Molokai.pdf

ertain people are drawn to open roads, to roads

that have no need for traffic signals, roads without

streetlights to obliterate the stars. Certain travelers

yearn to go farther than a jet can take them. They

want something more than spoiling luxury. They have a voice

inside that says, "Don't coddle me. Give me the real deal."

If you have a bit of that voice, come to Moloka‘i.

On Moloka‘i you will experience true silence, see more stars

than you ever imagined actually existed in the night sky, and

encounter independent-minded people who

live close to the land. You'll have the

opportunity to notice the passage of the

wind, the smell of the plants, and the

moods of the sea. Naturally, you begin

to pay more attention.

People here do a lot of fishing, hunting, and gardening.

They don't think of tourism as an industry. Instead, they

regard island visitors as guests. "Why have you come?" they

want to know. "What is it you want?" For many travelers, a

Moloka‘i sojourn becomes a discovery of the answer to that

question. And that answer can be a surprise.

Culturally, this island is as Hawaiian as

it gets. Its population of

roughly 8,100 includes

a far higher percentage

of native descendants

than you find

anywhere else in the

State. But numbers alone do not explain the authenticity you

experience on Moloka‘i. Here, culture is not put on display as

an artifact, a show, or a relic. It is the life that is lived.

Little Moloka‘i sits directly between O‘ahu and Maui.

For this reason, many many more people fly over it than ever

land on it. This is a fate that the people of Moloka‘i have

chosen and prefer.

You could say that the world has left Moloka‘i behind.

Or is it the other way around?

Be awed by the world’s tallest sea cliffs, Moloka‘i’s soaring North Shore pali.

Moloka‘i morning

Historic Halawa Bay, entrance to Halawa Valley, one of Moloka‘i’s greatest

natural treasures.

Sunrise strikes the island's eastern point, illuminating beautiful

Halawa Valley—a classic Hawaiian cathedral valley with twin

waterfalls at the head and a sinuous bay. One of the first

settlement sites in the Islands, Halawa was once filled with taro

patches (lo‘i), thatched

houses (hale), and temples

(heiau). Today it is a cultural

treasure where the stones

seem to whisper the stories

of old days. Descendants of

those early residents are

now restoring portions of the

settlement and offer daily

educational hikes to the falls.

Above the valley, Pu‘u O

Hoku Ranch welcomes

visitors to its country store,

which features organic

produce grown on the ranch itself. The ranch's 14,000 acres, which

include an outstanding retreat facility, have been dedicated to

conservation and sustainable farming practices.

Journey into the presence of the island’s

primordial past.

From here the two-lane road follows a dramatic shoreline with

views of humpback whales and West Maui, then passes pocket-

sized beaches, ancient fishponds, and moist groves. Stop at

Mana‘e Goods and Grinds for supplies, and visit a couple small

churches built by Father Damien himself.

Moloka‘i mid-day

The plains of middle Moloka‘i are big-sky country, mostly made up of

family farms. The main feature around here is Kaunakakai, the

island's one true town. The commercial strip, about two blocks long,

is decidedly low-tech and hand-built. Here you'll find the island's two

gas stations, most of its eateries, and the Moloka‘i Visitors

Association. (Visitors are urged to stop by for free and appropriate

guidance.) Small as it is, Kaunakakai has all the basics (grocery

stores, a pharmacy and medical clinic) and more—wines and spirits,

bike rentals, a health food store, and a fish-and-dive center. Strike up

conversations. Don't be shy.

Stroll charming Ala Malama street, down the center of fun and funky Kaunakakai.

Kaunakakai Harbor is home to Moloka‘i’s famed

fleet of fishing boats.

Most fishing and

kayaking adventures

begin near here at the

Kaunakakai Wharf. Also

nearby is headquarters

of The Nature

Conservancy, where you

can learn about two

extremely important

areas of ecological

preservation, Kamakou

and Mo‘omomi.

The cool uplands drive

on Hwy. 470 passes

Coffees of Hawai‘i, the

Moloka‘i Museum, and

the Kalaupapa

Lookout before ending

at Pala‘au State Park.

Moloka‘i Museum

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