A Pristine And Uncrowded Hawaiian Beach On Molokai Is Known For Its Vibrant Sand

The first thing you'll notice about Papohaku Beach is how open it is. There's no resort next door to dominate the landscape. There's no thicket of umbrellas and folding chairs, where beachgoers have crowded together. You probably won't hear loud music or the screams of children playing Marco Polo. This stretch of sand is famously quiet and remote, especially for Hawaii in the high season. The adjacent Kalua Koi Road is mostly undeveloped. The Panda Airstrip is located nearby, but the most traffic you'll probably see is an occasional private jet.

The second thing you'll notice is more unique to Papohaku: When the sunlight hits the beach in just the right way, the white sand suddenly blazes a fiery orange. This usually takes place in the afternoon when the sun is inching toward the horizon. More than just a pretty sunset, the oceanfront of Papohaku takes on an ethereal glow.

Hawaii is already replete with natural wonders, and many of them are hidden gems that only locals know. Some of these wonders also have to do with boldly colored beaches, such as the black sands of Maui or the green hues of the Big Island. But part of what makes Papohaku so special is its obscure location: The beach stands on the western coast of Molokai Island, which is widely considered the least developed — and least visited — island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Set between the better-known islands of Maui and Honolulu, Molokai has a population of only 7,400 and no major cities. Few out-of-staters have ever heard of Molokai, and it's perfectly normal for life-long residents to never even set foot here.

Getting to Papohaku is definitely a trek. Most mainland travelers will fly into Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, the largest airport in Hawaii and actually one of the largest in the world. From there, you'll take a second plane to Molokai Airport, roughly in the middle of the island. From there, it's a 25-minute drive out to Papohaku Beach, either by rental car or taxi. After so much travel, you may need some sunny sand to relax on. Note that cell service is reportedly patchy on the island, and although there aren't many roads, self-driving tourists might very well have to stop and ask for directions. Typical prices for round-trip tickets to Molokai are in the low $200s, which may break the bank for families or solo travelers who have already spent a fortune to get to the Central Pacific in the first place.

If Papohaku Beach is so inconvenient to get to, how come people even know about it? As it happens, the western side of Molokai is also home to most of the island's best-known beaches, such as Lighthouse Beach, Kaopoa, and Pohaku Mauliuli. Each beach has its own personality, and only Papohaku gleams in that distinctly ochre way. This coast is a popular destination for sunning and swimming, although nearly all of these visitors will return to the south side of the island to stay the night.

Meanwhile, for most visitors, Molokai is a once-in-a-lifetime destination, the kind of underrated island paradise that is a great spot for crowd-free beach vacations. With its epic, green-carpeted cliffs — rising a record-setting 3,900 feet above the crashing waves — plus clear waters ripe for snorkeling, Molokai casts a powerful spell on visitors. And that's before they even try the food.

Molokai is known for challenging hikes, spectacular vistas, and the 250-foot-tall thread of water known as Moa'ula Falls. Molokai's nickname is "The Friendly Isle," and at only 38 miles long, the island gives visitors the feeling of a hospitable small town. Local accommodations are known for their pools, ocean views, and swaying palm trees, and local restaurants specialize in freshly caught seafood, such as the local favorite Hiro's Ohana Grill. Tour company Molokai Outdoors arranges kayak and SUP tours for paddling of all experience levels, and the Halawa Valley Cultural Hike helps visitors understand and appreciate the Indigenous experience on the island — an on-foot excursion that culminates in a final freshwater swim.

Because of its remoteness, though, fewer than 30,000 non-residents spent time on Molokai in 2024. This is only a tiny fraction of the 9.8 million people who came to explore the other Hawaiian islands. Most people debate how to pick the perfect Hawaiian island for their visit and ultimately venture elsewhere. On the one hand, you won't find the diverse food options or crashing nightlife of Honolulu, nor are singles likely to find a large dating pool. On the other hand, Molokai is an ideal place to avoid lines and bond with nature and local people. Note that accommodations on Molokai can be pricey, and $300 per night is a fairly common rate for hotel rooms. For folks who want to save a buck and have brought their own tents, Molokai has several state parks with places to camp, including on Papohaku Beach.