West Molokai Neighborhood Guide

West Molokai is one of the most genuinely remote residential areas in Hawaii, stretching from the outskirts of Kaunakakai out to the dry, windswept western tip of the island near Ilio Point and the long-shuttered Kaluakoi Resort. The landscape is arid and sparse, defined more by red dirt, scrubland, and sky than by the lush imagery most people associate with the Hawaiian Islands. Papohaku Beach, one of the longest white-sand beaches in the state, sits largely empty here without the amenities or crowds found elsewhere, which tells you something about the tradeoffs residents accept. People who put down roots in West Molokai tend to value affordable land and serious solitude over convenience, and many manage their own water catchment systems in a place where a trip to town takes the better part of an hour each way. It rewards those who come prepared and self-sufficient, and quietly discourages everyone else.