Kalaupapa Leprosy Settlement and National Historical Park

Kalaupapa is a National Historical Park on an isolated peninsula on Molokai that once served as a settlement for people with Hansen's disease. The site contains historic buildings, cemeteries, and medical facilities that document life at the location.

The peninsula was established in 1866 when the Hawaiian government began sending people with Hansen's disease there. The location operated as a quarantine settlement until the isolation policy ended in 1969.

The name Kalaupapa comes from Hawaiian and means "flat bay." The buildings and streets here still reflect how residents organized their daily lives, with simple structures that show how communities adapted to isolation.

Access to the peninsula is restricted and requires advance reservation plus approval from authorized tour operators. Visitors must be at least 16 years old and should prepare for limited hours and challenging terrain.

A small number of longtime residents retain the right to live on the peninsula for life, maintaining direct connection to this place. This rare arrangement means the site is still inhabited by people who lived through its history.

Location: Kalawao County

Inception: December 22, 1980

Operator: United States National Park Service

Website: https://nps.gov/kala

GPS coordinates: 21.17780,-156.96000

Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:04