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KamaAina

(78,249 posts)
Wed Nov 25, 2015, 12:55 PM Nov 2015

Molokai: The Last Truly Unspoiled Hawaiian Island (xpost from GD)

https://www.yahoo.com/travel/watch-searching-for-the-aloha-spirit-in-molokai-202452364.html

When people visit Hawaii, they usually go to Oahu, Maui, or, for adventure, the Big Island. Every so often, those who can afford the Four Seasons will stop off at Lanai, the island where Bill Gates got married … but very rarely do you hear people say, “I’m off on holiday to Molokai.” ...

Despite the economic relief that tourism might bring, people on the island point to places like Oahu and Maui, claiming the local culture has been lost — and vowing not to let that happen on Molokai.

“We are welcoming, we are full of the aloha spirit,” Lono said. “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.”

With no stoplights, one hotel, limited Wi-Fi, a handful of restaurants, and a still semi-functional leper colony (there are nine patients left), the island is a time warp to a calmer time.


Perhaps they could focus on internal tourism: getting kama'aina (local people, lit. "child of the land", now you know ) to pop over from O'ahu and Maui for the weekend. There's even a ferry to Maui: Moloka'i is part of Maui County.

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