Molokai: Difficult to see wilderness/plan ahead

We just spent a week in Molokai and found it difficult to plan to see the wilderness. Most of the tourist guides and websites are out of date. Perhaps it is as Richard Sullivan says in his Maui and Molokai guide because things change so fast.

It was our 2nd trip to Molokai and we had seen most of things that are easy to see on your own. This trip we wanted to see some of the wilderness sites that we read about in Sullivan%26#39;s guide. What we found is that most of the real outdoor adventures are on posted private lands which require special permission, guides and are expensive. For example, we wanted to go to the Kamakou Preserve. I looked into it the week before and I found that the Nature Conservancy only runs hikes up there once every month when we were not going to be there. Once we got to Molokai we tried to rent a car from Kine to go there on our own but they didn%26#39;t have a 4-wheel drive available. They had a truck but refused to let us take it up to an alternative location: the Mo%26#39;omomi Dunes. ( We later heard from a local that the owner doesn%26#39;t like for people to take his vehicles off-road). We finally arranged for a guide and vehicle to take us up to Kamakou for $450 contracted by ';Molokai Fish and Dive'; but the trip was rained out. Since it was the end of our visit, we had no time to reschedule. We felt frustrated that we didn%26#39;t get to see much of the nature we had hoped to see and felt that it is very inaccessible in Molokai compared to other islands. Don%26#39;t plan to see much wilderness in Molokai unless you plan ahead, stay flexible and are willing to spend a lot of money.

Molokai: Difficult to see wilderness/plan ahead

about 3/4 of the Big Island is also closed to entry without permission or permits....even state lands and national park lands. over 80% of Volcanoes national park is totaly closed to entry except by special permit....which is difficult if not impossible to

Sorry to say but there is very little public accessable land in Hawaii....most is private and not accessable to visitors.

Hawaii is not a disneyland park....open freely to wander.

Visitors, or anyone in not entitled to have access to their wants. Frustrations may well come from having such expectations. The nature and trust people want to keep places wild...and that means no people.

If you want to tavel to someones private land, you will need to have a guide... and $450 for a day sounds reasonable. Here 4 hour guided hikes in private lands cost $135.pp

Molokai: Difficult to see wilderness/plan ahead

I don%26#39;t understand why you expected to be able to go on private land without prior permission and a private guide, or why you are surprised to be rained out in the heart of winter when we get our storms in Hawai%26#39;i.

Tourists take rental vehicles off road and they get trashed. Vehicles are expensive. Only Dollar on Lana%26#39;i encourages off road and the rate is set very high accordingly.

I%26#39;m sympathetic to your disappointment, but it seems to me you should be upset with this guide book that misled you. Instead you are dumping on Moloka%26#39;i and its people.

Hard to believe from me, but I don%26#39;t even know what to say....

I%26#39;ve been to Moloka%26#39;i I think 4 times. I never thought I was going to Maui.

Ouch, guys! I agree with your discussion but does your tone have to be so harsh? And also, BTW ';Travel';, what good does it do to get here and rant? What were you expecting from Moloka%26#39;i';? Yea, you had a room at Hotel Moloka%26#39;i and what else?

Apparently not what you expected. Is that a bad thing for who? Sorry if I sound rude, what just exactly what IS your point? The world is not an open book for you...Oh Hell, I%26#39;m gonna get flamed...I just know how the locals feel..sorry guys...I understand why you complain sometimes.

Peace to all! Caddy