Local Expert
Brenda Yun
I'm a surfer girl and freelance writer who can't seem to get enough out of life abroad. Despite my frequent travels, my life in Hawaii (namely, my six-year old pug Iris) keeps me grounded. Here…
I'm a surfer girl and freelance writer who can't seem to get enough out of life abroad. Despite my frequent travels, my life in Hawaii (namely, my six-year old pug Iris) keeps me grounded. Here in Honolulu, buildings pop up like tourists wearing tacky aloha shirts, shops come and go like the trade winds (but ABC stores never close), traffic is part of keeping Hawaiian time--there's no wonder the speed limit is 50, but the feeling of stepping off the plane and walking in the open air to the baggage claim is unmistakable.
I heart Hawaii. I heart spam musubi and plate lunch. I heart crowded line ups at Diamond Head and Straight Outs. I heart Bruddah Iz. I heart the feeling of shedding skin as I drive through pineapple fields in to Haleiwa. The pot of gold is found in the Rainbow State. Hop on over to the "Rock" and see.
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An accessible but extremely local and untouched island, Molokai is a treat for anyone seeking old, rustic Hawaii -- the tropical paradise that Waikiki once was before the hotels and the seafarers arrived on its shores. While most tourists choose more "touched" neighbor islands like the Big Island and Maui, Molokai is a relative unknown destination and remains a vacation spot for the intrepid or for Honolulu townies who want a break from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The first, most essential thing to do upon arrival in the Kaunakakai airport is to rent a car. There is virtually no other realistic mode of travel if you are to truly experience Molokai. Driving "around" the island, which is actually just on a two lane road that runs across Molokai from east to west, only takes three hours without stopping, which makes it the perfect first day activity. Because the main road runs along the southern shore, the island is far more populated around Kaunakakai and pretty much "country" everywhere else.
Be sure to take a nice long pit stop in Kaunakakai and Halawa Bay (to the west). The next day might best be spent arranging a tour around Kalaupapa.