Olsson Family News and Photos

Molokai September 2006

Mark and I celebrated our 25th anniversary in September on Molokai "the Most Hawaiian Island". We snorkeled, hiked in the rainforest, hiked to waterfalls, and took the mule ride to Kalaupapa.

There are thumbnails of about 300 photos on the following index pages. Each page opens in a new window so you can easily come back to this page. You can pick and choose photos you want to enlarge from any of the index pages. Some of the enlarged pages have descriptive captions.

Mule Ride to Kalaupapa Downhill and Uphill
If you have seen the bumpersticker "I'd rather be riding a mule on Molokai", this is what it is all about. Riders and hikers share the same 26 switchback trail. Reservations are recommended as there are a limited number of riders each day and they arrange for the mandatory Department of Health permits and a guided tour via Damien Tours.

Kalaupapa National Historical Park From 1866 to 1969 Hawai'ians afflicted with Hansen's disease (leprosy) were forced into isolation on the remote northern Kalaupapa peninsula. There are still patients living at the Park. I recommend reading up on the history before you go so that you know what you are seeing on the tour.

Roads & Beaches Mark likes to leave no road left undriven. The island varies from dry on the west end to very wet on the east end. As I look back on the trip, there were so many places we forgot to take pictures of ... maybe next time?

The Halawa Valley The Halawa valley is at the end of the road on the east end of the island. To get to the waterfalls, you must have a guide as it is over private land - ours was Eddie Tanaka.

Sunrises & Sunsets The west end is known for its sunsets. I caught the sunrise on our last morning on the east end. We split our nights between a west end condo (Ke nani kai) and an east end beach property (Hale Kai). We enjoyed each of them and I would recommend it over staying in a more central location.

The Kamakou Preserve: Rainforest, Pepe'opae Bog, more Rainforest, Pelekunu overlook
The rain forest of Kamakou Preserve lies near the summit of Molokai's highest mountain. Access to this trail is via a 12 mile dirt road. The trail climbs through dense native cloud forest to Pepe'opae Bog and ends with an overlook to the Pelekunu Valley. The trail itself is a narrow raised wooden boardwalk constructed to protect the ecosystem. The Nature Conservancy offers periodic tours or you can go on your own with a 4 wheel drive (we got ours through Island Kine).

Underwater at Murphy's Beach We had hoped to snorkel at the west end but it was too windy on our days there. The most frequently recommended east end snorkeling is at Murphy's beach.