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SPOTLIGHT:
Guidebook Hawaii ~ Molokai "Hawaiian by Nature"
Halawa Valley -
photo: HVCB/Ron Dahlquist
Land Mass: 260
square miles
(673 square km)
Population: 7,404 (2000)
Principal City: Kaunakakai
Flower: White kukui blossom
Color: Green
Geography: Fifth largest
of the Hawaiian Islands, Molokai is 22 miles (35 km) east of Oahu. It
has 88 miles (142 Ion) of coastline and is a rectangular 38 miles (61
km) long by 10 miles (16 km) wide. The highest point is Kamakou, 4,970
feet (1,515 m), at the eastern end of the island.
Climate: Average temperature ranges from 70° -
75° F (21° - 24° C), with rainfall measuring about 30 inches (76 cm) a
year.
Major Industry: Tourism
Recreation: Swimming, golfing, hunting, and
horseback and mule riding.
Brief History: The friendly isle of Molokai
long ago was known as the "lonely isle," because the power of its Kahuna
priests was feared throughout the Hawaiian Islands. The mana (spirit)
here was considered to be the strongest and greatest in all Hawaii.
Warring island kings gave Molokai a wide berth, and
persecuted natives often fled here for refuge. The nobility of Molokai
was as princely as any in Hawaii.
Kamehameha the Great journeyed to Molokai in 1790 to
arrange for the hand of his queen, the high chiefess Keopuolani. In
1795, Kamehameha conquered the island in his westward thrust toward Oahu
and domination over all Hawaii. In the 1860s, the Hawaiian government
established the isolated colony of Kalawao on the peninsula of Kalaupapa
as the Hansen's Disease (leprosy) treatment settlement. It was here that
the devoted Father Damien de Veuster spent his final days.
Growth and development on the island have been quite
slow. There are no high-rises, no fast-food chains, and just a single
traffic light on the whole island.
Fascinating Facts:
The water reservoir in Kualapu'u holds 1.4
billion gallons and is the largest of its kind in the world.
The highest sea cliffs in the world plunge - some
more than 3,000 feet - into the ocean off Molokai's north shore.
Kahiwa Falls, where water plunges 1,750 feet, is
the highest falls in Hawaii.
Top-Rated Attractions:
Fishponds
Keonelele Sand Dunes
Halawa Valley Lookout
Kalaupapa National Historic Park (access by
special permission only)
Snorkeling in the natural pools of Kapuaiwa
Coconut Grove
Molokai Museum & Cultural Center
Phallic Rock
Moa'ula Falls
R.W. Meyer Sugar Mill
Information and photos submitted
by:
Hawaii Visitors and Convention
Bureau 2270 Kalakaua Avenue, Suite 801
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815 808-923-1811 |
Website
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information about accommodations, recreation, dining and much
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