KALAUPAPA NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK – Public tours have resumed at an extremely remote national historical park on Molokai, opening a path once again for visitors to experience one of Hawaii’s most historic and sacred places.
After a three-year hiatus, Kalaupapa Saints Tours, operated by Seawind Tours & Travel, began guiding small groups on September 24. All 2025 tours have been sold out according to the tour group’s website.
The intimate tours are designed to honor and respect the few remaining patient-residents who still call Kalaupapa home. Tours shed light on the stories of more than 8,000 people — most of them Native Hawaiian — who lived and died in Kalaupapa after being diagnosed with Hansen’s disease, which was formerly called Leprosy.
Visitors walk through patient cottages, cemeteries, and St. Philomena Church, with guides sharing the stories of Saint Damien, Saint Marianne, and the people who built lives of resilience in isolation.
“We want people to understand and relate not only to the saints who were here, but also to the community itself,” said Randy King of Seawind Tours & Travel.
The National Park Service awarded the contract to a company owned by Kalaupapa patient-residents, ensuring that those most connected to the history lead the work of interpretation.
Superintendent Nancy Holman underscored the importance of approaching Kalaupapa with reverence: “When this park was created in 1980, it was not set aside as a recreation site. It was set aside as a place for reflection, inspiration, and education.”
For more details or reservations, visit Kalaupapa Saints Tours online or call (808) 949-4144.
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