Charming Little Condo on the “Quiet” Island of Molokai, HI

Stolen from my TripAdvisor review …

What's so funny?

We stayed at Molokai Shores A215 for 3 nights in late September.  Chaya was very helpful when making reservations and with all other communications.  The condo was a very nicely remodeled and decorated unit that we suspect is one of the nicest on the east side of the island.  The bathroom and kitchen were beautiful and provided all the comforts one could desire.  The grounds were also immaculate, with nicely landscaped gardens.

I shot a bird in Molokai

The bird of paradise flowers visible from the lanai offered a picturesque setting in the foreground, while the waves crashing on the barrier reef in the distance and the island of Lanai across the channel provided a scenic backdrop.  The few minor drawbacks that we noticed were that the car noise through the louvered bedroom windows, whether open or closed, contributed to a bit of insomnia, and the bedroom was pretty well occupied by the nice, comfortable king sized bed, so we put our luggage in the main living area.

The ocean is murky in this area and not suitable for swimming or snorkeling, although we regret not having the time to schedule a snorkel cruise to the large southern Molokai barrier reef.

Halawa Valley

Halawa Valley Church

The “not to miss adventures” for us were the drive to Halawa Valley at the end of highway 450 (45 minutes each way, plus stopping time to give your camera a workout) and an air tour to Kalaupapa Peninsula (or mule ride if you don’t mind hanging off a 2000 foot cliff on top of a large, lumbering animal).

Kalaupapa

Kalaupapa from the air

Additionally, if you are arriving from Maui via the ferry … Don’t.  Instead, take a direct commuter flight from Kahului to Molokai and try to sit on the left side of the plane.  The flight will take you at low altitude along the world’s tallest sea cliffs on the north side of the island, which are simply stunning.  The sight of waterfalls dropping perhaps 1000 feet down the 2000-foot high mountains and valleys, with the ocean below, is perhaps the most memorable airplane experience I have ever encountered, rivaling a full island helicopter tour of Kauai.

Finally, a general note about Molokai … after this trip, we have now been to all six of the “main” Hawaiian Islands.  Molokai is perhaps the most unusual of them all, because it has no upscale resorts, as do the others, and the local people with whom we spoke seem strongly opposed to any such development.  For us, that was simply an interesting and unique part of the island, giving a feeling of traveling back in time.  However, if one is looking for a glamorous resort, ritzy shopping or incredible nightlife, it is probably best to choose a different island.  I laughed hysterically when I first saw the t-shirt in a Kaunakakai shop that said “Molokai Nightlife” and showed an entirely black picture with a little white moon at the top.  That t-shirt may offer the perfect description of Molokai.