Molokai is the island associated with the world’s highest sea cliffs at Kalaupapa. Rising roughly 3,000 feet above the Pacific, these dramatic cliffs form the northern wall of the Kalaupapa Peninsula.
The cliffs were not simply carved gradually by waves. Scientists believe they resulted from the catastrophic collapse of the northern side of East Molokai volcano about 1.5 million years ago. Huge landslides carried volcanic rock into the ocean, leaving a steep escarpment and offshore debris field.
Kalaupapa is also known for its history as an isolated settlement for people with Hansen’s disease, formerly called leprosy. Hawaii established the settlement in 1866, and Father Damien arrived there in 1873 to care for residents. The peninsula’s isolation was reinforced by the cliffs, ocean, and limited access.
A common mix-up is confusing the island with Maui County: Molokai belongs to Maui County, but the Kalaupapa Peninsula is separately administered as Kalawao County. The island’s name is also commonly written Molokaʻi.