplus of greenery and cascading waterfalls. It’s one of the easiest hiking trails on the island and most visitors can breeze through it at an easy pace and in less than an hour. 

By day, it’s charming, serene, and heavenly… but by night, the path transforms into something straight out of a lost horror film—think IT meets Blair Witch Project—spine-chilling and eerie beyond belief.. Full of ghosts, monsters, and even Hawaiia’s uber zombies, The Night Marchers. 

5. The Ancient Heiau – Temple – of Ulupo 

Right on the edge of the Kawaianui marsh close to Kailua town on the Windward side of Oahu. 

The temple is supposed to be somewhere between 400 to 800 years old. Stories state that the Menehune, Hawaii’s take on elves, built the place. Today this is an active spot of worship and considered one of the most sacred shrines to the god Lono (deity of agriculture, peace, and renewal).

But, and here’s the kicker, during its time, the temple didn’t worship Lono but Kuka’ilimoku (the god of war). Part of the rituals of worshiping this blood-drenched war god involved human sacrifices to satisfy the deity’s hunger for death. Some say the bones of tens of thousands are interred within the walls of the Heiau, and they are not at all pleased at being a god’s Happy Meal. This dark history is just one of the chilling Hawaii urban legends that still haunt the island to this day.

4. Pearl Harbor’s Ford Island 

One more Pearl Harbor spot. Yes, I know, but this one is too good to resist. Ford Island is found at the center of the harbor. The place, although rumored to be haunted by the slain soldiers of that surprise attack, is known by the natives and feared on account of something even more terrifying than specter soldiers… a HUGE powerful shark god.

That’s right, there is an underwater cave that is said to be the home of Jason Statham’s sparring partner in MEG.

3. Kipapa Gulchnear Mililani Town 

The place of an important battle in Hawaiian history. The viaduct that crosses the gorge has been the site of various head-on freak accidents. 

The ditch is also said to be one of those pesky Nightmarchers. And, if that wasn’t enough, the area underneath the bridge is supposed to be the hunting ground of a feared shapeshifter similar to the Native American Skinwalker. 

2. Mauna’ala – The Royal Hawaiian Mausoleum

This is where the Hawaiian sovereignty from the current Hawaiian Monarchy is laid to rest. They have a habit of walking beside visitors during the day and frequenting a rather majestic tree outside its halls for nighly lūʻaus and scarring the night guards into a stupor. 

1. Wahiawa Botanical Garden 

The Green Lady is said to haunt the Botanical Gardens. In the middle of Oahu, the Botanical Garden is 27 acres of beautiful native flora displays. 

The Garden first began as a playground in the 1920s. In 1957, it was formally inaugurated as a botanical garden. Local legend has it that the area is haunted by the Green Lady—a jagged-toothed, seaweed-covered, fish-like crone who kidnaps the innocent. This chilling tale is one of the many captivating Hawaii urban legends that add to the island’s mysterious allure.

Haunted Honolulu

Honolulu is a city where the past lingers in more ways than one. From the haunted halls of ʻIolani Palace to the ghostly whispers at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, these iconic locations offer a glimpse into the island’s eerie history. For those seeking more than just sunshine, Honolulu’s haunted spots provide a spine-tingling adventure into the unknown, making it one of the most intriguing haunted places in Hawaii.

To experience a spookier side, book a Honolulu ghost tour with Honolulu Haunts. Enjoy an assortment of haunting tales in person through the words of our tour guides. Keep reading our blog, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok for more sinister and haunting content. 

Sources: 

• https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Montagu-4th-Earl-of-Sandwich
• https://womenshistory.si.edu/herstory/activism/object/queen-liliuokalani
• https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/the-legend-of-night-marchers-in-hawaii/