Visiting Kalaupapa had been on my bucket list for years since moving to Hawaii (yeah, not many…read morepeople ask for a trip to a former leper colony for their birthday - I'm that girl). Back in 1995, I happened to be at the beatification ceremony in Belgium for Pater Damien. I've been in a 20+ year orbit of him since. I worked downtown next to the church in which he was ordained. Finally, I was able to visit Kalaupapa myself. My book club recently read Molokai by Alan Brennart, a novel chronicling the separation of a girl from her family on Oahu and her long isolation on the peninsula throughout much of the 20th century. Next thing we know, we've chartered a flight and booked a tour! Our tour was $60 and included our permit. As I mentioned in my review of the national historic park itself, you really have to do some work BEFORE you come. You can't expect to show up and be told the entire story of what happened here in a few hours and understand it. Nor will you really feel the mana of this place. Take the time to do some research and reading ahead of time and you will have a much richer experience. That said, Richard and Brian and the sisters of St. Francis did an excellent job illuminating some of the history of the peninsula and the significance of some of the buildings left. We did not get to meet Gloria, the owner of the tour company and Fuesaina's bar since her daughter had just come in that morning for a visit. Richard has been living here for two decades and has done seemingly everything - from minister at one of the churches to physical restoration of the buildings. Brian has only been here for two years, and his specialty is natural history and he works with restoring native plant species; it was nice to have that perspective, too, which we wouldn't have otherwise had with a smaller group. They ping-pong-ed us with insight into ancient times, early days of the isolation of Hansen's disease patients, more recent history, and current life on the peninsula. Our group (our book club 11, plus another six) was so large that Brian had to be recruited to drive a second vehicle, but Richard delivered information at the stops. Since his own life is so woven into that of the community, it never felt scripted, as guided tours so often do. They picked us up at the airport. We began at the pier, where an incoming patient would have arrived. We saw the houses where volunteers can stay now, but in the past, residents and visitors would have spent time with each other in those buildings, continually separated by fencing or numerous other physical barriers. We saw inside the Social Hall, Baldwin Home, St Philomena's, Siloama, St. Elizabeth's, Kanaana Hou, and the beautiful view of the cliffs at Makawao. This is still a community of patient residents, though their numbers are dwindling. We didn't get a chance to meet any of them, though we did see some out and about, and Richard and Brian gave us a glimpse into some of their personalities. As it is still a community, the tour must be respectful of those residents, which is why permits are required, you are not allowed in as an outsider unless on a tour, work group, or as an invited guest of a resident. Keep in mind when booking a tour that the company is owned by a patient in her 80s (any business operating in Kalaupapa must be owned by a resident) and it's any guess what may happen to the tours or the park once the last of these residents pass on. You also must be sponsored at all times (even park service employees are subject to this their first six months), so there is no wandering freely about the community. The tour gave us a good amount of time at each stop to see, read, and ask questions. An easily-recommended experience, but also not for everyone.

Amazing tour! Richard was fantastic as he took us through the rich history. Well worth it! We had…read morethe tour to ourselves for the day as most took the mule ride-we hiked it in half the amount of time. They let us explore inside the churches and more. Thanks again!!

I wont lie... I was a little nervous about riding an animal down the side of a pali... but it was…read moreone of the most amazing experiences evvvaaahhh! I was matched up with Hau'oli (which means "happy" in hawaiian) & he was the leader of the pack. The staff walked us through what to expect and we were on our way. Those mules knew exactly what they were doing--it was pretty amazing actually. The gate was opened by the worlds cutest little cowboy and these mules knew where to go and in which order. The views are stunning from the top and on your way down. Since I had never been on a horse before, I had to figure out how to relax and let the animal take charge- which he did really well. They are really smart and know the routine. I kept having to slow Hau'oli down because he had a one track mind: get to the bottom: food. The staff was really great and answered all of my questions. After this experience, I have MAD respect for mules! They carried me and my gear 3 miles down -and- 3 miles UP! Amazing! Such a Hawaii bucket list thing to do!!

So worth it! This might have been the highlight of an already awesome trip! It was a bit scary at…read morefirst ..... but as the others have indicted incredible, incredible, unforgettable views..... Wonderful tour too. Absolutely recommend this to anyone who visits Molokai!

Closing the trail to mule and human traffic has made Kalaupapa a site only accessible to the…read morewealthy. Folks, apparently the only way to access Kalaupapa now is via Damien Tours, costing $645 per person. $1290 for me and my wife to visit. Why only one (commercial) option? You have made this a National Park only available to the wealthy and for some reason exclusively via Damien Tour Company. Please explain why. Shame on you for denying this wonderful (taxpayer supported) historic site to everyone else!

Such a beautiful place and I highly encourage everyone to visit if youre allowed to! Flying…read moredirectly into Kalaupapa is unlikely so riding down from Kaunakakai is your better option. The whole island is full of breath-taking views and picturesque moments, but the trail to Kalaupapa will show you mauka to makai (mountain to ocean). Kalaupapa itself is an incredibly sacred place. You can feel the land when you arrive. The history itself is long and there are only a handful of its original occupants still living here so stop by and say hello! Residents and park workers (who maintain the history) are all friendly! Small souvenir shop, goods shop, but mostly everything you need should be brought with you. Accomodities are scarce but thats the appeal, to spend time in mostly untouched lands and waters. The stars shine bright as the skies are free from city lights and the water is crystal clear, saw monk seals on the shore sleeping. Its also quiet so the group you go with should be a good one -- Lifelong friendships could be formed out there. The church is beautiful and the pier is fun to jump off of. Again, its very humbling to come here and immerse yourself. Its a break from the civilization of the other outer islands. I had a wonderful time here and the memories made there are precious and worth more than most things. Spent 10 days here on a mission trip so I got a chance to know all the locals, play volleyball in their main park area, and attend church in the chapel. Book a trip down there if you can!

We had an incredible experience with Kat on our Road to Hana tour. If you want to see Maui through…read morethe eyes of a local while learning lessons about the lore and culture, there is no better choice than to go with Kat! She is incredible and her tour is super informative, engaging, and top-notch. Truly worth every penny! I will recommend Kat's services and Hana tour to all of my friends who have the joy of visiting Maui!!

We had such an incredible experience with Kat at Oui Tour Maui! If you're taking the trip to Hana,…read morethis is the way to go. Oui Tour Maui is the only way to experience Hana and the true Hawaiian culture like a local. Our experience was so personalized and intimate. Kat is so friendly and knowledgeable. Our day was filled with learning and laughs - Kat treats you like family and we are so blessed to have met her!

We booked a full day of the road to Hana. Right when we met Nicole she was very welcoming and we…read morepiled in the van. She had the perfect energy for our family of 3. We stopped at many cool spots like food , fruit and hidden water falls. We loved the black and red sand beaches but didn't listen to the rules and thought we would just muscle it through with no shoes lol note for next trip we are bringing water shoes. Her driving was super mellow and our daughter didn't get any car sickness. We would definitely book another trip with Nicole. Ps don't order 1 banana bread make sure you get a few

This was the BEST road to Hana tour. Danielle was a phenomenal guide, sharing the best highlights…read moreas well as some off the beaten path secret spots. We literally had one of the black sand beaches all to ourselves. I love how she thoughtfully curated this trip to our interests. 100% would do it again. Mahalo, Danielle!

This mango farm tour is awesome! The couple running it are so sweet and know so much, too. It was…read morereally awesome to learn how their mango farm works -- as someone interested in gardening, and especially curious about exploring the "food forest" permaculture side of growing food, it was really educational. She taught us the different plant groups that feed each other, and what order to plant to get the most productivity (and safety! We learned that papaya makes a good windbreak for smaller and more delicate plants, and agave makes a good firebreak!). I wish I lived in Maui because I'd be planting mangoes, papayas, bananas, coffee, and cocoa, RIGHT away. It was wild finding out how fast and tall papaya trees grow! These plants don't grow well in Seattle, but we are still going to take what we learned and see how we can apply similar features for our own food forest. I appreciated the very real perspectives about what works - as well as pitfalls and challenges with their food forest / mango farm. The tour was really interesting and fun, and we even had a resident cat named Tyson who took the tour with us! SO CUTE! The view there was beautiful, and though our tour group was tiny, I could see this being a fun activity for kids and families, too. Enough safe space for little folx to run around safely, and so much is stackable. She let us try mango (and wild mangos), ice cream beans (what an experience!), fresh coffee, and more. So good! They said they are going to do dinner parties here and I look forward to coming back to the Maui mango farm when we visit next time. Hopefully we'll have some good photos to show off of the garden upgrades that they've inspired. We really wanted to do something to support the Lahaina community (without being a disaster tourist, either), so visiting a regenerative farm seemed like an awesome choice, and I'm very glad we went. Bonus: since Olowalu was on our way back, we got a spectacular sunset, too.

We had to sign a waiver for this tour beforehand so my idea about this trip was pick all you can…read moreeat mango. "Do we need a hazmat?"We were joking around. "What are the odds of having concussion due to the high velocity of mango falling on your head?!?!" We were greeted by a very nice couple and served a very refreshing glass of lemongrass and cardamom leaf tea to start to hear about regenerative farming. It was invigorating and soothing at the same time. It was especially helpful for me to get over the mild cold during this trip. The walk was very easy and informative and we wore tennis shoes but it could have been easily done with flip flops or sandals. At the end, we were served delicious box of star fruit, papaya, and different mango samples . Also, we were given some recommendations on good local eats, cafes, and bakeries and some or then we spent time ourselves to find!! They are planning on serving dinner as well in the future mango farm tours so be on the lookout!!!

Just took this tour today and it was awesome!!! I've lived here for over 20 years and learned so…read moremuch that I had never heard. Carter really gives you the inside stories and then some. Whether you are a local or a tourist you should definitely take this tour!!

Interesting, informative, poignant, thought provoking.... Just some of the words I could use to…read moredescribe today's tour. Our guide, Carter, was friendly, funny, warm and very knowledgeable. She didn't swamp you with her knowledge, but shared it. Her passion for history and in particular Queen Liliukalani was evident. The tour was perfect in length - a touch under 2 hours - with plenty of time for questions all the way through. It required a little walking - but not much - and there were opportunities to sit down, or at least get out of the sun throughout. I would recommend this tour to anyone who has even a passing interest in history, or the history of these islands. Fascinating! And a great way to spend a couple of hours.

What is DBIDS? DBIDS stands for Defense Biometric IDentification System. It's a security system…read moreused by the U.S. Department of Defense to manage access to military installations and facilities. It relies on biometric data, such as fingerprints or iris scans, to verify the identity of individuals seeking entry. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam utilizes the Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) for access control. Visitors, contractors, and other non-DOD personnel typically need to register with DBIDS to gain access to the base.

J OINT B ASE P EARL…read moreH ARBOR H ICKAM A IR F ORCE B ASE It's "America's Bridge Across the Pacific." It's also THE BEST of both world's, too. Naval Station Pearl Harbor Base and Hickam Air Force Base merged in 2010 to become what it is today: JBPHH. It is truly the best base I've ever lived on or near just due to its locality and history. There was so much to see, learn, and do! Check out the ITT Office or read the Great Life Hawaii magazine to sign up for one of the historical tours of the base. Some of my favorite experiences on base were visiting International Navy ships during RIMPAC, seeing Air Force One on the flight line during former President Obama's many visits to Oahu, and attending the Rock The Troops concert hosted by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. I had mostly frequented Hickam Commisary (best kept secret!), Pearl Harbor Chapel, Hickam Chapel, Aloha Aina Park (Hickam), Makalapa Clinic, and Hickam Beach. JBPHH is also a fantastic place for a long run or workout outdoors, but they also have two of the nicest Fitness Centers offering great exercise classes. If you're into watching airplanes taking off of the runway, what better way to watch them while standing waist deep in Mamala Bay? The soft, white sand, and the warm, turquoise blue ocean always reminded me to enjoy every minute of this piece of paradise. Aloha!

Not a tour. This is a talk in the courtyard. Guide had a lot of knowledge and information, but we…read morestarted about 10 mins late and then spent 45 minutes standing in the courtyard (not touring the property). If you like learning about history, and not seeing it - this would be great for you. If you were hoping to see the hotel itself and walk through parts - you either will not get it with this tour or all touring is somehow done in the last 10 minutes (we ended up leaving early)

This tour was amazing! It is extremely informative. Yes, the first part is pretty lengthy and…read morestationary, but after that, the entire property is toured, with a lot of nooks and crannies visited that a typical person might not normally encounter. Kehaulani was an incredible guide and is a wealth of knowledge with over 50 years of experience. It was advertised as an hour but ended up being almost 2.5 hours long. Highly recommended, especially for history buffs!

Palau State Park is super easy to find! I actually was just driving around exploring Molokai and I…read morefound my way here. Just follow Kalae Highway to the end and you will reach the park. You really can't miss it. Once your there, you will see the bathrooms. In front of that is two signs pointing in opposite directions. To the right is the Kalaupapa Lookout and to the left is the Phallic Rock. This truly is a beautiful and peaceful park. Only spent maybe 20 minutes here checking out both scenic points.

Gorgeous over look simple drive up an area that in mid October you can confuse for Colorado with…read morethe trees and climate Also saw philac rock after a short hike