Molokai is Hawaii without the resorts. There are no traffic lights and no buildings taller than a coconut palm, and many of its people are of Native Hawaiian descent and work to keep the island rural. Come to slow down, and come as a guest.
Kalaupapa
On a flat peninsula beneath the north-shore cliffs lies Kalaupapa. From 1866, people with Hansen's disease, then called leprosy, were forcibly exiled here from across Hawaii. Father Damien, a Belgian priest who served them and died of the disease himself, was made a saint in 2009, as was Mother Marianne Cope, who cared for the patients after him.
Kalaupapa is now a national historical park and still home to a few former patients, so access is tightly restricted. Check with the National Park Service before planning a visit. Even without going down, you can look over the peninsula from the Kalaupapa Lookout in Pālāʻau State Park.
The north-shore sea cliffs
Molokai's north coast holds some of the highest sea cliffs in the world, rising to more than 1,000 metres straight out of the ocean. They are best seen from the air or from a boat in calm summer weather. At the eastern end of the island, Hālawa Valley is one of the oldest settled places in Hawaii; it can only be visited with a local guide.
The south shore and Kaunakakai
Kaunakakai, the main town, is a single main street of shops, bakeries and churches. Along the calm south shore are ancient Hawaiian fishponds, walled pools built on the reef centuries ago to raise fish, and offshore runs one of the longest continuous fringing reefs in Hawaii.
On the dry west end, Pāpōhaku Beach is one of the longest white-sand beaches in the islands, often empty. The surf and currents can be strong, so swim only when it is calm.
Getting there
Small planes fly to Molokai Airport (MKK) from Honolulu and Kahului. There are few places to stay, little nightlife and limited shops, so plan ahead and rent a car if you want to explore.