Pt. 2 | Hawaii's True Aloha [Iyer Story]
The local family who supports the Pique team “on the ground” in Molokai is awesome. Wailani is an amazing host with a cheerful disposition. She greeted us at the airport and was willing to help in any way throughout our entire stay. Her father, Eddie, was our guide on our hike and played music for us at our private luau. A true family affair!
While on Molokai we did several memorable and unique activities. We did a snorkeling excursion, which is stunning since the reef off Molokai is still mostly untouched as it’s not a heavily populated tourist spot. While on the water, we saw tons of whales – some that were only 20 yards from our boat!
One day we did a private hike to Halawa Falls. The falls, which are located on private land (thank you Pique Travel for knowing the land owners and getting us onto the property!) are set within a beautiful valley where we hiked past taro fields, lush jungle, ancient Hawaiian ruins and more. Once we reached the falls, we jumped into the water and were the only ones there! We’ve done hikes like this in other destinations, but were surrounded by throngs of tourists. It was amazing to have it all to ourselves.
Finally, our most unique adventure – boar hunting. Nick and I went out with two local guides and their six dogs to hunt wild boar. While we weren’t successful, it was a highlight and one of the most challenging hikes we’ve ever done together. A memory we’ll share forever!
I’ve always had certain stereotypes of what travel to Hawaii was like. Big crowds on Waikiki Beach, touristy luaus and hikes with 100 of your not-so-close friends. Pique Travel showed us a unique, authentic way to experience the islands. We can’t wait to go back to see what other islands hold for us!
