Molokaʻi
Hawaiʻi’s hideaway, Molokaʻi embodies the word “getaway.” Life moves at a leisurely pace on this fifth-largest island, which gives meeting groups the aura of “old” Hawaiʻi. There are no big buildings — none, in fact, taller than a coconut palm tree — no stoplights or sprawling shopping villages, but Molokaʻi’s 800-year-old fishponds and 19th-century churches and historic buildings are awe-inspiring.
The 95 hotel rooms on the island are all casual in style, but with the ferry ride from Maui taking just 90 minutes, Molokaʻi can easily be worked into programs as a way to help meeting attendees clear their minds, nourish their spirits and recharge.
Hawaiian at Heart
Almost half of Molokaʻi’s population is of Native Hawaiian ancestry, and the language and traditional culture thrive here. Molokaʻi is said to be the birthplace of hula, and aloha ʻāina (the love of the land) remains a guiding principle. Fisherman, farmers, and the quaint main town of Kaunakakai make it easy to imagine life on the island a century ago.
Historic Highlights
Hālawa Valley’s history dates back to Polynesian settlers in 650 CE and features an ancient heiau (temple) ensconced in a landscape of towering waterfalls and lush flora.
Natural Wonders
- The highest sea cliffs in the world — rising 3,900 feet above the water’s surface — are found on Molokaʻi’s northeast coast
- A 28-mile continuous fringing reef, the longest in Hawaiʻi, is a mecca for sea turtles, stony coral, snorkelers and scuba divers on the island’s south shore
- Pāpōhaku, or “Three Mile Beach”, is Molokaʻi's white-sand paradise
