Tour· Kahoolawe· Hawaii
Kahoolawe Volunteer and Cultural Access (KIRC / PKO)
20° 35.7′ N · 156° 33.3′ W · approximate
The only legitimate way to set foot on Kahoolawe is to join a KIRC restoration volunteer trip or a Protect Kahoolawe Ohana (PKO) cultural access: hard, hot work replanting native plants, with Hawaiian protocol and nights on an island almost no one sees.
Practical
Approx: position is Hakioawa Bay on the northeast end (OpenStreetMap feature), where PKO crews land; KIRC's base camp is elsewhere on the island. Apply through KIRC's volunteer form (kahoolawe.hawaii.gov) or PKO (kahoolawe.org). All participants must attend an orientation (access forms, permit fees, what to pack). Volunteers get themselves to Maui; transport from Maui to the island is provided. A 2009 Hawaii Magazine account described weekly KIRC trips (Monday to Thursday, 20-25 volunteers, about $100 covering transport, food and lodging) and monthly PKO trips of up to 60 people from the north end; a 2026 Civil Beat piece describes PKO crews landing at Hakioawa before dawn for two days on island. Trip formats and costs change; verify locally. Private boats may not drop people off.
Best for
A cultural experience few visitors ever get
Nearby
- Kahoolawe Island Reserve3.7 NM away
- Molokini Backwall3.8 NM away
- Molokini Crater Marine Life Conservation District4 NM away
- Molokini Day-Use Moorings and Anchoring Ban4 NM away
- Molokini Inner Crater Reef (Enenue)4.1 NM away
- Kahoolawe (Restricted Island)6.3 NM away
- Puu Olai Reef Dive (Makena)6.3 NM away
- Puu Olai Cinder Cone Hike6.4 NM away