Wish You Were Here!
Welcome to the Manoa Chinese Cemetery
One might not think that visiting a cemetery would make it into a top must-do list while visiting Oahu, but they would be wrong! Near the back end of the Manoa Valley lies the Manoa Chinese Cemetery, a dazzling and venerable resting place for the community’s historic Chinese population. I often describe this cemetery as “certified magic”, A. as it was quite literally founded with the use of diving rods to locate vital “qi energy” indispensable to Chinese folk religious beliefs, and b. because of the serene beauty of the place and that it provided me with personal respite many times as a college student far from home. (Plus, it is looked after by a kind old orange cat with a cleft lip who I called “Simon”!)
While under the radar, this cemetery is not a secret to locals, and often you will find yourself accompanied there by a jogger making their rounds or another tourist or two sharing the experience, but that in no way diminishes the beauty of the place. Lined with palm trees and often accompanied by a rainbow, it blends the perfect amount of human made structures and concepts with nature, even having a tropical forest at the back end which is home to many unique animals including poison dart frogs! While it may be one of the more unusual destinations in this list, the Manoa Chinese Cemetery is one of my favorite picks!
Unfortunately, the cemetery does not have an official website and I’ve never seen the sexton’s office clearly open. Still, one can park along the street and walk into the cemetery even when the vehicle gates are closed (I and others have done this many times). Make sure to bring cat treats in case you see Simon!
For more information on the Manoa Chinese Cemetery, check out this article and be sure to watch the video below!
Check It Out!
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