‘Āpua

Hawaii's ghost towns are sugar plantation villages — company towns that emptied when the mills closed.

ʻĀpua was an ancient village in the Puna district on the southern coast of the Island of Hawaiʻi in the Hawaiian Islands. A small fishing village was located at about 19°15′41″N 155°11′46″W, an elevation about 59 feet (18 m) above sea level. The village was destroyed by a tsunami following the April 2, 1868 Hawaii earthquake and never resettled. ʻĀpua Point, just south of the former village site, has a backcountry campground for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. There is no drinking water nor other facilities at the site. Weather and surf conditions can be very dangerous.

The on-the-ground condition of ‘Āpua is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to ‘Āpua is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.