Food shopping on Molokai

[burg1121]

We are spending 6 days on Molokai in April. My wife is worried that the food is all bought and gone a day after the barge arrives on Thursday. Any reason to worry about that.

 

[chellej]

There are 2 small stores and the week we were there we went various times during the week and they always were well stocked. If you are staying at Ke nan Kai it is quite a ways from town. There is a convenience store market in the old sheraton complex that you could get dry goods and frozen stuff . I don't recall them having much if any produce

 

[DeniseM]

The grocery stores on Molokai are small mom and pop affairs, and can't compare with the major supermarkets that we have on the mainland. The meat and produce was not very good. If we go back to Molokai, I would shop in Maui and take groceries over on the ferry - you will see many locals on the ferry who do this. Based on the bags, and volume, it looks like they make a monthly run to Costco. Yes, you would need an ice chest for perishables, so you might want to limit that to meat or specific specialty items.

 

[Luanne]

We were on Molokai for a week quite a few years back. We bought all of our groceries there. We did find that we ended up eating dinner out every night and mostly just had breakfast in. Whether or not you bring most of your groceries with you may depend on how many meals you plan to prepare yourself.

One note, when we were there Molokai Ranch was still in operation, they had a small store there where we could pick up a few things. They also had a pretty decent restaurant, and their bar menu was very good. We ate dinner in the bar, with our kids, most of the nights we were there.

 

[DeniseM]

As Luanne said, the Molokai Ranch is closed now, and there aren't many restaurants available - nothing out by Ke Nani Kai. The only one that I would consider a dinner house restaurant is the restaurant at the Hotel Molokai. The other choices are tiny local places and quality varies. When we were there, Subway was the only chain restaurant of any kind.

Molokai is like visiting a tiny isolated town in the deep south, except it's in Hawaii. You want to do a lot of research before you go, so that you know where to go and what to do. There are no obvious tourist resources on the island - you have to plan ahead. I know someone who did no research before they went, and they did not enjoy their trip, because they had no idea what to do.

If you search online, there are some Molokai travel guide books - I would definitely get a couple and do your research.

*I just realized that this all sounds negative - but we really enjoyed Molokai.

 

[LisaH]

Now the question is: how good is the snorkeling on Molokai? I would make an effort if the snorkeling is phenomenal. Otherwise, I will stay on the main islands

 

[ecwinch]

The grocery stores on Molokai are small mom and pop affairs, and can't compare with the major supermarkets that we have on the mainland. The meat and produce was not very good. If we go back to Molokai, I would shop in Maui and take groceries over on the ferry - you will see many locals on the ferry who do this. Based on the bags, and volume, it looks like they make a monthly run to Costco. Yes, you would need an ice chest for perishables, so you might want to limit that to meat or specific specialty items.

Unfortunately loading up for the ferry is no longer an option - they stopped ferry service to Molokai about a 1+ year ago.

https://themolokaidispatch.com/?s=ferry

 

[Luanne]

Now the question is: how good is the snorkeling on Molokai? I would make an effort if the snorkeling is phenomenal. Otherwise, I will stay on the main islands

We found the beaches to be quite "unfriendly". What I mean is there was either too much wind to be enjoyable, rocks, had to drive a pretty long distance, etc. There was one area that was supposed to have good snorkeling, and I think we went there, but I really don't remember much about it.

And as Denise said, even though it sounds like I'm complaining, I LOVED Molokai. My family wasn't as thrilled, but I thought it was wonderful. One thing my older dd and I did was the tour of Kalaupapa. Our younger dd was too young so dh stayed behind with her. It is the most beautiful spot I've ever seen with a sad history. Richard Marks, who started and used to lead the tours, has passed away but I think the tours are still going on. That is the only way you are allowed admittance to Kalaupapa.

 

[LisaH]

Thanks Luanne! We have been going to Hawaii for over 20 years but have not made it to Molokai yet. Maybe we will add a few days there to our future Maui trip...

 

[burg1121]

thanks for all the info

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Do like the locals. Buy as much of your food as you can from local growers and farmers. Fruit stands and the Molokai Farmers Markets. Ask around. I"m sure most locals will be glad to send business to someone they know.

 

[chellej]

we also did the trip to Kalaupapa and really enjoyed it. We ate a couple of times at a food truck by the gas station in town. The fish was fresh and very good and reasonable.

 

[Luanne]

Denise briefly mentioned the restaurant at the Hotel Molokai. I don't know if they are still doing it, but on Friday nights the "aunties" would all gather there to play their ukuleles. There was impromptu hula and also singing. The restaurant/bar was open to the public during this time. On's Denise's recommendation we made sure to go. My daughters said it was the most fun they had on that particular trip to Hawaii. We stayed for dinner afterwards, had a table right by the water, and the meal wasn't bad..