Molokai: The Sleepiest Little Island in Hawaii
Written: Aug 04 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Quiet. Relaxing. Laid back. Few tourists.
Cons: Few places to eat or buy groceries. Windy!
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| michrichmond's Full Review: Molokai |
A hand-lettered sign at the end of the airport road reads, "Slow Down. This is Molokai." Another sign at the entrance to Purdy's Macadamia Nut Farm warns, "Falling Coconuts." Falling coconuts are about the only danger you'll encounter on this decidedly quiet island, just a stone's throw from Maui but a world away in temperament. The best or worst thing about Molokai, depending on your perspective, is that it has no singles bars, high rises, or neon lights. If you're looking for a pre-packaged luau complete with flower leis and fancy little drinks with umbrellas, you'll be much happier in Honolulu. But if you want a pace so slow that your one-week vacation seems like two weeks, you can't go wrong with Molokai.
We spent a week on Molokai in July and stayed at Kaluakoi Villas. From our sizeable room with cathedral ceilings we had a view of the ocean. It was about a five-minute walk down to a small but beautiful beach that was almost always deserted. In fact, the entire resort seemed abandoned, which was okay by us. The owners themselves seemed to have forgotten that Kaluakoi existed: shrubbery had grown up where the tennis courts were supposed to be, the hot tub looked as though it hadn't been touched in a decade, and the snack shop was open only once during our entire stay.
Other restaurants listed in our guidebook were either closed for the season or for good, so if your idea of a Hawaiian vacation includes great seafood and sterling service, don't bother with Molokai. But if you're willing to put up with a few inconveniences, and you value romance and relaxation over glamour and glitz, Molokai is the perfect place to while away the hours.
Be sure to take the three and a half mile trek straight down the mountain to Kaluapapa, which after more than a century still operates as a colony for leper patients. Richard Marks, town sheriff and jack-of-all-trades, is one of the best storytellers I've ever met. For $35 you can get a four-hour bus ride around the village and surrounding area, complete with Mr. Marks's homespun tales that more often than not have a decidedly political bent. If hiking isn't your idea of a good time, you can rely on some trusty old mules to carry you down the mountain. The mule ride may be easier on your knees but it's likely to wreak havoc with your psyche, as the mules seem as though they might pitch over the edge of the cliff at any moment. There's something comforting about having your foot solidly planted on the stone steps.
Ads for Molokia Ranch are ubiquitous here, but your pocketbook and sense of local culture will be better served by independent services. For example, a horseback ride on Molokai Ranch will set you back $150, while an hour-and-a-half equestrian romp through the mangrove groves with Junior, a local who bears a striking resemblance to Tommy Lee Jones, costs half as much and is far more entertaining.
Be sure to visit the Big Wind Kite Factory, which has an impressive if expensive collection of colorful kites. And speaking of wind, there's lots of it on Molokai. We had planned to spend a lot of time basking on the beach, but every time we tried we got caught in a sandstorm.
All things considered, I would definitely return to Molokai. But next time I'd probably stay three or four days instead of a week, and I'd bring snacks.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
michrichmond
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Member: Michelle Richmond
Location: San Francisco CA
Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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