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Aerial view of the East side of Molokai, Hawaii by Travis.Thurston –

Top 10 Astonishing Facts about Molokai Island

Molokai Island, or Molokaʻi, is one of the Islands making up the Hawaiian Islands. At this point, you’re probably wondering why you’ve never heard of it. Don’t worry, I can rectify that.

Molokai is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands making up Hawaii. It is also the least visited of the main islands and believe it or not, this is part of its charm. One thing you will without a doubt notice when there is how empty the Island is.

Perhaps it’s because of this that the island quickly becomes the most fascinating and interesting of all the Hawaiian Islands. When there, it feels like you’ve traveled back in time to an older (rather younger) and simpler Hawaii with fewer crowds, high-rise hotels, traffic, and mass tourism.

1. The Island Has an Agrarian Economy

Fishpond in east Molokai by Kristina D.C. Hoeppner –

Over the years, the Molokai local indigenous community has fought against development and tourism. In some situations, these protests have become violent and ugly. Sometimes leading to arson, destruction of properties, and the poisoning of African Safari animals in 1994.

The residents aim and intend to maintain a lifestyle sustained by indigenous practices. The island is therefore sustained by an Agrarian economy driven mostly by small-scale farming, the cultivation of pineapples, sugarcane, and cattle.

An agrarian economy, much like Molokai’s economy is rural-based. This means that it is centered on the production, sale, and consumption of agricultural products including fishing.

2. Hawaii’s Highest Unemployment Rate

The residents of Molokai have done a great job protecting their community and culture from foreign invasion. However, while this is an achievement, it comes at a great cost. The Island is significantly underdeveloped and generally left behind compared to the other islands.

Due to this, the highland has the highest rate of unemployment with many residents below the poverty line. As of June 2022, Molokai’s unemployment rate had reached 13.9% almost doubling in less than a year from 7%. This number is significantly worrying when compared to Hawaii’s (whole state) rate of 4.2%.

3. Used as A Leprosy Colony

Leprosy is a contagious illness that affects the nervous and respiratory systems and causes the skin to cluster in a distinctive way. It is also referred to as Hansen’s illness. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there was a worldwide pandemic.

At the time, isolation of persons suffering from a diagnosis that was at the time widely misunderstood was required. In response, King Kamehameha V of Hawaii declared Molokai as a sanitarium for lepers in 1866.

The majority of those sent to Molokai, about 8,000 people, were native Hawaiians. The island underwent a transformation from a traditional Hawaiian fishing community to one of the most famous leper colonies.

Until 1969, isolation was in place, and at that time, either the survivors could not or would not integrate into society. Six patients are still residing there, and the government gave them permission to remain until they passed away.

4. Home to The Longest Fringing Reef in the USA

Coral reefs are one of nature’s most spectacular underwater feats. They are the underwater equivalents of forests housing some incredible marine life. A fringing reef is a type of coral reef growing directly from the shoreline with a shallow or no backreef.

Molokai is home to a beautiful and eye-catching fringing reef whose beauty is only second to its size. The reef stretches for 28 miles along the southern coast of the island. This makes it the largest fringing reef in all of the United States of America. Honu, or Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles, frequently play in this area.

5. Home to Hawaii’s Oldest Coconut Palm Plantation

Coconut palms by Junjun Villapando from

Remember King Kamehameha V, yes, the same one who made the island a leper colony? Well, he is responsible for putting the island on the map, yet again, this time for positive reasons.

He dedicated a whole 10 acres on Molokai’s southern shore to coconut trees in 1860. Over 1000, coconut trees were planted by order of the king in the Kapuaiwa Coconut Grove. The Grove is now a forbidden area and cannot be accessed by visitors. This is mostly due to the threat posed by the old and falling coconuts from the large trees.

6. Home to Hawaii’s Longest Pier

There are several amazing piers spread out across the Hawaiian Islands’ 750 kilometers of breathtaking coastline. One of Hawaii’s smaller main islands, Molokai Island, is home to the state’s longest pier.

The state’s longest pier is located in Kaunakakai Harbor, which is tucked away along Molokai’s southern shore. It extends 1,900 feet past the reef into the Pacific Ocean.

29 boat slips and mooring spaces, two docks, and a boat launch ramp are located in this commercial and recreational harbor. The Molokai Princess, a passenger ferry that runs between Maui and Molokai, docks there as well.

7. The Least Visited Hawaii Island

Compared to other Hawaiian Islands, Molokai’s tourism is relatively small. This is partly due to the stigma left behind by the whole leprosy sanatorium. However, this is also thanks to the wishes of its residents.

Because a tourism business brings about irreversible changes to the community and culture, locals on Moloka’i have long fought private developers’ efforts to boost tourism. There aren’t many places to stay; the island only had one hotel operating as of 2014.

The majority of tourists stay in rental apartments and homes. For these reasons, the island receives very few tourists despite its fascinating beauty.

8. Birthplace of Hula

Hula is a dance performed by Hawaiian women. It involves six steps, swaying hips, and gestures that represent or mimic natural phenomena, historical events, or mythological subjects.

Without a doubt, the Hawaiian Islands’ unspoken language is hula. It is a beautiful style of storytelling that has been practiced for thousands of years.

Most islands assert to be where this old art first appeared. However, the prevailing opinion maintains that this cherished luau staple originated on the island of Molokai. The Hula festival is held in Molokai annually.

9. Part of 2 counties

Kalaupapa Peninsula on the Hawaian island of Moloka’i by Djzanni –

Another fascinating fact about Molokai Island is that it s the only Hawaiian island comprised of 2 counties. Maui, Molokai, Kahoolawe, and Lanai all together form Maui County.

However, there is part of the island that is not part of Maui County. That is the Kalaupapa Peninsula on Molokai’s northern shore. The peninsula is in its entirety while part of the island is part of Kalawao County. It is therefore administered separately to the rest of the island.

10. Home of The Tallest Sea Cliffs in The World

Molokai S Steep Northern Cliffs Near Kalaupapa Alden Cornell Molokai Hawaii by Alden Cornell –

The highest point in Molokai right now is only half of what it used to be. What happened is that a great earthquake hit the island and caused half of the Volcanic Crater to fall into the ocean.

However, this only created more beauty. The result was several stunningly tall sea cliffs. According to the Guinness World Record, the highest sea cliff is Kalaupapa, Molokai, Hawaii, at 1,010 m (3314 ft) high.