ASD icon blue inverse lighter

ASD Staff

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Best backup singer ever..."}]

Smile 26 6 3

<title>Daily Smile: Wednesday, June 3, 2026</title>

Best backup singer ever...

Daily Smile: Wednesday, June 3, 2026

[{"type":"text","text":"Now, let's all enjoy a hamster enjoying an omelette..."}]

Smile 26 6 13

<title>Daily Smile: Saturday, June 13, 2026</title>

Now, let's all enjoy a hamster enjoying an omelette...

Daily Smile: Saturday, June 13, 2026

Higa headshot white shirt square

Sterling Higa

Government & Politics

Columnists

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Ben Sasse is bleeding from the face."}]

He’s seated across from New York Times columnist Ross Douthat, 

, and he pauses to note it. He’s dying of stage 4 pancreatic cancer. One side effect of the treatment is that his body can’t grow skin.

“Yeah, you look terrible,” says Douthat.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"“Thank you,” says Sasse with a smile."}]

Since his diagnosis, Sasse has appeared on 

 stage, and a parade of podcasts. He uses the time to say what most politicians never dare to.

He talks about faith. He quotes R.C. Sproul. He discusses Tocqueville with the ease of someone who has actually read him.

Sasse is a two-term Republican Senator from Nebraska, a Harvard graduate, a Yale PhD in History. He voted to impeach Donald Trump and took the consequences. Though popular with voters in his home state, he left the Senate to serve as President of the University of Florida.

Now he spends his last days making one argument: American political life has gone badly wrong. Not because the wrong party is winning. Because the whole enterprise has lost its bearings.

Sasse starts with something most politicians would rather ignore: the pace of technological change. Previous economic transformations — industrialization, electrification — unfolded across generations. This one won’t. Robotics and automation will wipe out whole careers within a single working life.

Sasse sees a second shift: disembodied consciousness, the way screens let people leave their world. Families are breaking apart. Communities are dissolving. The local ties — churches, civic groups, the small-scale institutions Edmund Burke called “little platoons” — that help people absorb hard times are being stripped away. The formation of souls and citizens is at risk, and government is mostly ignoring it in favor of clickbait and rage.

He thinks our loves should be ordered, first to God, then to those nearest us, rippling outward from family to neighborhood to state to nation. Caring about a national political party more than your own community isn’t just confused. It’s a disorder of affection.

What’s true of the nation is true in Hawai'i. The legislature introduces three thousand bills a year. How many of those take the large challenges seriously? The demographic shifts, the cost pressures squeezing local families, the slow hemorrhage of young people off the Islands? The floor speeches and press releases gesture toward these problems, but the lawmaking doesn’t match the problem.

Sasse’s example suggests why. He can sit for an hour-long interview on dense political and theological matters because he has a clear philosophy — a disciplined way of working through problems. It also gives him the power to persuade, which is the precondition for coordinated action.

The founders studied rhetoric and philosophy with the same care they gave the law, because republican government runs on argument and clear speech. Most of Hawai‘i’s lawmakers couldn’t sustain an interview like Sasse’s, and the laws show it. There’s no clear direction. No will to rally the public. Few signs that anyone has thought hard about what government is for. What fills the vacuum is performance: press releases, floor speeches written for social media, outrage timed to the news cycle.

Sasse has a simple framework for what a coherent politics looks like. He describes four ways of valuing government, measured in cheers. No-cheer people — hardcore libertarians — don’t understand that government exists to secure liberty. Three-cheer people believe in a state that controls everything. Republicans, he says, are the one-cheer party. Democrats are the two-cheer party. Each has an extreme wing. Hawai‘i’s loudest voices are at the extremes.

What we lack are the one-cheer leaders: those who see government as necessary but flawed, able to secure order but not to deliver salvation.

Government should do a small number of important things well. It should get out of the way of the little platoons. It should never present itself as the path to utopia. Hawai‘i’s government casting itself as humanity’s last best hope has always been faintly comic.

Sasse’s sharpest line comes when he describes what voters already sense about the way their leaders talk.

They know it’s bullshit, he says — and they don’t want to be lied to. Why can’t politics do a small number of important, long-term things?

There is something clarifying about a man making that argument while bleeding from the face. He has no election to win, no caucus to protect, and by his own reckoning, weeks or months to live. What he’s chosen to do with his time is sit down and think hard about what government is and isn’t for, and what we’ve lost by confusing the two.

In watching Ben Sasse die, Hawai‘i might learn something about how to live.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Ben Sasse Getty Images 1231346544

<title>Ben Sasse is dying in public</title>

The former U.S. senator from Nebraska is talking about big ideas everywhere he can as pancreatic cancer takes his life. Hawai‘i's politicians could learn from what he has to say about government doing fewer things well, says ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa.

Ben Sasse is dying in public

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Located at Leilehua Golf Course in Wahiawā, 

 previously offered breakfast buffets for holidays and special occasions. Due to the buffet’s popularity, the restaurant decided to offer it every Saturday starting this past January.

604 Clubhouse’s breakfast buffet is now weekly from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (last seating is at 2 p.m.). It costs $60 per adult and $25 for children ages 12 years and under.

There’s a 90-minute time limit and automatic 20% gratuity. While reservations are recommended, walk-ins are also accepted.

Highlights from the all-you-can-eat experience include a prime rib carving station, snow crab legs, and an omelet station. Omelets are made to order; you can choose from ingredients like ham, Spam, mushrooms, red onions, bell peppers and more.

Hot buffet selections include coconut shrimp with sweet chili sauce, steamed catch (served with ginger puree, lup cheong and Chinese parsley), swirl French toast, Portuguese sausage and teriyaki chicken.

Some of the seafood options, like the steamed catch and shellfish delight — a combo of clams, mussels, shrimp, green curry, coconut milk, gremolata and cilantro — may change weekly. Seafood cioppino — a flavorful seafood stew with a rich, savory broth — and kakimochi-crusted bass were previously featured.

Cold options include fresh fruit, spicy ‘ahi poke, imitation crab mac salad and Caesar salad.

Guests can conclude their meal with desserts like macadamia nut bread pudding, assorted danishes and chocolate chip cookies.

While the breakfast buffet is promoted on Saturdays, the eatery’s a la carte menu is available, so customers can still order popular beverages like Hawaiʻi’s Best Bloody Mary ($18) — garnished with celery, cheese, smoked meat, a jumbo prawn, pineapple, lime, cherry tomato, pickled onion, pepperoncini and an olive — and mahalo margarita ($13). The latter features Jose Cuervo, lime sour, lemonade, strawberries and a li hing mui rim.

Saturday breakfast buffet from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

604 Clubhouse buffet spread 020226

<title>604 Clubhouse has a new breakfast buffet</title>

The eatery, located at Leilehua Golf Course in Wahiawā, recently started a new Saturday breakfast buffet. The all-you-can-eat experience costs $60 per adult and includes a prime rib carving station, snow crab legs, an omelet station and more.

604 Clubhouse has a new breakfast buffet

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

Aloha State Daily rounded up a list of 26 New Year’s Eve events on Oʻahu so you can ring in 2026 in style. From live music presented by Hawaiʻi’s Finest at Wai Kai in ʻEwa Beach to three rooms of parties at Kapono’s at The Lounge in Hawaiʻi Kai, there are options to dance, sing, eat and drink as the new year — and you — slides into focus. ASD rounded up activities by neighborhood:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"KO OLINA"}]

Four Seasons Resort, Oʻahu at Ko Olina. 

Mina’s Fish House, Manalo Lounge and Noe are offering dining experiences for New Year’s Eve. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"ʻEWA BEACH"}]

Wai Kai x Hawaiʻi’s Finest (ʻEwa Beach). 

The party is open to all ages and includes live music and fireworks at midnight, as well as opportunities to sign up for night surfing. Hawaiʻi’s Finest will present entertainment on the surfside lawn, which will have free seating open to the public and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets for a VIP experience at The Lookout are also available for $100 per person. Check the website for the list of items not allowed at Wai Kai. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"MILILANI"}]

Start the party early at the Town Center of Mililani with the Noon Year’s Eve Pineapple Drop. The event features headliner 

, as well as haka and Tahitian dance performances, lion dances, and taiko drumming. Performances start at 10 a.m. and run until the pineapple drop at noon. Free. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"CHINATOWN"}]

Party with three DJs and two dance floors with a drag show that starts at 9 p.m. The event includes performances by Omnia Nova, Princess, Kelly Price, Apple Aday and Sardonyx Del Rey. Bottle service is available. Tables can also be reserved at 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"DOWNTOWN HONOLULU"}]

Live music, cocktails and tasty late night bites are part of this New Year’s Eve celebration. Riya Davis, a vocalist and saxophonist, will perform from 10:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. Tickets are $125 and include live music cover charge, snacks, party favors and a drink. 

“Dress to dazzle” and celebrate with the Gatsby New Year’s Eve Gala

. Tickets include live music and DJ sets and a champagne toast. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. There is also a Whiskey VIP Room experience available for up to 12 people. Tickets start at $71.21. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"ALA MOANA"}]

Minutes from Waikīkī, The District is presenting Silver and Stars NYE 2026. The dress code is “New Year’s Eve festive.” There will be DJs, a 36-foot LED video wall, lasers and CO2 cryo cannons. Tickets start at $40 for general admission, which includes drink tickets, and $70 for VIP admission, which includes drink tickets, champagne welcome drinks, snacks, and party favors, plus an exclusive champagne room with a dedicated DJ. The event starts at 8 p.m. and runs until 4 a.m. 

Bad Decisions Ball features special guest DJ Hector Fonseca. There will be a champagne toast at midnight. The guest list is free until 10:30 p.m. The event runs from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. 

Celebrate Bye Bye 25 at Swell Restaurant and Pool Bar with beats by DJ Compose and DJ Mau and a ball drop illuminated on the Beachside Tower. Individual entry, which includes a signature welcome cocktail and a champagne toast at midnight is $40, if purchased in advance, and $50 at the door. A private luxury cabana for eight people, which includes bottle service with Grey Goose Vodka and Devant Brut Champagne along with charcuterie boards and New Years Eve swag and complimentary self-parking for one vehicle, is $750. 

The Honolulu New Year’s Eve Bar Crawl 2026, hosted by the national group 

, offers a digital map to spots across town, a celebratory champagne toast, beats from live DJs, drink specials and free entry to participating bars. Check-in runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and there will be an exclusive after-party event. Tickets are $30.65, if purchased in advance, with group discounts for parties of four or more. 

 This event, called “Fiesta into 2026” offers margaritas, tacos, fireworks and a rooftop celebration. Early dinner service, a NYE happy hour and VIP tables and bottle service are available. The live DJ starts at 7 p.m. Presale tickets at $40. Fast passes are $90. 

Cruise for fireworks (ocean views of Waikīkī). 

Star of Honolulu, a sunset dinner cruise, serves up views of Waikīkī timed to include the fireworks show. There will also be light pūpūs, party favors and a midnight toast. 

 Some other groups offering New Year’s Eve experiences on the water include the 

 catamarans (tours depart from Kewalo Basin or Waikīkī) and 

Halekūlani on the Beach at Waikīkī (Waikīkī).

 Say goodbye to 2025 and hello to 2026 with a chic afternoon at The Veranda, a rosé and caviar lounge. Book the 

 ($155 per ticket). There will also be a 

New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner at Orchids/La Mer

Make reservations for New Year’s Eve meals at Grand Lānai restaurants at International Market Place, including Crackin’ Kitchen, Eating House 1949, Herringbone, Moani Waikīkī Island Bistro & Bar, Shorefyre, Skybox Taphouse and Stripsteak Waikīkī. 

Shorefyre's Fire by Night Gatsby Party (International Market Place, Waikīkī). 

Dance the night away with DJ Al Grande, DJ Caldee and DJ Deuxces in this Gatsby-themed event which starts at 9 p.m., after regular dinner service. Festive 1920s attire recommended but not required. VIP service is available. 

Skybox Taphouse (International Market Place, Waikīkī). 

Sing in the New Year at this spot, which is hosting a karaoke party. Pizza and cocktails are available. 

Enjoy a rooftop experience at the “High Resolution – New Year, New Heights” party with skyline views, DJs and a coundtown until midnight at Sky Waikīkī. The music will be provided by DJ Compose and DJ Jem. Dress to impress. Attendees must be at least 21 years old. Tickets start at $60. 

NYE Paradise Bloom is a rooftop party, presented by House of Art Entertainment, with immersive decor, live performances and a complimentary glass of welcome champagne, plus a midnight toast. The event will include a live jazz band, acrobatic performances, DJs, live fire shows, and more. 

The Laylow Waikīkī, Autograph Collection (Waikīkī). 

DJ J.Esco will provide the music for Drip: A New Year’s Eve Celebration. Dress code is “dressed to impress.” General admission tickets, which includes party favors, appetizers from 10 p.m. to midnight and a champange toast at midnight are $85 pre-sale or $105 at the door. VIP tables, which include bottle service, reserved areas and a charcuterie board, start at $800. 

The Royal Hawaiian Resort, Waikīkī (Waikīkī). 

Celebrate fresh starts with a five-course dinner at Azure at The Royal Hawaiian Resort, Waikīkī.

Seatings begin at 6 p.m. or 8:15 p.m. ($275+. Wine pairings are $75+). There is also a New Year’s Eve lūʻau dinner show, which includes a three-course meal ($397+ for adults with tiered pricing for keiki). The resort will also host “Dreaming in Pink” with live DJ entertainment, handcrafted cocktails, oceanfront fireworks and views of Diamond Head on the lawn and in the nearby Monarch Room ($100 for adults and $50 for keiki). 

Enjoy a DJ and dancing, party favors, a midnight toast and views of the stars and fireworks from this spot with ocean views. Attendees must be at least 21 years old. Buy tickets for just the party, a four-course NYE dinner with entrance to the party, or a VIP package. 

Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach (Waikīkī). 

Glitter & Good Cheer is the focus of this party at Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikīkī Beach. The event will also be a celebration of the resort’s 125th birthday. The party will host three different NYE experiences: Cabana Suite, VIP Terrace, and Diamond & Pearls Party. The Cabana Suite includes an oceanfront celebration with access to a decorated pool deck from 8:30 p.m. to midnight. It includes premium pūpū platters, two bottles of Devant Brut Champagne (NV and Rosé), DJ entertainment and complimentary parking for up to six guests. The VIP Terrace includes a private lounge with bottle service tables and premium pūpū platters, plus two bottles (Taittinger Brut Champagne and Pau Vodka), DJ entertainment, and complimentary parking for up to six guests. The Diamonds & Pearls Party on the Diamond Lawn includes a gourmet dinner buffet, a no-host bar, a photo booth, tarot card reading, adult face painting and a champagne toast at midnight. 

Hawaiian Council is presenting this event featuring comedian Pashyn Santos, along with hula and mele from Nā Lei Aloha at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa. The evening starts at 9:30 p.m. with a DJ set. Performances, including stand-up comedy from Santos, fire knife dancing, mele and hula. There will be fireworks and a champagne toast. Attendees must be at least 21 years old. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"MCCULLY-MOIʻILIʻILI"}]

This dance school is celebrating the new year Vegas style! There will be tango, casino games, champagne and “nonstop sparkle,” according to event organizers. Activities start with a dance class, Tango 101 for Beginners, at 8:30 p.m. and then from 9:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. there is a tango dance party with traditional and new music. There will also be a casino games room with roulette, craps, poker and blackjack. Tickets are $60, if purchased early, and $75 at the door. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"KĀHALA"}]

The Kāhala Hotel & Resort (Kāhala). The Dom Pérignon New Years Eve Celebration includes fire knife dancing and a drone show. Tickets include access to premium poolside views of activities, plus live music and a Dom Pérignon champagne toast. The event runs from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Dress code is resort casual. Guests must be at least 21 years old. Tickets are $105.63. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"HAWAI’I KAI"}]

Kapono’s at The Lounge: New Year’s Eve on the Marina (Hawaiʻi Kai). 

, who has won more than 20 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, recently partnered with the Henry Kapono Foundation and The Lounge at Island Sound Studios on 

, which will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, starting Jan. 9. Kapono’s at the Lounge includes three performance spaces —The Lounge, The Velvet Monkey and Studio B — and will host debut performances featuring Kapono, Tavana and Ambrose

 in each of the spaces on New Year’s Eve. VIP passes are available for partygoers who wish to move between the spaces from 10:30 p.m. until midnight.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Atlantis Cruises

<title>26 places to party for 2026: New Year’s Eve on O’ahu</title>

Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou! Happy New Year! Looking to ring in 2026 on Oʻahu? Here are 26 events, listed by neighborhood, happening between ʻEwa Beach and Hawaiʻi Kai.

26 places to party for 2026: New Year’s Eve on O’ahu

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawai‘i History

It’s one of the most enchanting stretches of road on the island of Kaua‘i, where towering eucalyptus trees arch overhead like a living cathedral, and shifting patterns of light and shadow create a strobe effect as you drive through the mile-long verdant tunnel.

Breaking off Kaumuali‘i Highway, the Tunnel of Trees begins at the mauka end of Maluhia Road. It extends nearly a mile long on the way to Kōloa Town, offering a breathtaking trip through a serene passageway.

No one seems to know the exact history of the Tree Tunnel. One story claims that in 1911, Walter Duncan McBryde, co-founder of McBryde Sugar Co., had more than 500 eucalyptus trees left over from a landscaping project at his estate in Kalaheo, so he planted them along the roadside. McBryde was known as a champion for the beautification of local highways through the use of trees and plants. Another tale claims that the Knudsen family planted the trees to stabilize the marshy lane and act as a windbreak for the nearby sugarcane fields.

No matter the story, the hardy trees have weathered the elements for more than a century, including several hurricanes, such as the two most destructive on Kaua‘i: ‘Iwa in 1982 and ‘Iniki in 1992. While I remember the damage of ‘Iwa, I didn’t see its effect on the Tunnel of Trees, but we were in Oma‘o during ‘Iniki.

After the storm passed, we woke the next day and tried to make our way to Līhu‘e. As expected, the going was slow as cars moved cautiously to avoid debris in the road. There was a significant slowdown in front of the Tree Tunnel, as many people stopped to take in the destruction they saw. The trunks of the trees on either side of the road were still standing, but the canopy had all come crashing down. Maluhia Road was unpassable and littered with huge fallen branches. The once green and shady thoroughfare now looked like a pile of brown sticks.

Long-time residents all said the same thing, “No worry. Going come back.”

And it did. Today, the tall eucalyptus trees are green and full, their branches reaching across the road, creating what feels like a magical portal to Kōloa and Po‘ipū.

But not everything about the Tree Tunnel is serene. For all its beauty, there’s something about that shaded stretch of Maluhia Road that unsettles some travelers—especially after dark. Maybe it’s the way the trees seem to hide the sky and block out the moon. Perhaps it’s because there are no street lights.

Over the years, locals have described chilling incidents of strange sights and eerie encounters beneath the eucalyptus canopy. Some even say the Tree Tunnel is more than just a scenic route; it’s a place where the veil between worlds feels just a little thinner.

We often share the story about four brothers who were passing through the Tree Tunnel on their way to Līhu‘e.

After rounding out the S-curves and entering the tunnel, the vehicle began to sputter. Despite the oldest brother’s efforts, the engine died, leaving them in the tunnel in the dark. The truck was barely a year old with no sign of trouble before this trip, so they were confused, but things grew stranger.

Maluhia Road has a slight incline at just about the center of the tunnel, so you can’t see oncoming cars until they crest the hill. Sitting in the dark, the brothers noticed a soft, yellow glow on the tree canopy ahead, which meant headlights were approaching. As seconds passed, the light grew brighter, but just as a vehicle should have appeared over the rise, the light vanished. No car appeared.

Spooked, the eldest brother turned the key. The truck started instantly, as if nothing had ever gone wrong. He floored it out of the tunnel. Later, mechanics found no issues.

Those four men are our sons, and to this day, they still have no explanation for what happened in the Tunnel of Trees. What surprised us most, though, was learning how many others have reported similar experiences along that long, shadowed road. Not everyone’s car stalls, but time and again, people describe the same chilling detail: the soft glow of headlights approaching, growing brighter against the canopy overhead, and then, suddenly, the light disappears, with no vehicle ever appearing.

Many people attribute these experiences to the presence of the huaka‘i pō, the night marchers, passing through the Tunnel of Trees in their silent procession.

Other people claim to have heard disembodied voices next to them in their car or to have seen a mysterious fog suddenly appear in the tunnel. There are even tales of a mysterious woman in white, walking by herself in the tunnel. She appears in a car’s headlights, and as the driver gets closer, the woman vanishes.

For most, Maluhia Road is simply a beautiful drive framed by history and nature. But for a few, that mile-long stretch becomes a place where the familiar turns strange. For some, engines fall silent without cause, and headlights vanish into nothing. The next time you drive through that shaded road on the way to Kōloa and Po‘ipū, keep an eye on the lights ahead. You never know what you might—or might not—see.

Koloa Tunnel of Trees

<title>Vanishing lights in the Tunnel of Trees</title>

This week's ghost tale comes from Kaua‘i, where the Tunnel of Trees near Kōloa, while beautiful by day, is home to eerie experiences by night.

Vanishing lights in the Tunnel of Trees

At the ‘Ewa end of Waikīkī lies a 22-acre resort with more than 2,800 guest rooms and its own 5-acre lagoon. But before the Hilton Hawaiian Village and surrounding resorts were built, the place was called Kālia.

Streams from Mānoa and Palolo Valleys ran down toward the ocean and joined to create the Pi‘inaio Stream. This stream flowed beneath and through the Waikīkī marshlands, entering the sea at Kālia. This estuary, where freshwater mixed with the salty ocean, created a unique environment that supported a diverse array of life.

The Kālia shore was abundant with marine life and limu of all varieties. Kūpuna have described the once-common practice of walking across the reef to choose lobster, crab, shrimp, or octopus for a quick meal. One could pick ‘oama (young goatfish) by hand from the shallows because the schools of the young fish were so plentiful. As the ‘ama‘ama (striped mullet) made their annual runs across the south shore of O‘ahu, the men of Kālia would swim out in a row, surround the fish, and drive them into a bag net by slapping the water and kicking their feet over the shallow reef.

On the mauka portion of Kālia, there were many loko i‘a (fishponds) and loko i‘a kalo (taro fields used to raise small fish). A complex system of gates unique to Kālia helped manage the many interconnected ponds.

After Western contact and throughout the 1800s, epidemics of smallpox, typhoid, mumps, whooping cough, and influenza devastated the Hawaiian population. In the aftermath, Waikīkī’s once-thriving agricultural system began to change forever.

In the 1920s, in the name of “progress,” the Ala Wai Canal was dredged, and the marshes, the lo‘i kalo, and the loko i‘a were filled in. Waikīkī was on its way to becoming the epicenter of Hawaii’s tourism industry.

After changing hands a few times, the property finally came under the ownership of Henry J. Kaiser, founder of the Kaiser Permanente health system. In 1954, Kaiser purchased the properties along the Kālia shore to build the Hawaiian Village Hotel, consisting of thatched-roof cottages with 70 guest rooms, gardens, and swimming pools. Hilton Hotels & Resorts then purchased the property in 1961.

Since then, the Hilton Hawaiian Village has expanded and added several new towers, including the Rainbow Tower, with its 286-foot-tall ceramic tile mosaic made of more than 16,000 individual tiles.

Over the years, the resort has been a popular choice for celebrities and dignitaries, including Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and Michael Jackson. However, it has also attracted otherworldly visitors.

The most famous ghost story of the Hilton Hawaiian Village is that of a beautiful but mysterious woman wearing a long red mu‘umu‘u with blue and white print that extended to the ground, covering her feet. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin newspaper printed this story in 1959.

One afternoon, a housekeeper said that a tall, stately woman with long, reddish-black hair suddenly appeared from nowhere. The Hawaiian woman had a beautiful, dark complexion and a smiling, happy face. But what the housekeeper remembers most is that the woman seemed to shimmer, as if she were giving off a faint, otherworldly glow.

Just as the woman asked for directions to a particular room, the housekeeping inspector approached and offered to show her to the room she was looking for. While the housekeeper watched them leave, the woman had disappeared just as suddenly as she arrived.

The inspector didn’t notice right away and continued to the requested room. When she turned to point it out, the woman wasn’t there!

“I was talking to myself,” she said hauntingly, “It was unbelievable. The woman had disappeared into thin air!”

Over the years, similar stories have surfaced at the resort. Both locals and visitors have reported sudden encounters with a mysterious woman in the hotel’s hallways or in other areas of this haunted resort. She's described as beautiful, barefoot, often dressed in red, and sometimes glowing. She may ask for directions or a ride or simply smile and disappear.

Some believe these sightings are visitations from Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes. She is said to take many forms, most often a regal woman in red or an old woman cloaked in mystery. Her appearances are often fleeting but powerful, leaving behind a sense of awe and reverence or a quiet warning.

Whether it is truly Pele who walks through the halls of the Hilton Hawaiian Village or something else entirely, those who have seen her never forget. But ancient goddesses aren’t the only supernatural visitors here. Over the years, guests have reported unexplained sightings throughout the property, in the rooms and halls of the resort’s towers, along the beachfront and lagoon, and on the sidewalks throughout the village.

What makes these hauntings unique is that the apparitions seen aren’t always dressed in old-fashioned clothing as one might expect. Instead, they often appear in modern attire, like everyday hotel guests.

One visitor shared his own Hilton Hawaiian Village ghost story with us. He said the crosswalk at the front of the resort was crowded one night, humming with sounds of tourists, traffic, and music. He and his wife stepped off the curb, weaving between people, heading for the nearby Kālia Tower. That’s when they both noticed him.

A young Chinese man, looking barely twenty years old, wandered through the crowd. He wore a windbreaker, khaki pants, and a backpack and looked lost. His mouth moved in a quiet monologue, and his eyes darted about like he didn’t recognize where he was. It was strange but not unheard of, as Waikīkī draws all kinds of travelers.

The tall, broad-shouldered visitor instinctively prepared to shoulder past the young man who seemed to be heading straight toward them in the crowd. But as the couple approached the other side, the visitor felt something odd in the air. The young man passed within inches of him. He was so close that he could see the stitching on the man’s sleeve and the worn straps of his backpack. He didn’t flinch or move aside. He just kept walking forward, murmuring to himself.

Without a word to each other, the visitor and his wife immediately turned around, sensing something was off. The crosswalk behind them was still busy, the path unobstructed, but the young man was gone.

Not just out of sight… Gone. There was no one jaywalking across Kālia Road, and they would have seen him if the man had walked toward the Hale Koa Hotel. Even if he’d sprinted, they still would have seen him. They scanned the area in silence and then looked at each other. No words needed. They both felt it.

Some places absorb energy, especially where confusion, trauma, or sudden death occur. That energy plays back like an endless loop of memory, repeating forever. What they saw probably wasn’t a person. It was an imprint caught in the folds of Waikīkī, still trying to find its way home.

Daily Smile: Wednesday, June 3, 2026

ASD Staff

Reporter

More in Daily Smile

Daily Smile: Saturday, June 13, 2026

Daily Smile: Friday, June 12, 2026

Daily Smile: Thursday, June 11, 2026

Daily Smile: Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Most read

Daily Smile: Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Authors

ASD Staff

Reporter

More in Daily Smile

Daily Smile: Saturday, June 13, 2026

Daily Smile: Friday, June 12, 2026

Daily Smile: Thursday, June 11, 2026

Daily Smile: Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Most read