Molokai, Hawaii
I recently had a chance to travel to the beautiful island of Molokai, which is one of the Hawaiian Islands. This island is the fifth largest of the Hawaiian Islands, even though it is only approximately thirty-eight miles by ten miles in size.
Everyone goes to Hawaii for the opportunity to spend some time on their amazing beaches, and well, I am no exception! During my time there, I went to both Papohaku Beach Park and Halawa Beach Park. I didn’t see too many people at Papohaku Beach Park, which is surprising, because the beach is three miles long and absolutely gorgeous. From where I sat in the sand, I was able to look over to both Oahu and Waikiki, and I dreamt of going there quite soon in the future.
At Halawa Beach Park, there are two wonderful beaches that are perfect for swimming. As I entered the park, Kawili was on the right-hand side and Kamalaea was on the left. I enjoyed exploring both beaches, but my favorite was Kamalaea, because the beach was full of fine sand that led directly to the water. Over at Kawili, there were more rocks scattered about, which made it uncomfortable for walking.
While it is true that most of Molokai is filled with beaches, I found that there are other things to do on the island. I spent part of my time at the Kalaupapa National Historical Park, which is located in a remote area of the island. The park is filled with history that dates back to the 1860s when the area was used as a place to put people who suffered from leprosy. I decided to take the Damien Tour inside the park, so that I could see the buildings and churches that were restored from that time period.
Our first stop was Fuesaina, a tiny store, that now has drinks and snacks for purchase. I was happy that the owner of the tour company was there at the same time that I was, because I was able to hear some interesting stories. After that we headed over to St. Francis Church, the pier, the old Kalaupapa Visitor Headquarters, Mother Marianne Cope’s monument, and the gift store. Everyone on the tour then hopped onto a bus and rode over towards Kalawao. Before we reached that destination though, we had to stop at Makanalua, for views of the immense sea cliffs.
During the rest of the tour, we passed by Siloama, which was the first Christian church built in the area, and St. Philomena, which was built by Saint Damien in 1866. While at St. Philomena, we visited Saint Damien’s grave site to pay our respects.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Molokai and I cannot wait to return to the Hawaiian Islands again someday. My travels may take me to one of the other islands or I may decide to return to this place of beauty and tranquility, to relive my memories from my time there during this trip.
