Molokai / Moloka'i Island

Area: 261sq.miles/676sq.km

County: Maui

Main town: Kaunakakai

Molokai is the fifth largest of the Hawaiian islands. Neighbored to the west by Oahu, to the south-east by Maui and to the south by Lanai, the island is 37 miles/60km long by 101/2 miles/17km wide. Its coastline measures 88 miles/142km but has few beaches.

Molokai developed from three volcanoes which divide the island into three distinct areas. The oldest volcano is found in the west (Puu Nana, 1352ft/412m) while the east was formed by Kamakou (4972ft/1515m). Kalaupapa Peninsula evolved later from a smaller volcano. The highest point in this part of the island is only 403ft/123m while the crater itself has a depth of 400ft/122m. Despite its small size, Molokai has a variety of geographical features. The north coast (Pali Coast) has spectacular cliffs reaching to a height of more than 3282ft/1000m. To the east, three valleys dissect the coastline. The south coast, by contrast, is flat and characterized by offshore coral reefs. The fish-ponds established here have used the offshore reefs as a natural barrier. The western landscape is more undulating but without large valleys while the east is more typical of Hawaiian landscape with green valleys and steep hills.

Molokai has the nickname of "Friendly Island". Today, in the course of tourist development, its image has been reduced to "Lepra Island" or "Lonely Island".

Molokai enjoys a climate not very different from the other Hawaiian islands, although it is perhaps a little cooler because of its extreme exposure to the wind. The average maximum temperature in the summer months fluctuates between 26°C and 28°C, the minimum between 17°C and 22°C. In the Hawaiian "winter" the maximum and minimum temperatures are 1-2°C lower. Rainfall levels differ across the island. East Molokai is a rainy area with extensive, dense tropical rain forests while West Molokai has a very dry climate and is used as pasture land and for growing pineapples.

Compared with earlier times, Molokai's population is small. Of its current 6900 inhabitants, 1300 live in the main town of Kaunakakai. Hawaiians and part-Hawaiians account for almost half of the population - a high proportion compared with the other Hawaiian islands.

Until now tourism has developed very slowly on Molokai. The first large tourist complex was built on land along the west coast, bought from Molokai Ranch. The Sheraton Corporation built a hotel complete with bungalows there although the complex has since been sold to another corporation. Today's Kaluakoi Resort Hotel, with its fine golf course and hotel built directly on the beach, is the main tourist attraction. In the surrounding area, some villas have been built for use as holiday homes but their impact on tourism development has been small. This has helped Molokai to protect its original character up to now.

Rising unemployment caused by the downfall of farming is supposed to have been countered by the development of tourism. It has not yet been decided how tourism should be encouraged, as development of an infrastructure will, of necessity, follow. Only the future will show which group will win the day - supporters of rapid development or advocates or more controlled growth.