When you think of Hawaii what comes to mind are pineapples, alohas, and the tropical life. When tourists visit they go to Oahu, Maui, or Lanai. People aren't very aware of Hawaii's last virgin island - Molokai.
Molokai is Hawaii's fifth-largest island. It is home to the world's highest sea cliffs (3,600-3,900 feet) along its northeast coast and Hawaii's longest continuous fringing reef (28 miles) found in Molokai's Southern Coast.
"We don't want the cruise ships here," local musician and ukulele god Lono said in an article published in Yahoo Australia. "It would ruin our culture like it has with the other islands."
Despite all the good things that tourism may bring to the island, people from Molokai claims that they don't want to lose its culture like what happened in places like Oahu or Maui.
According to Molokai's website, the island has a high percentage of its population being of Native Hawaiian ancestry, so it is where Hawaiian culture thrives. The people of Molokai continue to preserve their rural lifestyle thanks to their love of the land, or aloha aina, and tourists can feel this aloha from small town Kaunakakai to sacred Halawa Valley. Hawaii's past comes alive on Molokai.
"We are welcoming, we are full of the aloha spirit," Lono adds. "But we want to keep our culture intact. Of course, people are welcome to visit - but come, stay, talk. Don't just go on and off a ship and stare."
Tourists can explore the island either on foot, or by a 4-wheel drive. Activities range from hiking in 1,700 foot cliffs leading to Kalaupapa National Historical Park or discovering one of Hawaii's biggest white sand beaches, the Papohaku Beach.
The island has no stoplights, one hotel, limited Wi-Fi, and only a handful of restaurants. Molokai is where you can experience the authentic Hawaii without the fanfare. Every Friday a group of elders gather at the Hotel Molokai to play music and dance the hula.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
