The state of Hawaii really, really wants visitors to stop going to this dilapidated cultural site

Kaniakapupu palace.
(Image credit: Twitter.com/michellebvd)

The former summer palace of King Kamehameha III in Honolulu is off limits to the public, but that's not stopping websites and blogs from touting it as a must-see destination, much to the dismay of the state of Hawaii.

See more

The 180-year-old Kaniakapupu palace is in a closed watershed area, and anyone found on the property will be cited, The Associated Press reports. Last week, someone etched crosses into the structure's crumbling walls, and the state's Department of Land and Natural Resources has had enough; they've sent letters to more than a dozen websites and blogs that recommend hikes to Kaniakapupu and asked them to stop promoting the closed palace.

The department says some outlets, like Exploration Hawaii, have removed information on the historic site, and others have promised to remove directions to Kaniakapupu. Thankfully, there's still plenty for visitors to do while in Honolulu.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.