Following multiple setbacks, the National Park Service recently announced that reopening is “closer than ever.” Efforts are now focused on creating a thoughtful and respectful approach to welcoming visitors back to this historic Hawaii site.
Following multiple setbacks, the National Park Service recently announced that reopening is “closer than ever.” Efforts are now focused on creating a thoughtful and respectful approach to welcoming visitors back to this historic Hawaii site.
Previosly lived on Oahu. Has gotten busier and busier through the years. There are so few places left in the islands that remain both historic and unspoiled. Kalaupapa is one such place. It should be treated with reverence and respect. This position needs to be the overwhelming stand taken when considering visitation. Visitors should be by reservation and numbers very limited. If not, i guarantee the sound of helicopters and the sight of private tour boats will permeate the environment there from dawn to dusk.
Ì took my aging mother to visit celebrating 50 years since she had bicycled the 4 major Islands in 1950. We were both filled with compassion for those who had suffered there and those who dedicated their lives to serving them.
About 10 years ago, my husband and I (we live on Oahu) took a tour of Kalaupapa. A small group of people flew from Oahu to Kalaupapa, boarded an old school bus, and had a very interesting tour. I am so glad we went. It felt like stepping back in time, and we both loved being able to learn about the history of the remarkable people who were forced to live there.
Are all of the patients/former patients/residents deceased now? I was at the lookout when I visited Molokai. Beautiful views. It’s understandable that people were afraid of catching Hansen’s disease and were afraid of it spreading. But it is so sad that the patients and their families were mistreated because of an illness and fear. I’m so glad that medical science was finally able to treat this disease.
Hi Carol.
There are eight Kalaupapa Registry patients living both at Kalaupapa and on Oahu.
Aloha.
It is my understanding that the patients were treated decades ago for Hansen’s disease. And it is no longer active in their systems. Therefore, non-communicable. Which is why there were tours available previously. The patients are patients because they are being treated for the residual effects of the disease. Please, correct me if I am wrong.
My great aunt Dorothy was a nun with Sacred Hearts and used to do some work with the residents on Molokai. She said she also helped with the effort to get Father Damien named a saint. It would be a very m memorable experience for me to visit a place she spent a great deal of time in the latter part of her life. I hope they’re able to open this area to limited visitation.
Sorry, why would you want visitors coming to a sacred place,? Once you open up to visitors you are asking for trouble . People/tourist/visitors don’t give a rats ass about where we grew up, what we had to go through to get around for food medical needs etc etc.. they will desacrate our aina like they are doing now when they visit, then go home. Speeding, partying rubbish, no respect cuz they no kea.
And the locals aren’t doing the exact same thing and worse Braah???
A Local
Visited with Sierra Club in the 70s -80s doing clearing and restorations near the church and old settlement. So rewarding, educational and the residents very appreciative of our respectful interactions . Both walked and donkeys on the trail. And once on a flight with my disabled Mom. Understandable limiting access and hopeful for respect of educating people of the history and prioritizing resident needs . Will be watching and supporting your consider efforts. Mahalo
Big island resident with relatives in your mainland flight cities. Interested. Mahalo
My grandparents (Mum’s parents) both worked at Kalaupapa Settlement. My mum was born there and sent to Maui (age 5 yo) to be with her mum’s relatives.
I have been wanting to visit Kalaupapa Settlement to see where my mum was born and grandparents worked till they left and relocated to Maui and Oahu.
Visiting Kalaupapa Settlement has been on my Bucklet List for years. Hope I’ll be able to visit while I’m still physically to travel on my own without assistance.
Aloha guys, So what are they considering? Reopening the trail? Mule rides like long ago? Or boat drop off?
Hi Debra.
We’re awaiting more details at this point. The mules are no longer there, so that seems unlikely. Please stay tuned.
Aloha.
Still got the sticker somewhere “I’d rather be riding a mule on Molokai”…
😀
I was fortunate to visit in 2015 and take a tour with a local guide who had deep connections to the history of the settlement. It was so much more than just a tour.
As someone who loves Hawaiian history, visiting Kalaupapa was a pilgrimage. Standing in St. Philomena’s Church where Father Damien once preached was incredibe. You could feel the weight of his work and the compassion that defined this place.
I visited in the early 2000s, and it was eerie and beautiful. The isolation of the settlement, surrounded by sea cliffs, made me reflect on what life must have been like for those sent here. Walking through the old buildings, I could almost feel the presence of those who had lived and died there. There’s nothing else like it.
I’ve been into Kalaupapa twice, in the 70’s. Your platform doesn’t allow me enough space to adequately recount both stories. If you would like to hear them, I look forward to hearing from you
The mule ride down to Kalaupapa was an adventure in itself, but what really moved me was meeting one of the remaining residents. Listening to their story brought the history to life in a way that books or tours never could. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to visit before it closed to the public.
Visiting Kalaupapa was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. I hiked down the trail, and as I descended, the vastness of the Pacific came into view. By the time I reached the settlement, I realized this place was more than just a historical site—it was a testament to human resilience and the strength of community.
I’ll never forget the moment I stepped onto Kalaupapa’s peninsula. The air felt different, almost sacred, as if the land itself was whispering the stories of those who lived and suffered there. The beauty of the cliffs contrasted so deeply with the heavy history—it’s an experience that stays with you long after you leave.
Fondly remember two volunteer mission work trips in 1979 and 1980 to help refurbish the Congregational Church Fellowship Hall. Beautiful and wonderful people who truly embodied the Aloha spirit. Inspirational and uplifting in every way.
Back in the day Royal Hawaiian Airlines flew from both HNL and the old Kaanapali Airport several times a day. Great memories for all.
Aloha ke akua.
In 1865, the Legislative Assembly passed, and King Kamehameha V approved the “Isolation Law” as it was known: “An Act to Prevent the Spread of Leprosy”, which set apart land to isolate people then believed capable of spreading the disease.
When I was a kid and living on O’ahu in the ’50s, we all – that’s Kanaka, Kamaʻāina, and tourists – only spoke of Molokaʻi and its “Leper colony” in hushed terms. In my experience, no one thought about going there or ever mentioned it.
And now? Calmer minds prevail, thankfully.
I come to Molokai almost every year for the past 9 years. I would love to visit
A very moving film about this from the Hawaiian’s point of view is “The Wind and the Reckoning” and I recommend it to anyone interested.
I’m not a very spiritual person, but our visit here years ago moved me in ways that I didn’t expect.
We, too, were so fortunate to have Richard Marks as our guide, and his stories and remembrances we talk about to this day.
I hope that, with the reopening to visitors, the NPS continues to protect the legacy and unique quality of this beautiful place.