Mokoli'i Island (Chinaman's Hat)
Cost: $
Time: Half day (4-6 hours)
Directions: Take Kamehameha Hwy south to Kualoa Regional Park, head toward the island from the bunker at the end of the beach. You can swim, snorkel, kayak, paddleboard, or walk across the reef.
To go up to the top of the island, follow the trail, staying to the left when it branches.
Jutting out above the waves on the north rim of Kaneohe Bay rises the island called Mokoli’i, or more commonly, Chinaman’s Hat. According to Hawaiian legend, Mokoli’i, or “little lizard”, refers to the island as the tail of a giant lizard that gave battle to and was killed by Pele’s sister Hi’iakaikapoliopele. In recent ages the little island has been renamed “Chinaman’s Hat” as the influx of Chinese immigrants came to work on the plantations because of it’s resemblance to the traditional bamboo hats they wore in the fields. To college students here in Hawaii, it is a place that adventure-seekers go to feel the adrenaline pump through their veins and to feel the danger of nature untamed.
Cost: $
Time: Half day (4-6 hours)
Directions: Take Kamehameha Hwy south to Kualoa Regional Park, head toward the island from the bunker at the end of the beach. You can swim, snorkel, kayak, paddleboard, or walk across the reef.
To go up to the top of the island, follow the trail, staying to the left when it branches.
Jutting out above the waves on the north rim of Kaneohe Bay rises the island called Mokoli’i, or more commonly, Chinaman’s Hat. According to Hawaiian legend, Mokoli’i, or “little lizard”, refers to the island as the tail of a giant lizard that gave battle to and was killed by Pele’s sister Hi’iakaikapoliopele. In recent ages the little island has been renamed “Chinaman’s Hat” as the influx of Chinese immigrants came to work on the plantations because of it’s resemblance to the traditional bamboo hats they wore in the fields. To college students here in Hawaii, it is a place that adventure-seekers go to feel the adrenaline pump through their veins and to feel the danger of nature untamed.
Ok, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but Chinaman’s Hat is not an easy hike. Although there is a marked path, you will be climbing rock at one point or another. But the view from the top of the cliff is absolutely breathtaking. Once you’ve crossed the water, climbed the rock and reached the top, you will be rewarded with a spectacular view of the misty Kualoa mountains, crystal blue of Kaneohe Bay, and the wide open ocean of the Pacific.
The easiest way to cross over to the island is by crossing over the reef at low tide. Coming directly from the tip of Kualoa Regional Park where the old bunker is you can either walk or snorkel across the shallow reef all the way to the island.
Be sure to wear shoes that you can hike in AND get wet, and WEAR SUNBLOCK! For the love, wear sunblock. Other than that, a snorkel mask is optional. If you feel like it, you could also rent a kayak or paddleboard and paddle around the island--there’s a small beach hidden on the back side that has some tide pools around it as well.
Either way, Chinaman’s Hat is a win!
Mokoli’i Island
Kualoa Regional Park
49-479 Kamehameha Hwy
Kahaluu, HI 96744
by Mermaid on Land
The easiest way to cross over to the island is by crossing over the reef at low tide. Coming directly from the tip of Kualoa Regional Park where the old bunker is you can either walk or snorkel across the shallow reef all the way to the island.
Be sure to wear shoes that you can hike in AND get wet, and WEAR SUNBLOCK! For the love, wear sunblock. Other than that, a snorkel mask is optional. If you feel like it, you could also rent a kayak or paddleboard and paddle around the island--there’s a small beach hidden on the back side that has some tide pools around it as well.
Either way, Chinaman’s Hat is a win!
Mokoli’i Island
Kualoa Regional Park
49-479 Kamehameha Hwy
Kahaluu, HI 96744
by Mermaid on Land