Kaunakakai
Molokai Surf, Molokai Island Creations, and Lourdes are clothing and gift shops close to one another in downtown Kaunakakai, where most of the retail shops sell T-shirts, muumuu, surf wear, and informal apparel. For food shopping, there are several good options -- and because many visitors stay in condos, knowing the grocery stores is especially important. Other than that, serious shoppers will be disappointed, unless they love kites or native-wood vessels.
For fresh-baked goods, see Kanemitsu's Bakery & Restaurant.
The Perfect Molokai Souvenir
It's small, it's easy to pack, and it's made only on Molokai: It's Molokai salt. The Hawaii Kai Corporation (www.hawaiikaico.com) has two product lines featuring Molokai salt: the gourmet Soul of the Sea ($18 for 12 oz.) and the Palm Island Premium ($6 for 6 oz.). Soul of the Sea salt is hand-harvested from some of the cleanest ocean water in the state, hand-processed and hand-packed on Molokai. It comes in three varietals: Papohaku White, Kilauea Black, and Haleakala Red. While making Soul of the Sea salt, Hawaii Kai Corporation got a byproduct it calls Ocean Essence, which it blends with Molokai salt to restore trace minerals lost in the heating process. The result is Palm Island Premium, which comes in White Silver, Red Gold, Black Lava, and Bamboo Jade. The newest line is Hawaii Kai Gourmet, which comes in white, red, black, and green blends.
