Vacation On Molokai
Molokai is one of the most isolated islands in the world located in Hawaiian Islands. The island is linked to Oahu Island by a narrow road, and can get windy with strong ocean gusts that hit more than 100 km/h. Because of its geographic isolation, Molokai is also referred to as “The Lonely Isle”.
The island of Molokai is truly an amazing place. Just making the visit is a real treat if you know what I mean. For starters, there’s Molokai’s natural beauty; the incredible mountains, clear blue sea and lush greenery of the local flora. Then there are the friendly people; most of Molokai is made up of natives who often have stories of their own about ” The Friendly Isle .”
You might be familiar with the phrase “beaches of Bora Bora”, which rings true for its beautiful shores and white powdery sand. But, have you ever heard of the “Island of Purity”? I sure hadn’t until I started my research on Molokai — the Hawaiian island where my vacation was spent.
Located in the central Pacific, the island of Molokai stands out as an example of nature’s beauty. Stretch out your arms and close your eyes to imagine a scene straight out Greek mythology: lines and geometry meet in the ocean to form a dazzling mass of lava rock or an artistic watercolor painting no human hand could create. The isle hovers above the ocean in a surreal bubble. If you look hard enough you can see parts of its body stretching down below the surface while the top rests on top of the water like solid concrete or a helium balloon.
Vacation On Molokai
When I was in Hawaii I went on a small boat tour around the Northern part of the Island. Our captain told us he had been using his boat for hunting and fishing for years near Molokai. We had seen whales, sea turtles, manta rays and much more. If you look at the map you notice that Molokai is an isolated island and it turns out to be a paradise for nature lovers. And it’s not just about seeing marine life. There are several wild life refuges and awesome hiking trails.
Molokai is the least-visited of the major Hawaiian Islands, and it doesn’t exactly offer what we’ve come to expect from a tourism destination here in 2019.
There is only one true hotel on the island (the Hotel Molokai), for example, and those expecting a plethora of organized tours and a variety of well-established attractions will quickly find themselves mistaken.
Indeed, when it comes to its relationship to tourism, Molokai is not only much different from the other Hawaiian Islands, it is much different from most of the world’s destinations – which, in turn, means it’s not for everyone.
Is it for you? Here’s what you need to understand about visiting Molokai.
Tourism and population growth is controversial on the island, but it’s nothing personal.
Destinations all over the world are beginning to have problems with tourism. Many of the most vocal examples we see involve disgruntled residents who have grown tired of the grasp visiting populations have over their local communities, both financially and practically. Overcrowding. Traffic. Neighborhoods watered-down by vacation rentals. Increased cost of living. Inauthenticity.
Residents of Molokai are looking to ensure they never become one of the above examples – they’d rather prevent it from the start. As a whole, the island is known for resisting large-scale tourism investment, including cruise ships and chain hotels. Most of this happens as a result of grassroots involvement and protest, ensuring that nothing is done by elected leaders, both local and at the state level, that the community at-large does not agree with. This message is echoed everywhere, typically via signs in the front yards along the main road (“No Cruise Ship” is a common one).
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While at first one might interpret this as an attack on individual tourists, it is absolutely not personal – it’s what it takes to ensure proper protection. Molokai has watched as other islands have given up their identities, in whole or in part, to tourism, and has for centuries been exploited by outsiders. What happens to the other islands is not their kuleana, or responsibility, but Molokai residents are determined to shape their own reality here at home.
You need to be more than a tourist.
It might seem like a startling concept in today’s world, where visitors descend on a destination and consume it as if it’s their own (which, in fairness, is often encouraged by the destination itself), but Molokai expects – and demands – that tourism be of mutual benefit, not just financially for some people, but entirely for all.
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What Molokai does not want are visitors that come to the island to consume, or “vacation,” as it is often called. They don’t want anything that will deplete, or harm, their resources. They don’t want massive cruise ships (only one, small cruise ship called UnCruise is currently permitted to visit Molokai). They don’t want mega-resorts.
What they want are people who plan to participate as a part of their visit – they want travelers, not tourists and vacationers.
According to Julie Bicoy, Manager of the Destination Molokai Visitors Bureau, the island is most interested in “educational studies” – people who want to come to learn and volunteer as part of their visit, who like the idea of pitching in on a farm or non-profit project, of interacting and connecting with a local family. Balanced visitors, who see this type of immersion as mutually beneficial, are what the island desires.
They also want visitors who respect their land and behave accordingly, who ask permission and tread lightly.
What does that mean in practice? Hawaiians operate on what’s called “protocol,” a system of respect that is deeply rooted in culture. It revolves around the idea that when you are a guest somewhere, you must seek approval