Ever been to Molokai?

Lately my interest has been piqued about a trip to Molokai for my son and me.

I’ve been to Hawaii several times. My son has been there once. Molokai is the only one of the major islands I haven’t visited. My son has been to the Big Island and Oahu.

We like sport fishing. (We each caught a marlin on the last trip.) Best as I can tell, there are two primary fishing charter boats on Molokai: The Alyce C and Fun Hogs. There may be one more, but it seemed kinda iffy.

Anyway…Molokai looks interesting. Only 8,000 permanent residents, no stop lights, no buildings over three stories tall, not even a McDonalds. It offers steep sea cliffs, cool vistas, and the fishing seems like it would be good.

But have any of y’all been there? Is it really the Friendly Isle? I’d like to hear what impressions you may have.

[sub]Yes, I know there was once a leper colony there. No worries. :slight_smile: [/sub]

I visited the Kalaupapa peninsula of Molokai in November. It is the site of the famous leper colony, and a few dozen of those exiled there with Hansen’s Disease still remain.

It was a beautiful and windswept place, and felt like it was located at the end of the world.

I only saw the rest of Molokai from the air (and a very brief stop at the main airport in a small plane), but I was surprised how arid much of it looked.

My “visit” was limited to an aerial sightsee, so what I have beyond a recommendation for the scenery is strictly hearsay. But I heard more than a few folks on Maui say that it’s not a particularly friendly place.

Perhaps they had some axe to grind. Obviouly, YMMV.

I camped there over the weekend once.

I think they have one or so I understood when I was there in 91. I didn’t much pay attention so I can’t recall seeing it. The library was neat, just one room with books along the walls.

Be sure to check out the giant stone penises. It makes for some fun shots. I got one of me laying down in front like it was mine with my friends head sticking out of the hole at the tip.

You ride mules down the 99 switchbacks into defunct Kalawao Co., a.k.a. Kalaupapa. Although I didn’t go down there, we camped out near the … damn, I can’t recall that. But it was cool looking down those cliffs. But the cliffs by Kailua are way more impressive. I’ve looked down those as well.

Guess I should add more of how it felt but we spent most of our time in the woods near the cliffs. We only went into town once. It felt like a lot of the little out of the way places in Hawaii. The kind where all the locals have a fairly set routine. Friendly enough but if you know fishing I bet that’d be a huge in with lots of people. Mostly I found it just quiet and relaxing.

I’ve been to Molokai probably around ten times, and my father used to work at Kalaupapa. Molokai itself is beautiful, and remote, and feels completely different from visiting the Big Island or Oahu. As you already now, it’s far less commercial and more like “old Hawaii.” I’d heartily recommend going to Molokai, and definitely visiting Kalaupapa, which is one of my favorite places in Hawaii.

Here’s some info on Kalaupapa. Your son has to be over 16 to visit the colony, and if you don’t go for the mule ride (which you really should) you’ll take a tiny plane my father nicknamed the “Vomit Comet.” Or you can hike down the trail and then fly back out.

I don’t know anything about the fishing, apart from the fact that we had some really good lobster. But it looks like you’re doing your homework on that front.

I hope your planning goes smoothly, and that you’re able to make it to Molokai.