8/9/2019 Best Travel Guides: Molokai, Grenadines, Mentawai

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Drn CoeeFy 25 minutes rom

Maui to Mookai on

board Mokuee Airines

or Isand Air. Enjoy your

rst views o Mookais

word-amous sea cis.

I made sure to heed the sign

that visitors see when exit ing

the isands airport: Sow Down,

This is Mookai.There are ony a ew roads on

the sma isand. Head toward

Coees o Hawaii, a pantation

and espresso bar, to order your

rst o many Mocha Mamas. The

beoved chocoaty iced coee

drink is the unocia beverage

o the isand or good reason.

Eat dinner at the KuaapuuCookhouse. I its Thursday, its

prime-rib night, so dont even

ook at the menu. Order the

specia a huge sab o bee

cooked to order and served with

rice and gried veggies and

choose the papaya-seed dress-

ing or your garden saad.Head 30 minutes west on the

ony road toward Maunaoa, and

check into the Mookai Komo-

hana B&B. Your hosts, Tom and

Kary Rancour, wi be waiting up

to wecome you.

Rde a MueMeet thepaniolos at

Mookai Mue Ride in

ront o their stabe at

8 a.m. There are ony

two ways to get down

to the Kaaupapa peninsua: I

you choose to hike, get ready or

a ong, muddy day. Opt or the

mue ride, and a you have to dois et your mue do its thing it

knows the 26 switchbacks down

to Kaaupapa Nationa Histori-

ca Park better than you do, so

theres no need to be nervous on

this steep descent.

At the bottom o the trai,

board the bus with Damien Tours,

the ony operator permitted to

ead groups through this ercey

travel guide

protected nationa park. You

make severa stops Mother

Mariannes grave, St. Francis

Church but the highight is

St. Father Damiens seaside

grave. At the end o the tour, your

mues wi carry you back up to

the top o the trai.

Freshen up and then head to

the Hote Mookai, just east o

downtown Kaunakakai. Fridaynight is Kupuna Night when the

isands eders break out ukue-

es and perorm or diners at the

propertys oceanront restaurant.

Ater dinner, stop or another

Mocha Mama at Coees o

Hawaii. (Great any time o day.)

You be gad you ueed upon caeine; at 10 p.m., Kane-

mitsus Bakery and Coee Shop

begins seing hot, reshy baked

Mookai bread. Wak down the

aey just to the right o the

bakery and ook or the hand-

painted sign or the ine o

peope. A huge oa sathered in

two toppings is $5.75.

Scuba DveYou can meet Tim

rom Mookai Fish &

Dive at the Kaunakakai

Harbor. Ask to see the

Big Turte House or an

a but guaranteed sea-turte

sighting. Or et Tim expore new

sites and see what you discover

with him. He might even et you

name the dive site.

You be hungry ater the dive,so have a hamburger, ries and

a shake at Mookai Burger in

downtown Kaunakakai.

Stro down the street to

on the history but remember

to bring your own unch. This u-

day adventure isnt an easy hike.

Back in Kaunakakai, eat aneary dinner at Mookai Pizza

Cae. Its the ony pace on the

isand to get a pizza pie and

one o the ony spots that wi be

open on a Sunday evening.

On your way back to Komohana,stop and watch the sunset at

Kapuaiwa Coconut Grove. Just

beware o aing coconuts.

Ht the BeachAsk Tom to make

his amous banana-

and-macadamia-nut

pancakes or breakast.

Pack a cooer with

cod drinks and snacks. Tom and

Kary can end you a reiabe

map o the west-coast beaches

and point out the best spots

to snorke (Dixie Maru Beach),

picnic (Kaupoa Beach) and take

a stro (Papohaku Beach).

Stop at Coees o Hawaii andorder one ast Mocha Mama or

the road. You have to speed up

again or the fight back home.

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The FctsPASSPORT NEEDED > No CURRENCY > U.S. doars

OffiCiAl lANgUAgE > Engish WHEN TO gO > May or dry, bamyweather and a historic hua estiva lOCAl DRiNk > Mocha Mama

How to Do >MolokaiRustic charm meets tropical paradise on Molokai.And the people here are some of the warmest, most

colorful friends Ive ever met traveling. This maynot be the Hawaiian island for everyone but itwas denitely the one for me. A DRi E N N E E gO lf, E Di TO R

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MOlOkAi

Kalaupapa National Park

Komohana

B&B

Purdys Mac Nut Farms

kauanaaa

kuaapuuCoffees of Hawaii

Haaw

Airport

Papohaku Beach

Upload THIS ITInerary To yoUr pHone now

1Get the ree smartphone app atgettag.mobi2 launch the app and then simpy hod yourphone over the tag at right to scan it.3 Instanty have the interactive map, itinerary,deals and editors tips at your fingertips.4Or see the trave guide at islands.com/molokai

8/9/2019 Best Travel Guides: Molokai, Grenadines, Mentawai

2/3

Start Reaxn on CanouanThe Moorings cruise o the Grena-

dines departs rom Canouan. So

rst I f ew to Barbados (you can stay

overnight at the Crane, i you ike). Then I

took a erry to Canouan, amous or Rafes

Canouan and its spa with gass-foor treat-

ment rooms set over the water. linger there.

Set Sa or BequaBoard the Moorings cruise, where

Capt. Simon Goodhead and ance/

rst mate louise Coe take care o

everything. First stop: Bequia, perhaps the

Grenadines most sociay vibrant isand.

There are enough bars aong the waterront

How to Do>GrenadinesMany travelers do the BVIsailing tour, but I think this

Grenadines route is evenmore memorable, morebeautiful, more true to theold Caribbean we love. j O H N B R A D l E Y , C O N T R i B U T i N g E D i T O R

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o Port Eizabeth or a proper pub craw; the

busting ruit market is a must-shop and a

must-eat is the obster pizza at Macs.

Drn Up MustqueThe saiing cruise continues arther

south to Mustique and egendary

Basis Bar. Im sti dreaming about

the rozen Mustique drinks. But ater, yound yourse drawn to Macaroni Beach, with

a ong stretch o white sand. Its wakabe,

but youre better o buying a ride rom

one o the taxi drivers by the dock. Cimb

the hiside at the south end o the beach

or a birds-eye view. I you want to spend

the night, Firefy is a great treehouse-stye

boutique hote on the more ivey west side.

Eat Up the Tobao CaysUpon arriva here, theres a good

chance that Romeo, a boat boy, wi

show you the resh obster you have

or dinner that night. You can be sure to work

up an appetite by snorkeing aong the ree

and in the protected sea-turte agoon.

get to Mopon EaryHeres the thing about Mopion its

amost too awesome. Essentiay a

hump o pure white sand in the sea, it

has just one permanent thatched umbrea

thats set near its highest point. I you want

Mopion to yourse, make sure the captain

pans to arrive just ater sunrise. Its your

ony chance. Take it.

Sette nto Unon isandAs you enter Citon Harbor, Jantis

Happy Isand greets you. It ooks ike

a foat ing patio. You shoud stop by

or a beer. On Union, ook or some hand-painted signs on the main road poking out

o the bushes just past Evergreen Cae. This

is the entrance I ound to Costeo Paradise,

the conederation o bars and art that cu-

minates with the hitop Peican Bar and the

best happy-hour view in the Grenadines.

Swm o MayreauWith a popuation o 300, Mayreau

barey ees inhabited. Cimb to the

church at the isands highest point to

see the wide-open view. Say goodbye to the

Grenadines with a swim in Sat Whiste Bay.

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Upload THIS ITInerary

1Go togettag.mobiorthe smartphone app.2launch it and hodthe phone over this tag.3Or see trave ino atislands.com/grenadines

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8/9/2019 Best Travel Guides: Molokai, Grenadines, Mentawai

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travel guide

Chec nto the kandu ResortFor this remote region, trave options

are imited to charter boats and sur

resorts. O the at ter, the Kandui Resort

is considered the Cadiac. The a-incusive

sits on its own private isand, can arrange your

trave and hosts just 16 guests at a t ime. The

resortsumas (Mentawai huts) oer air condi-

tioning, hot water and Wi-Fi. But I mainy just

sept there. The resorts odge and the daiy sur

excursions to nearby isands are the big draw.

Sur SaeyWake up, appy sunscreen and enjoy atraditiona egg breakast or a oca one

caed Nasi Goreng. Then hop on one

o two boats headed out or the morning sur

session. There are 16 sur spots accessibe by

canoe rom Kanduis odge that oer waves or

any ski eve. I started on the smaer breaks

rst. Regardess o where you go, sur guides

join you, each o whom are trained paramedics

a huge comort so ar rom civiization.

Repeat, Repeat, RepeatSavor the daiy sur routine o morning

and aternoon sur sessions with meas

in between. The sta can aso arrange

other activities such as touring a nearby

viage or snorkeing or shing.

Expore and Meet ShamansJump in a ski to expore the Dead

Forest, a ed o uprooted trees in

the swampy interior. Or hop in a boat

headed to v iages in the heart o Siberut. To

meet shamans, we, they come to you. The

shamans stop in to entertain guests at the

Kandui Resort with traditiona dances. Join in

and i you dare ask them about sous.

get a SouvenrWood crats abound. To fy home

with a padde, concea its spear-ike

appearance with cardboard. Prep or

questions. Remind yourse this keepsakes

sou is now connected to yours. Treasure it.

How to Do>MentawaiOutside of talking with theshamans, the best way to

experience these Indonesianislands is with a surfboard. E D D Y P A T R i C E l l i , E D i T O R

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Stella Maris Resort Clublong Island

Superb beaches and water sports; beautiul rooms-cottages-bungalows; attentive services and old ashioned hospitality;

on tranquil Long Island, in the mid-southern Bahamas.

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Staniel Cay Yacht ClubTHe exumas

Soothe your body, mind and soul with small island charm.Your balcony will literally overhang the clearest waters in

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Small Hope Bay Lodge

andros IslandTotally All-Inclusive! Celebrating 50 years!

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Green Turtle Club Resort and Marina

abacoUnspoiled, powder sot, white sand beaches, crystal clearwaters, relaxing atmosphere, luxury accommodations,

world class cuisine and modern amenities.

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Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort & Villaslong Island

Untouchedundiscoveredbareoot elegance in aCaribbean paradise. Enjoy luxurious beachront

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Cape Eleuthera Resort & Yacht ClubeleuTHera

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Fernandez Bay VillagecaT Island baHamas

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