Check in at Lahaina Harbor for your early morning ferry from Maui to Molokai. During the 2-hour crossing, keep an eye out for dolphins and whales in the waters around you.

Your friendly local guide meets you when you disembark on Molokai. Travel by air-conditioned coach to Pala'au State Park where immense cliffs rise 2,000 feet (610 meters) above the ocean, separating the Kalaupapa Peninsula below from the rest of the island.

Kalaupapa is known for being a place of exile for people afflicted with Hansen’s disease, once known as leprosy. Learn about the forced relocations from 1865-1969 that sent the afflicted to live on the peninsula, and how the revered Father Damien and Mother Marianne Cope cared for the patients for decades. Both were recently declared saints.

Next, visit Molokai Coffee Plantation where you hear about the history of coffee in Hawaii while sipping a cup of their delicious brew, made from island-grown coffee beans.

Afterward, stop at a local treasure, Purdy's Macadamia Nut Farm. The amiable owners of the small family-run operation are likely to welcome you and show you around. Walk along a row of macadamia nut trees as you learn the history of the farm and the processes for growing and harvesting the nuts, then sample delicious nuts and macadamia flower honey.

Say farewell to the Purdys and head to catered lunch at the local Hotel Molokai . Then travel along the coast to visit one of the churches built by Father Damien in the late 1800s.

Have time to take in Molokai’s main town, sleepy Kaunakakai. Soak up the town’s rustic paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) atmosphere, a good example of Molokai’s low-key style, before returning to the ferry for your trip back to Maui.