The road winds down the edge of the cliff as you get closer to Halawa Valley. A waterfall can be seen at the far back of the valley, and rainforest jungle covers the rest.
Today I explored the East End of Molokai Island, here in Hawaii. This part of the island offers a more serene and authentic Hawaiian experience, making it an ideal destination for travelers seeking a peaceful retreat away from the hustle and bustle of more tourist-heavy spots. The landscape is stunning, with lush rainforests, pristine beaches, and dramatic cliffs. We ventured into Halawa Valley, known for its cascading waterfalls and rich cultural history, and spent time learning about the true Hawaii from a family still living the traditional Hawaiian way. We hiked past ancient walls, toppled by tsunamis and reclaimed by the rainforest. We stopped to learn about a huge, seven tiered temple, dedicated to the agricultural god, Lono. And we swam under a sacred waterfall, enjoying having it all to ourselves.
What truly sets the East End apart is the opportunity to experience Molokai's unique blend of culture and nature in an unspoiled, less-commercialized setting. The area is home to only a few small villages, allowing us to connect with the local community and enjoy authentic Hawaiian hospitality. And we didn't just listen to what the culture is like, we learned by touch, taste, feel. We actually lived the culture, which is something that very few guests to Hawaii will ever get a chance to experience.
The views on the way to Halawa Valley are stunning. Waves crashing along the cliffs, winding roadways hugging the windswept cliffsides, and huge valleys spreading out below. This is such an amazing part of the Hawaiian Islands, and I feel so lucky to be able to come here and share it with you! I hope you enjoy the photos and the adventure!
This is the valley that we hiked all the way to the back of to go swimming under a waterfall. The entire hike we didn't see a single other person. This is Molokai for you.
Wild heliconia growing near the waterfall. Everything here is so lush and green, but I really like the splash of yellow color that these tropical flowers give to the landscape.
Picking up a cane spider.... not for the feint of heart. These spiders look pretty dangerous, but are safe to pick up here in Hawaii.
The East coast of Molokai is quite windswept. This one cabin sits up on a plateau, looking out over the wild coast below.
Brant Field is part of a cattle ranch on the East end of Molokai. A couple of wind socks out in the field show where an old military airstrip once was back in the days of Pearl Harbor.
The road finally dead ends into a beach at the mouth of Halawa Valley on Molokai. I love walking way out and looking back up the valley. It is very undeveloped, which is hard to find these days in Hawaii.
The drive gets more and more beautiful as you cruise the East end of Molokai. You have to drive very slow around the turns, as the road gets quite narrow and passing becomes very difficult.
My favorite beach along this strip is just after mile marker 20, called Myers Beach. You can often have this strip of sand all to yourself, there is a bit of snorkeling, and you can see a couple of other Hawaiian islands off in the distance.
Halawa Valley was once the breadbasket of the island of Molokai, with over 1,000 taro farms providing the staple food for the Hawaiians. Now this taro patch is one of the few that remain.
There is a wonderful hike in Halawa Valley that follows a trail used by over 50 generations of Hawaiians. It crosses two rivers, and passes the ruins of the ancient valley settlement, now reclaimed by the jungle.
Our hiking group, feeling good, as we pass an ancient Hawaiian stone wall.
The river crossings can be a bit tricky, and can be downright dangerous if it is raining up in the headlands. Flash floods are a constant threat and worry. Although today, the weather just got better and better, and the group handled the rock hopping across this river like champs!
It's not everyday that you can have a beautiful Hawaiian waterfall all to yourself. It often happens on this far off corner of Molokai. There is very little tourism on the island, but that's ok with us. How's this for a romantic picnic spot?
An empty waterfall pool just waiting to be swam in.
Looking up the little stream where the water flows out of the corner of the waterfall pool.
I really like this shot of a young couple, Taryn and Toni, sitting together, watching the waterfall. This is an easy spot to forget all the worries of the outside world and find peace.
This is our intrepid hiking group for today's waterfall trek. Here in Halawa Valley you have to go with a private guide, someone who lives down in the valley. Devak, in the red kikepa, was our guide today. He was able to give us the history of the valley as we covered the couple of miles to the waterfall in the back.
Hiking through some massive elephant ear plants on our way back from the waterfall.
Some of the rock scrambling took sure concentration and sure-footing.
Christian and I, throwing out the shakas on the left, while the group posed for a photo in front of Mo'oula Falls.
These beautiful flowers, called Lantana, are often sold in garden shops, however here in Hawaii, they are highly invasive when they get out in the wild.
Some parts of the Halawa Valley trail go through dense stands of Hawaiian Hibiscus, also known as Hau.
Tackling the second river crossing on our way to the falls.
There are some huge monkeypod trees here in Halawa Valley. They grow very tall, forming a high canopy and providing a lot of nice shade for the hike. Birds nest ferns will often grow as epiphytes, or air plants, up on the stems of these trees. I also like how the little leaves form a bit of a jigsaw canopy effect.
One of my favorite views of the entire valley. Here the river gently spills out of the rainforest, then forms this huge bend before meeting the ocean in the bay on the far right.
Before heading down the winding road to the bottom of Halawa Valley we stopped at this overlook. The entire valley spread out below, from the beautiful mushroom shaped bay back to the waterfalls cascading into the valley from the highlands behind.
As always, keep posting and keep traveling!
- Dai Mar