Molokai Drive Guides: Molokai Touring, Molokai Vacations, Kaunakakai Town, Kaluapapa, Mauaaloa Village, Sheraton Molokai Lodge, Halawa Valley

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Kaunakakai is the principal town, located just a short distance from Molokai Airport along Highway 450, where you’ll find most of the island’s shops and services. This rustic little village is reminiscent of an Old West town, with stores and buildings along the main street, Ala Malama, that look like something straight out of an old John Wayne movie. (If you have time, be sure to hop aboard the Maui-Molokai Ferry at Kaunakakai Wharf for a day trip to Lahaina, Maui.)

If you are planning extensive day trips, Kaunakakai is the place to stock up on sundries and picnic fixings, at the Friendly Market Center, Molokai Pizza Cafe, Kamoi Snack-N-Go, Molokai Drugs and Molokai Fish and Dive. You’ll find small stores in Maunaloa, Kualapuu and on the east end of the island, if you need to restock your cooler. Also visit Kamakana Gallery (located above the American Savings Bank), which offers the largest selection of Molokai fine arts andcrafts. One of the new favorites for visitors and residents alike is Mango Mart, open every day for groceries, over-the-counter medications andvideo rentals.

The ride to Halawa Valley on the island’s eastern end is at least a half-day trip. Visitors who enjoy outdoor activities—such as kayaking, diving, snorkeling and hiking—can contact Molokai Fish & Dive (553-5926) for details on the variety of action offered all over the island. On the way to Halawa you’ll pass several tranquil fishponds. These amazingly well-preserved wonders were constructed in ancient times by the Hawaiians, who built up existing reefs to form enclosures used to raise and fatten saltwater fish. Several of the ponds have been restored in recent years by members of the Hawaiian community. You’ll also pass St. Joseph Church, about 11 miles from Kaunakakai, and the nearby Our Lady of Sorrows Church, both built by Father Damien de Veuster in the late 1800s.

Highway 450 takes you all the way down into Halawa Valley, where the road ends. About halfway there, the road becomes quite narrow and winds along the coastline. As the road climbs up to a higher altitude, you’ll see the tiny island of Mokuhooniki, a turtle-shaped offshore rock that was used as a bombing target during World War II. It’s a beautiful drive, with several spectacular views from the cliffs above the valley. In recent years, the 2-mile trail that leads from Halawa Valley to Moaula Falls has been closed. Fortunately, the popular hike for visitors and residents alike is open once again, for guided tours only. Contact Molokai Fish & Dive for details.

Retrace your drive back past Kaunakakai to Highway 460 for the remainder of your tour to Hoolehua, Kualapuu and the Kalaupapa Lookout. Kamuela’s Cookhouse, a favorite in Kualapuu, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner (call 567-9655 for current hours). In Hoolehua, be sure to visit Purdy’s Natural Macadamia Nut Farm, which offers free admission and educational tours. In Kualapuu, visit Molokai Coffee Plantation, where you can try a free sample of the coffee you see growing all around this part of the island. The gift shop is open daily 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. To reach the town, turn north on Highway 470. The road continues on to Palaau State Park, which overlooks Kalaupapa. Crisp breezes stir tall pine trees, making this a refreshing spot for a picnic. A short walk through the trees brings you to Kalaupapa Lookout, where you’ll find one of Molokai’s finest panoramic views. A series of plaques tells the story of the old-time settlement, once the forced home of Hawaii’s victims of the disease then called leprosy. Molokai Mule Ride Inc. offers guided tours down the 5-mile trail, as well as flights to the settlement. Riders must be in good health, weigh no more than 240 pounds and be at least 16 years old.

On your return trip from the lookout, be sure to stop at the Meyer Sugar Mill, an authentically restored mill originally built in 1878, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Also on site is the Molokai Museum and Cultural Center, staffed by local residents who are well versed in the history of Molokai and the sugar mill. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 567-6436.

From Palaau, drive back to Highway 460 and turn right to see the western end of the island. At the fork, bear to the right on Kaluakoi Road. At the end, you’ll find the Kaluakoi Resort, an upscale vacation hideaway complete with golf and tennis facilities and a wide array of amenities. There are two lovely beaches here—Papohaku and Kepuhi.

Return to the Highway 460 intersection, turn right and make the scenic climb to Maunaloa Village, a former pineapple plantation town that was built in the early 1920s. The town is home to the island’s only theaters, Big Wind Kite Factory, the Plantation Gallery, the Paniolo Café, a gas station and the Sheraton Molokai Lodge & Beach Village, set on 54,000 acres of untouched wilderness and sprawling pastures, offering quality recreational experiences that highlight Molokai’s natural environment and culture. The elegant new lodge showcases the luxury and warmth of a ranch owner’s private home and offers fine dining in its Maunaloa Room. The Paniolo Lounge offers a casual atmosphere in which to enjoy sandwiches, appetizers and drinks.

During the latter part of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th, Molokai was famous for what was then referred to as its leper colony. While it is not known when Hansen’s disease first came to Hawaii, in 1866 the Hawaiian monarchy began transporting those af-flicted with it to Molokai’s isolated north coast peninsula, Makanalua (“The Given Grave”).

The isolated settlement there, Kalaupapa, was made famous by Father Joseph Damien de Veuster, a Belgian priest who came to the settlement in 1873 to help those stricken by the disease. He ministered to these forgotten people until he, too, contracted the disease and died in 1889. Father Damien’s reputation as the “Martyr of Molokai” has made him one of Hawaii’s most beloved heroes.