Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
wanted to learn. To this day traditional
hula halau
(hula schools) will prepare an
offering or altar to Laka, the goddess of hula, as part of their performance and ce-
remony. It's believed that after sharing her dance with the people of Hawai'i, Laka
returned to the island of Moloka'I, where her remains are buried at Pu'u Nana over-
looking Moloka'i's western shores. Given the cultural significance of the area, each
May the
Moloka'i Ka Hula Piko
(Moloka'i Center of the Dance) festival is held at
western Moloka'i's Papohaku Beach Park.
Kepuhi Beach
Kepuhi Beach
fronts the Kaluakoi Villas and the abandoned structures which once formed
the Sheraton resort. It's an ideal beach for swimming during the summer; winter can see
large swells much better suited for surfing. To reach Kepuhi Beach, follow the signs for
Kaluakoi Villas off Kaluakoi Road. Public beach parking is available within the complex.
Just as at neighboring beaches, the sunsets from here are the kind that end up on your re-
frigerator.
Dixie Maru (Kapukahehu)
Named after a fishing boat which sank near the bay,
Dixie's
is as far south as the road will
take you. From Papohaku Beach Park follow Kaluakoi Road until it reaches Pohakuloa,
turn
makai
(toward the sea), and follow it to the end of the cul-de-sac. The narrow alley-
way that looks like a driveway is the beach access, and there's a small parking area about
100 yards down. In the kiawe trees behind the beach you'll notice a hidden trail which
leads back through the scrub brush and eventually over a fence. Follow this trail for 10
minutes and it will bring you a to a sandy cove frequented by surfers and nudists, but more
often than not you'll be the only person there.
Kawakiu
Heading north from Kepuhi, the coastline becomes wild, scraggy, and utterly deserted. The
far northern tip of the island—'Ilio Point—at one point served as a target area for the mil-
itary, although now all that remains are empty bullet casings and the howl of the northeast-
erly trades. Between Kepuhi and 'Ilio, however, a number of hidden, sandy coves tucked
out of the wind provide perfect swimming and splendid isolation. You would never even
know that
Kawakiu Beach
was here unless someone told you. It's that remote. To reach
Kawakiu, follow the signs to the Paniolo Hale condominium complex from Kaluakoi Road
by making a right on Kaka'ako and then turning left down Lio Place, where you will fol-
