Going On A Treasure Hunt

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On Jan. 28, there will be treasure buried somewhere on the island and whoever finds it first gets to keep everything inside, including a free trip to Panama.

But getting to it won’t be easy – first you have to make your way through the series of challenges and clues for Adventure Hunt, which bills itself as a “modern-day treasure hunt.”

“It is kind of like Pokémon Go, but way cooler – there is actual treasure waiting for you,” explains Sean Bingham, founder of the Utah-based Adventure Hunt.

It begins at 9 a.m. with a list of to-dos that teams of two must complete and post to Instagram as proof. Specifics will be a surprise on the day-of, but Bingham does say that the course could likely include visits to local landmarks, hikes, surfing, rock jumping and more. So participants better make sure to come dressed for the event, with some durable but comfortable outdoor clothing from somewhere like rei bellingham. Completing activities unlocks various clues to follow to the buried treasure.

Past Adventure Hunt challenges have included surfing on swans and snorkeling with turtles

Past Adventure Hunt challenges have included surfing on swans and snorkeling with turtles

“You go from clue to clue with spots that might be all over the island,” Bingham says. “Some of them are funny – like we did one last year in Hawaii where we had people go lay down right next to a stranger on the beach without saying a word. Some of them are adventurous – we have people jumping off rope swings or Laie Point and different things like that.

“We will kind of take people around on a little adventure of Oahu,” Bingham continues. “We don’t want people to just be racing around trying to win; we want them to really have an adventurous day on top of that.”

The clues eventually lead to a buried treasure chest – and inside is various outdoor gear including two GoPros, selfie sticks, socks, sunglasses and belts. Plus, there also is a voucher with a trip for two to Red Frog Beach Island Resort and Spa in Panama, which features a free zipline tour, discounts on surf and scuba lessons and participation in the Final Hunt.

The treasure that's waiting at the end of Adventure Hunt

The treasure that’s waiting at the end of Adventure Hunt

Bingham first had the idea for Adventure Hunt as a marketing tool for his company KZ Gear, which specializes in sunglasses, beanies and other outdoor accessories. (Even if you don’t come in first for Adventure Hunt, you’ll get a little something: Every finisher gets a $10 credit to KZ Gear’s web-site.) The event not only gave KZ a sales boost, he found, but was extremely popular on its own.

“We realized that it was so fun and exciting that it needed to really be its own business,” he recalls.

Now, two years later, Adventure Hunt takes place in 48 cities throughout the country, with goals for wider expansion.

“Our main goal is just to help people get out and live an adventurous lifestyle – to get out and enjoy the outdoors and do something fun, to get off the couch and just do something awesome,” Bingham says.

“We just want to encourage people to get to know their city or their area really well and see all the cool, fun stuff that it has to offer and to actually go out and do it.”

ADVENTURE HUNT OAHU STARTS AT 9 A.M. JAN. 28. FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER, VISIT ADVENTUREHUNT.CO. REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 9 P.M. JAN. 27. TICKET PRICES RANGE BASED ON VARIOUS PACKAGES.