Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
appears like a mirage near mile marker 16 in the Pukoo area en route to the East
End. Picnic tables under a royal poinciana tree are a wonderful sight, and the food
does not disappoint. Although there's no kids' menu, they'll find plenty of items
that they'll be happy to eat. The place serves omelets, Portuguese sausage, and
other breakfast specials (brunch is very popular), then segues into sandwiches, sal-
ads, mahimahi plates, and varied over-the-counter lunch offerings. There are daily
specials, ethnic dishes, and some vegetarian options, as well as burgers (including
a killer veggie burger), saimin, and legendary desserts. Made-on-Maui Roselani ice
cream is a featured attraction, and customers rave over the Portuguese doughnut
dessert, a deep-fried doughnut filled with ice cream. A Molokai treasure, the
Neighborhood Store is also the only grocery store on the East End.
Pukoo.
&
808/558-8498.
Most items less than $6.95; bento $7.30. No credit cards. Daily 8am-6pm.
5 Exploring Molokai with Your Kids
There are a great number of sights that you and your family can enjoy on Molokai,
but come prepared—there are no strollers for rent at any of the sights listed below.
You'll find the following attractions on the “Molokai” map on p. 311.
IN & AROUND KAUNAKAKAI
Kapuaiwa Coconut Grove/Kiowea Park
All ages.
This royal grove—
1,000 coconut trees on 10 acres planted in 1863 by the island's high chief
Kapua'iwa (later, King Kamehameha V)—is a major roadside attraction. The
shoreline park is a favorite subject of sunset photographers and visitors who
delight in a hand-lettered sign that warns:
DANGER
:
FALLING COCONUTS
. In its
backyard, across the highway, stands Church Row: seven churches, each a dif-
ferent denomination—clear evidence of the missionary impact on Hawaii. This
is a great place to stop for a half-hour.
Along Maunaloa Hwy. (Hwy. 460), 2 miles west of Kaunakakai.
Post-A-Nut
All ages.
Postmaster Margaret Keahi-Leary will help you say
“Aloha” with a dried Molokai coconut. Just write a message on the coconut with
a felt-tip pen, and she'll send it via U.S. mail over the sea. Coconuts are free but
postage is $3.95 (and up) for a mainland-bound, 2-pound coconut. You can
post your nuts and be out of there in 10 minutes.
Hoolehua Post Office, Puu Peelua Ave. (Hwy. 480), near Maunaloa Hwy. (Hwy. 460).
&
808/567-6144.
Mon-Fri 7:30-11:30am and 12:30-4:30pm.
Purdy's All-Natural Macadamia Nut Farm (Na Hua O'Ka Aina)
All ages.
The Purdys have made macadamia-nut buying an entertainment event,
offering tours of the homestead and giving lively demonstrations of nutshell-
cracking in the shade of their towering trees. The tour of the 70-year-old nut
farm explains the growth, bearing, harvesting, and shelling processes, so that by
the time you bite into the luxurious macadamia nut, you'll have more than a
passing knowledge of its entire life cycle. Allow at least an hour to wander
around and get the tour.
Lihi Pali Ave. (behind Molokai High School), Hoolehua.
&
808/567-6601.
www.visitmolokai.com. Free
admission. Mon-Fri 9:30am-3:30pm; Sat 10am-2pm; closed on holidays.
THE NORTH COAST
Even if you don't get a chance to see Hawaii's most dramatic coast in its
entirety—not many people do—you shouldn't miss the opportunity to glimpse
Finds
