molokai? or any other island really? (Honolulu, Kahului: find a job, to live, prices)

[endlessdel42]

i am beginning to have serious thoughts about moving to hawaii. i found an opportunity to live on molokai for very little, but i am wondering about the place. it looks like there isn't very much there. if i did go my situation would be such that it wouldn't be absolutely necessary i find a job right away but i would need one eventually. are there a lot of jobs there for poeple without education? and how costly or time consuming is it to go from island to island? and, well, really ecerything. any info at all about life on this or any other island would be appreciated. thank you for your time

[whynot?]

Moloka`i is a beautiful place. That said, it also has the highest unemployment of any of the islands and the least (and -- I believe -- lowest paying) job opportunities. The largest employer left in a huff this past year, locking gates and burning bridges behind.

Moloka`i is a proud, tightly bound community at heart, and prides itself on its ability to get by with near-subsistence level farming, fishing, and hunting and very few outside jobs. It is not the "traditional Hawaiian way," however, like on Ni`ihau. Moloka`i likes its trucks, its cable TV, its high-speed internet and -- in a way -- its privacy. It is known as "the friendly isle," and the people are warm and welcoming as long as you don't come planning to change anything.

The cost and time to travel to other island depends upon where you're going. There's not-every-day ferry service to Lahainatown on Maui (1 1/2 hours each way), and a small airport at Hoolehua where you can fly to Honolulu (about 25 miles), Kahului (Maui), and the other islands. The prices for these flights varies, but it's usually between $100 and $150 round-trip. The last time I took the ferry, it was $40 each way; I assume it's more now. Everything else is.

Best of luck.

[endlessdel42]

thank you for the informative response. i'm starting to get a little depressed because this is starting to seem like a slightly unrealistic dream, but god the place looks so beautiful i want to be there now.

[Heiwos]

The other islands are beautiful too! You could work on a different island and just visit Molokai. IMO Kauai is the most beautiful of the four major islands, although I like the Big Island the best.