The Magic of Molokai: How I Fell in Love With This Hawaiian Island

I first visited Molokai maybe 20 years ago. It was just for a getaway night for my wife and I, who were on vacation on Maui with my family, and I don’t remember a lot. The weather wasn’t the best but it was quiet and restful. I went back for a day trip with my sister five years later and rented a car, so we were able to enjoy the drive to the Halawa Valley and got to briefly check out the valley and the pretty bay and beach.
I went back for a travel story in the Toronto Star perhaps eight years ago and checked out the coffee plantation and the small town of Mauna Loa.
But it wasn’t until two years ago that I finally started to understand this place and its almost mystical appeal. Some Hawaiians will point out that Hawai’i is in the centre of the Pacific Ocean, and that Molokai is pretty much at the centre of the Hawaiian islands.
Maybe that’s it. All I know is I fell in love on my visit in 2017, and renewed my vows on a trip in July and August of this year.

This isn’t a fancy island. But I think that’s why I love it. There are no traffic lights. There’s no building higher than a couple of stories. There’s only one hotel, a modest, family-run place.
Molokai to me feels the way I imagine Maui might have felt in the 1950’s, before Ka’anapali was built and before the big boom in Hawai’i tourism came. This is a peaceful, restful, beautiful and, to me, almost haunting kind of place that I’ve come to love. And admire.
As I was preparing for my latest visit, I did some research on the Internet and found a PBS show with three Molokai residents talking about the island and what’s important to them and what the future holds. I liked hearing all of them, but I was particularly stricken by something said by Miki’Ala Pescaia, who works as a ranger at the former leprosy colony on the Kalauapa Peninsula, which is now a U.S. national historic site.

“For me it’s kuleana,” Pescaia said, using a Hawaiian word that roughly translates to “responsibility.”
“I was born on Molokai,” she continued. “My father was born on Molokai. My grandparents were born on Molokai. Generations back, my ancestors bones are in that land, in that aina. And so it’s an honour and a privilege to steward this aina, and to make sure that future generations have a place to call home, because that’s a gift I inherited; this amazing community.
“Not just in the physical sense but in the people and their shared values and this mana and strength and this aloha, this amazing aloha that we all enjoy that you just don’t find consistently I other places. It’s out there (in other places), but it’s aloha every day on Molokai.
“I grew up on Molokai, I went away to school and I had my first two children. At some point I was sitting with them in traffic and I was like “What am I doing? I need to go back home.” And so I moved my family back in 2001, and it’s been one of those decisions I don’t regret.”
I was looking back at my notes from my 2017 trip and found a quote I love. I was sitting on one of the benches outside the super low-key Molokai airport waiting for a flight to Maui when a guy in his 30’s or early 40’s wandered by. He was talking to someone on his cell phone about his work.
“It’s been quiet,” he said. “Not Molokai quiet, but quiet.”

I’m so happy I found that comment, because I think “Molokai quiet” helps describe this wonderful place.
I could go on and on and on, but I’m hoping that by now you’re thinking, “Hey, maybe I’ll go sometime.” If you decide to do so, I ask that you be respectful of Molokai and what makes her different from most other Hawaiian islands. There’s no supermarket. There’s no fancy resort. There’s no shopping mall. If you want an Apple Store, or even a Safeway, do not come here. If you want a $300 golf course with folks who hand you a scented towel when you come off the 18th green, do not come here.
But if you want to admire tiny, wooden, roadside churches surrounded by lush greenery or have a three-mile stretch of sand all to yourself or drive lonely, two-lane “highways” that curve along small, perfect beaches and rise and fall over steep bluffs before plunging into one of the greenest valleys you’ll ever see, then this might be the place for you.
A word of warning: there are a few scattered signs on the island that could be seen as discouraging visitors. Just outside of the main town of Kaunakakai you might spot a hand-made saying that says “Visit. Spend. Go Home.” Further east, there’s a slightly more polite sign that tell visitors they’re welcome but that they need to respect Molokai manners and mores.

In other words, if you come with a big-city attitude and complain about the lack of four-star resorts and make demands that can’t be met and buy up precious oceanfront real estate, you’re not going to be greeted with open arms. But if you come and wave at cars going slowly by and smile at shop owners and respect the locals’ commitment to a slower, less complicated way of life, you’ll be welcomed and embraced in ways you probably wouldn’t imagine in Waikiki.
With all that out of the way, here are some thoughts on things to do and where to stay and dine.

WHAT TO DO

KALAUPAPA

The Kalaupapa peninsula, which juts out into the Pacific on the north side of Molokai and is now designated a U.S. National Historical Park, is infamous as the place where leprosy victims from Hawaii and other parts of the world were exiled for decades. A cure was discovered years ago and only a few recovered patients still live on this isolated, beautiful spot of land, which you need a permit to visit. The story of the people who came here and the people who helped them is one of great sadness, but also filled with tremendous spirit. A visit here is a must for anyone heading to Molokai. I had a great tour this summer with Molokai resident Rick Schonely, a musician and high school sports coach who provided a very entertaining commentary. He also brought a ukulele with him and played a couple tunes, one of them at a church Father Damien (the Belgian priest who came here to look after the sick and dying, as did an equally committed but lesser-known figure named Sister Marian Cope). Rick also played a tune as we stood in a meadow overlooking the rugged, beautiful but rainy east coast of the peninsula, where the original leprosy camp was located before moving to a sunnier and much more pleasant spot on the west side. Schonely was just putting away his ukulele when an older gentleman from Florida asked if they could sing a song together. Speaking in a drawl thick enough to pour on a stack of pancakes, the man (I sadly have forgotten his name) asked if they could sing “You Are My Sunshine.” These two gentlemen had never met, but they proceeded to sing one of the most beautiful duets I’ve ever heard. The fact it was happening in a place with so much sad history made their singing that much more beautiful and poignant. I still get goose bumps (Hawaiians call it “chicken skin”) thinking about it. By the way, the walking (and mule) trail that leads from the “topside” of Molokai down to the peninsula is closed due to land slides. Unless you have a private boat and clearance to dock, the only way to get here is by plane. Both Mokulele and Makani Kai Air fly to Kalaupapa, either from Molokai Airport (it’s a seven-minute flight) or Oahu (roughly a half-hour away).

A FAB CULTURAL TOUR

Greg Solatorio and his father, Anakala Pilipo Solatorio, run a fabulous tour in the remote Halawa Valley on the east side of the island and run an outfit called Halawa Valley Falls Cultural Hike. They’ll lead you on a hike to a beautiful waterfall and tell you amazing facts about the history of the valley, which was once home to thousands of Hawaiians but is now a place where perhaps a dozen people live. They’ll also tell you about the two tsunamis that hit here in the last century, which is why there’s hardly anyone left. The drive to the Halawa Valley is a quiet, beautiful one that takes you past old wooden churches, small, rocky coves and several pretty beaches. There are great views of the Halawa Valley from above, as well as nice views of Maui.

CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO WITH GREG SOLATORIO

ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION

The folks at Molokai Land Trust are doing truly inspiring work to try to rid the island of invasive species and return as much of it as they can to a more natural state. They’ve cleared some 60 acres of invasive, destructive kiawe thickets in the past couple years, and have planted thousands of native species. It’s a daunting, uphill battle but they’re doing all they can. I’ve been fortunate enough to go out with them to the Mokio Preserve lands on west Molokai the last two times I was on the island, and it’s fantastic to see the progress they’re making. From a purely selfish viewpoint, it’s also the only way most visitors can get out to admire the tremendous, steep, black cliffs that dot the northwest corner of Molokai. To stand on the edge of a towering cliff and gaze east towards Mo’omomi Beach and the Kalaupapa Peninsula, with the wind blowing in your hair and the birds riding the thermals and the deep blue ocean waves pounding at the rocks below your feet is a religious experience. Give the folks at the Land Trust a call and lend a hand if you can. You’ll feel immensely rewarded, and you’ll be doing the island and its people a world of good.

GOLF

The Kaluako’i resort golf course closed years ago, leaving the nine-hole Ironwoods course as your only golf option. There’s not a lot of green grass, at least not in summer, but it has several challenging holes. I recently paid $31 for nine holes of golf, a pull cart and well-used rental clubs.

NUTS TO YOU

Tuddie Purdy runs a place called Purdy’s Natural Macadamia Nut Farm. He’s an engaging character who’s happy to show visitors how he grows macadamia nuts. You’ll also get to crack some yourself and snack on them on the spot. There’s no charge for a visit and a look-around, but he’s happy if you buy some nuts (he uses only sea salt; no preservatives) or some macadamia nut tree honey. You’ll find the farm in Ho’olehua, a short drive from the airport.

SHOPPING

There’s no mall on Molokai; not even close. But Kaunakakai has a few nice stores, including a fun place called Kalele Bookstore and Divine Expressions, where you can find everything from jewelry to toys to books. I also love the little gift shop at Hotel Molokai. Up towards the airport, The Beach Break might be the spiffiest shop on the island, with everything from surf gear to clothes and books. If you love antiques or orchids, stop in at the Kamakana Country Store just outside Kaunakakai and say hi to Jule Kamakana. The Molokai Arts Center in Kualapu’u is a great place to check out homemade pottery and other art work. Stop for a coffee next door at Coffees of Hawaii, or head up the road to the Kalaupapa Lookout for tremendous views. In the small town of Mauna Loa, which has seen better times, check out the Big Wind Kites Factory and Plantation Gallery. The Saturday morning Molokai Farmer’s Market in Kaunakakai is a great way to grab some fresh food and check out locally made goods.

BEACHING IT

There are several small beaches on the east side of the island, which tends to get more rain (but not too much) than the west side. The west end is home to several terrific stretches of sand. Papohaku Beach goes on for about five km’s and is often deserted. I was there on a fine summer’s day in August and could see maybe three other people (and two dogs) on the entire stretch of sand. Amazing. Next door, Kepuhi Beach has lovely sand and is probably safer for kids. But keep an eye out, especially in winter. There are a few small, pretty beaches north of Kepuhi that you can reach via an easy walk. Take a short hike northward to pretty Make (Mah-kay, which means “dead” in Hawaiian) Horse beach, which clearly was not named by the local chamber of commerce. Waves can be tricky or even treacherous on the west side of the island in winter, so discretion is definitely advised. There are a couple of lovely beaches on the west side of the Kalaupapa Peninsula, as well. Mo’omomi is quite attractive but hard to get to unless you have a four-wheel drive vehicle.

A LITTLE HISTORY, AND A SENSATIONAL VIEW

Just a short drive from the Ironwoods Golf Course is the Meyer Mill and Sugar Museum, where they used to grind sugar cane. You can stop in and check out the displays and catch the video if you want to learn about this interesting corner of Molokai. The grounds also are quite attractive. Just up the road you’ll get incredible views of the Kalaupapa peninsula from the lookout at Pala’au State Park.

OUT ON THE WATER

The folks at Molokai Fish and Dive can take you to marvellous snorkelling and dive spots. They also do fishing trips, kayak trips and run whale-watching cruises, as the channel between Molokai, Lana’i and Maui is one of the world’s best places to see humpback whales, usually in late fall, winter and early spring.

WHERE TO STAY

There are several condos available if you search the Internet. One nice option are the Wavecrest Molokai condos on the east end. My unit had one-bedroom and a full kitchen, with nice views of Maui off in the distance. The grounds are lovely, and there’s a small pool and gas barbeques. It’s roughly 20-25 minutes from Kaunakakai and is a great base for exploring the Halawa Valley and the small beaches that dot the eastern end of the island. Pu’u O Hoku Ranch has units for rent on a bluff on east Molokai. Most visitors stay at Hotel Molokai, a family-run place with nice rooms about two miles from Kaunakakai. The upstairs unit above the restaurant has an espresso maker and other nice amenities, lots of space and great ocean views. There’s not much of a beach at the hotel but it’s right on the water and there’s a pool and several comfortable hammocks under the shade of massive trees. There’s an activities desk and the gift shop I mentioned earlier. I’ve stayed here on my last two visits and enjoyed it immensely.

WHERE TO EAT

Hotel Molokai is home to Hiro’s Ohana Grill, which is right alongside the water and features live music most nights. I tried a nice platter with large servings of fresh fish, Monterey chicken and Asian-spiced short ribs. You’ll also find tasty, simple meals and plenty of live entertainment at Paddlers, located in Kaunakakai. Kanemitsu’s Bakery and Restaurant in Kaunakakai great for breakfast. It’s also a go-to spot at night, when they sell fresh, hot bread out of a window in a back alley. Folks line up for fresh loaves, then slather them with butter and jam and dine on the spot. I quite enjoy the food at the Ono Shrimp Truck, which you’ll find in Kaunakakai behind the Molokai Fish and Dive Shop. If you’re heading to Halawa, stop for coffee, breakfast or a casual, filling lunch at Mana’e Goods and Grindz. They also sell groceries.

AND A CRUISE OPTION

Uncruise starts or finishes all their Hawai’i cruises on Molokai. They also visit Lana’i, Maui and the Big Island. All activities, food and drinks are included, and they have a variety of rooms on board the ship, which usually carries less than three dozen guests.

HOW TO GET HERE

The ferry that used to shuttle between Molokai and Maui is gone, which means you’ll have to fly here from one of the neighboring islands. It’s only a half-hour flight (often with spectacular views of the Molokai Cliffs) from Maui and about the same from Honolulu. Try Hawaiian Airlines, Mokulele Air or Makani Kai Air. Flying in from Maui and seeing the massive sea cliffs is an experience in and of itself. Hint: you’re probably better off on the left side of the plane if you’re coming from Maui and want a view. But check with the pilot or flight attendant as flight paths can vary.