We arrived Saturday late afternoon and went to the west tip of the island to a deserted beach with the most breathtaking cliffs and views of Oahu. We also saw the longest beach in Hawaii along with the beach where Pirates of the Caribbean’s last scene was filmed. Here are a few pictures from our first sunset in Molokai.
The next day we headed to the far east of the island, Ha’lawa Valley for some true Hawaiian culture. We visited Dan’s Hawaiian family on the land they’ve maintained and lived off of since 1650.
Ha'lawa Valley and two waterfalls in the background.
Steven and Dan with a Machete cutting down banana trees.
The next day we took a very short hike to view Kaulapapa, the leaper colony, which
was such an unbelievable experience. Knowing the history of leprosy, Hansen’s disease, and how each person
was considered an outcast to their family and friends. They were forced to live on an isolated peninsula given very little to food, water and human contact. As we stood on the cliff overlooking the town, the wind howling through the trees and shrubs had a different sound to it; it was a very spiritual experience and only one can understand in person. The photo on the left is a view of the town from above. There are now only 25 leapers remaining in the town and will soon become a historical landmark.
Kaluapapa city below. Four miles of switch-backs to access the town.
August 30 - September 1
