West End
The farther west one goes, the more arid Moloka'i becomes. While some people consider the tropical east side to be more picturesque, there's something calming and aesthetically pleasing about the rolling hills and cultivated pastures of West Moloka'i. The Molokai Ranch covers 60,000 acres around Maunaloa Town; 100 horses and several hundred head of cattle roam the empty hills. Hiking and biking trails are numerous. The town of Maunaloa has a single grocery store, a movie theater, two restaurants and a stately lodge owned by the Ranch. The town is quaint and quiet, although it does seem to have been built according to a specific pattern just a few years ago. If one takes the Kaluakoi Road turnoff just before reaching Maunaloa Town, it's easy to notice the surrounding land become ever more desert like. Kaluakoi is a little oasis in the middle of this barren area. Quaint condominium resorts are sprinkled throughout the district, while a lush green golf course stretches from the inland desert to the blue sea. Papohaku Beach (located three miles south of Kaluakoi) is a sun-worshipper's dream-come-true. It's a three-mile strip of soft sand that's usually empty of people.