Halloween is just around the corner, a holiday we love here at Gunstock Ranch. Though sunny Hawaii isnât the first place youâd think of when it comes to haunted Halloween locales, thereâs actually a secret feature of the ranch thatâs especially fitting this time of year. Those of you whoâve visited us might know exactly what weâre talking about: the hidden caves.
These arenât your average caves. While most caves are made of rock, the ones at Gunstock Ranch are made of coral. Talk about a Hawaiian twist! Our best guess is that these caves used to be underwater back when the islands were forming, and now theyâre on the surface for everyone to enjoy. On some of our off-road eco tours, guests are able to climb down into the caves and look around. Itâs a nice way to cool off and get out of the sun. In fact, thatâs exactly what they were used for not too long ago.
If you read our last blog post, you know that Gunstock Ranch used to be a sugar cane plantation. The workers would use the caves to take a break and stay cool during the heat of the day. But the caves also had a secret use. Laie, the little town right next door to us, was (and still is!) a dry town, so you couldnât buy alcohol. But the workers didnât let that stop them. They used the caves to hide their stashes of booze, giving them more than one reason to take as many breaks in the caves as they could. We have yet to find any hidden bootleg liquor in the caves, but theyâre still an amazing natural feature and a highlight of our off-road tours.
The caves are fun and exciting any time of year, and especially around Halloween when a dark, spooky cave really gets us in the spirit of the season. You may not find bats, skeletons, or buried treasure, but you will have a good adventure and maybe even spot the Man in the Cave. You didnât think weâd give up all our secrets, did you?
Aloha,
The Gunstock Family
