Molokai Mo' Bettah

Molokai is first and foremost a place to relax. So perhaps the most important thing to do here is NOTHING. We were looking for a "vacation from our vacation" on our honeymoon, and after reading Chele's journal knew that we had to check this island out. We are so glad we did, thanks to IGOUGO.

Take a day to hike down to the Kalaupapa National Park and take the tour of the leper colony. It's a beautiful place and moving experience.

Drive along the Eastern shore up to the Halawa valley. This part of Molokai is lush and has many secluded beaches, small churches and other photo opportunities.

Take a 4wd to the Kamako rain forest. Visit Robin the Woodcarver and make it to the Waikolu Lookout by car. If it's clear and you have time and provisions, you might want to take the 5+mile path to the Pelekunu lookout.

Mail a coconut to a friend at the Ho'olehua post office. The postmistress provides them free, with ~ postage.

Sit on an empty beach on the dry western shore. Papohaku Beach has crowds when you see more than 2 other couples anywhere on its 3 mile stretch.

Have a Mai Tai at the beachfront bar of the Hotel Molokai. It's tikki-tacky Polynisian decor just feels perfectly in place here.

Skip Molokai if you want exciting nightlife or fancy shopping opportunities.

Quick Tips:

Most of the official tourism is on the West End, centered around the Sheraton at Mauna Loa. Stay at the Hotel Molokai or a B+B on the East end to really get into the spirit of the island (and eat less dust.)

Molokai is famous for its red dust and adhesive sand. Don't bring your designer duds (nobody here would know or care who Prada is, anyway.)

Best Way To Get Around:

Take a prop-plane (Interisland Air, partnered w/ Aloha)rather than Jet. The runway here is so short that your flight may get canceled or they may threaten not to bring your luggage, if you arrive by the latter.

Molokai has no public transit or metered taxis. Your only bet is renting a car, and you may want a 4WD for greater exploration.

Hiking here is a treat- it's drier than some of the other islands, so there's fewer mosquitoes. And the views are incredible.

Many people rent mountain bikes and claim this island beats Moab for biking. I'd believe it, but just be sure to stock up on water bottles.

Kamalo Plantation is a great place to get away from it all, and a wonderful base from which to explore Molokai. It is about 10 miles out of Kaunakakai, right across from St. Joseph's Church

The cottage ($85/night) is set away from the main house, and completely private. No other guests are here. You may only see your hosts, Glen and Akiko Forester, once or twice, though you no doubt will run into some of their 7 big, friendly dogs more often.

There's no TV, but you have a stereo and phone (with common line to their house). The best entertainment at night is listening to the geckos chirping (many will cling and skitter across the window screens.)

The studio has a decent kitchen, access to a grill, and basic spices and cooking utensils. We enjoyed cooking in one evening. You may want to stop by the store to supplement the breakfast (fruit, juice and homebaked bread), as all supplies are delivered just once.

The hosts provide a great binder of things to do, with plenty of useful commentary on the best beaches, hikes and other activities. It's also fun to read the guest book.

This property encloses the ruins of a heiau (temple) that you can wander through. This particular structure was apparently a place of healing, not human sacrifice, and it was visited by folks from all over the island. This may be why Damien erected the church across the street - to encourage people to visit a Christian rather than Pagan place of worship.

If you need a place with more space, they also rent a 2BR beach house for $140/night that has private beach access.

Hotel Molokai is a throwback to the '60s fascination with Polynesian decor, right down to the tikki torches. Anywhere else and this place would look cheesy. Okay, it looks cheesy here, too...but in a good way.

The food is tasty, though pricier than what you'll find in the main part of town. Though there are plenty of tourists, it's clear that the locals also eat here. They specialize in seafood with a variety of different sauces, including a locally produced pesto. Wednesday evenings has a buffet special with different cuisines of the world, for $10-$15/pp, depending on the fare.

The real reason to come here is to enjoy the oceanfront view. So even if you eat dinner elsewhere in town, it's fun to put on your loudest Hawaiian shirt and stop by for Pina Coladas and watch the sun set. You can go for a walk on their beach afterwards and collect coconuts.

Bands perform on weekends. On Fridays they have free pupus (appetizers) to go with the music, so it may be the most happening place on the island. (But if you are looking for a club scene, what are you doing here?!? Go to Waikiki!)

Both of the following restaurants as well as the local mac nut farm are owned and operated by the Purdy family. You'll be warmly welcomed at any of their establishments.

Kamuela's Bar and Grill is in central Kaunakakai, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, daily. They offer local & mainland dishes at reasonable prices.

Kamuela's Cookhouse in Kualapuu used to be the Sugar Mill cafeteria. It is the best restaurant in Kualapuu ...well, it's the only restaurant here, but it still lives up to its billing of being "purdy" good. Breakfast and Lunch only.

We ate our first dinner on Molokai at the Kaunakakai location. I ordered the grilled Mahi Mahi and my husband the lemon chicken. While I enjoyed my fish, the next time we came back, we both ordered the lemon chicken (much more flavor than the usual bland dish that gets served in most Chinese restaurants.)

Their portions are large, and if you Kamuela-size it for $2 extra, you get even more. Don't forget to end your meal with a slice of their homemade chocolate macnut pie, especially if you like pecan pie.

The Purdy's harvest and sell roasted Mac nuts (without any oils, preservatives or pestisides, and damn tasty), and their farm is well worth a visit!

The Kalaupapa Pennisula is attached to Molokai only by precarious 2000ft+ cliffs. During the mid 19th century, Hawai'i was experiencing a leprosy epidemic, so this became the place where lepers were exiled - often forcefully. Life here was bleak at first, but a Catholic Missionary, Father Damien, helped to make conditions more bearable. (Damien is effectively Molokai's patron saint.) Leprosy became treatable in the 1940's and the only patients that remain are elderly, free to leave but not familiar with any place other than Kalaupapa.

You can either fly from Ho'olehua Airport (~$100 rt), take a mule ride ($150/pp) on the trail, or hike ($30 for the tour) the trail. We opted to do the latter, which means calling up Damien Tours (808=567-6171) in advance.

The hike is steep, with 26 switchbacks. However, the trail is well maintained, with barriers to prevent you from tumbling over the cliff. Still this is not a path for the acrophobic (and I don't think the mule ride would make it any less scary!) While it is theoretically possible to get down it in the 1h 15m that local guidebooks indicate, I would suggest you allow for up to 1.5 to 2 hours to descend and take pictures. Start down by 8am, before the mules depart, unless you like plodding though fresh mule droppings.

Since this is still an active leper colony, you must have a reservation with Damien Tours to visit the pennisula. Wandering about on your own is expressly forbidden - and probably dangerous given the number of blind drivers on the local roads. The mandatory 3 hour tour takes you to Kalaupapa, Kalawao (the original leper colony), and the overlook to the world's tallest seacliffs (2000ft+). You will be overwhelmed by both the beauty and the tales of misery here.

A note for the squeamish: Hansen's Disease (aka Leprosy) is barely contagious, and is not contagious at all when it has been treated. The restrictions for visiting here(no children under 16, everyone on a tour) are more for the protection of the few residents who remain than for visitors.

First of all, this drive is officially for 4WD vehicles only. If, theoretically, one took a 2WD convertible (I'm not saying that we did, but we..uh...we know some people who did), don't go after a storm when the roads are muddy, and expect a lot of strange looks from the few trucks you'll run into.

The road starts to wind up through farms and grazing lands, dry and dusty but beautiful in their desolation. Once you make it to the forest, you'll see a pull-off and a fence by a fantastically carved wooden totem pole. This is the workshop of Robin the Woodcarver, who will show you his lovely hand-turned bowls and wooden sculptures, as well as draw you a map of the local attractions.

You should be albe to make it to the Waikolu Lookout, just beyond the Sandalwood Pit, by car, whatever the drive train. After this point the road gets sketchy even for 4WD vehicles.

If it's clear at Waikolu, and you have time and provisions, you could take the 5+ mile path to the awesome views from the Pelekunu lookout. There's a wood plank path through the lush vegetation of the Rain Forest, so no machete is required.

For the less adventure-prone, the adventure desk at the Hotel Molokai offers guided excursions of this area for around $50/pp.

Molokai is filled with churches - over 20 for a population of 6000 - many of which are lovingly constructed and decorated. But this pretty white one stands out even in that stiff competition. About 10 miles out of town, you'll see it by the ocean side of the highway. Park and explore the grounds.

The church was built by Father Damien in 1876. Although he spent most of his time in the leper colony on the Kalaupapa pennisula, he also served as the priest for the rest of Molokai for many years. This and Our Lady of the Sorrows, futher down the road, are the two churches that remain "topside." Given the heiau nearby (in the Kamalo Plantation Bed and Breakfast), Damien may have selected this location not for its inherent beauty but to encourage islanders to visit the church.

The church was restored in 1995 to celebrate the return of Damien's hand to Kalaupapa. A sculpture of the almost-sainted man stands outside, bedecked with shell and flower lei.

The drive east along Hwy 450 merits a half to full day of sightseeing. This side of Molokai is less touristy, and yet it is more lush and filled with ancient sites.

Starting at Kaunakakai, the first stop of note is St. Joseph's church. The dock at Kamalo is a great place to take a photo of the mountains that loom above the Eastern side.

Continuing on past the Ualapu'e fish pond (mile marker 13), there's further evidence of native history at the Ili'ili'opae Heiau, a less gentle temple than the one at Kamalo Plantation, where human sacrifices occured until the 1700's. It's between Mile Marker 15-16, and is a 5 minute hike inland.

Right around here is the Neighborhood Market, the one place out here where you can buy provisions and even a hot plate lunch. Alas, the one gas station has been closed for several decades, so hopefully you tanked up back in Kaunakakai!

You will pass by several lovely beaches, including, at Mile Marker 20, the aptly named Twenty Mile Beach (it probably has a native moniker like halihaliapua'apuahaumumu.) Snorkeling is possible here, although the waters are very shallow. You may want to wait for high tide, or better yet, just relax on the beach. The road hugs the coast and gets very scenic at this point. You'll have a great view onto Lanai, Maui and a nearby islet. At around Mile Marker 25 the road gets even windy and narrower (be thankful that there is very little traffic out here).

Continue on to Halawa Valley, stopping at the scenic overlook to take in the steep cliffs and waterfall. At the end of the road there's a secluded beach (pretty, but not great for swimming), a cute little church and some fishermens' shacks.

While this area used to be well populated, and many heiau can still be found, it was nearly abandoned in the mid 20th century. The trail up to the waterfall is on private land, and there used to be a guided hike. Unfortunately, some hikers died on the trail back in the Fall of 2001, so it still remains closed. Casual excursions to see "what's there" should be discouraged as the local pot farmers are protective of their crop!