MOLOKAI ALMANAC

Nicknamed "The Friendly Isle," Moloka‘i beckons to all who yearn for the simple life. The 7,400 residents here somehow manage to live without traffic lights or elevators or fast-food restaurants. You won’t find any skyscrapers here; on Moloka‘i, in fact, there’s nothing taller than a good-sized palm tree. Here’s a closer look…

Around Moloka‘i. Although just 38 miles from end to end, Molokai offers a wealth of beauty to be discovered. The northern coast, for example, features the world’s tallest sea cliffs. Kamakou Preserve is a hiker’s paradise—a picturesque mountain forest filled with endangered native plants and rare birds. Pala‘au State Park is a good spot for camping as well as the home of Kauleonanahoa, the legendary "Phallic Rock." Kaunakakai, the island’s only town of real size, offers some intriguing mom-and-pop shops for visitors. And out west is Kaluako‘i, Molokai’s principal resort area.

Poignant Legacy. Mention "Moloka‘i," and many people will automatically think of Kalaupapa, the historic settlement where Father Damien de Veuster (1840-1889) ministered to natives stricken with Hansen’s Disease (leprosy). The Hawaiians called leprosy "Ma‘i ho‘oka‘awale," or "the separating disease." Today, Kalaupapa has been designated a national historical park. Visitors can take the world-famous Moloka‘i Mule Ride down to the peninsula.

Birth of the Dance. Moloka‘i is considered by many Hawaiians to be the birthplace of the hula. It is said that Laka, the goddess of the hula, gave birth to the Hawaiian dance on a sacred hill in Ka‘ana. The hill is also said to be the site of the original school where the ancients learned hula of every kind. Each May, Papohaku Beach Park hosts Moloka‘i Ka Hula Piko ("Moloka‘i: The Center of the Dance"), a daylong festival featuring hula and chant performances, Hawaiian games, demonstrations and more.

Fast Facts: Molokai’s land area totals 260 square miles, which is roughly the size of the city of Chicago. The island’s official color is green. The official flower is the white kukui blossom. These tiny white flowers are frequently woven into a style of lei. The population of Molokai is just over 7,400.

Did You Know? Papohaku Beach on the island’s west side is the longest stretch of white sand beach (three miles long) in the state.

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