Kalaupapa Cliffs

Yes, the Kalaupapa Cliffs are recognized as the highest sea cliffs in the world, reaching a staggering elevation of 1,010 meters. They are located on the northern shore of the island of Molokai in Hawaii, USA.

The isolated Kalaupapa peninsula at the base of the cliffs was famously used as a forced settlement for patients with Hansen's disease (leprosy) starting in 1866. The settlement's remote location, surrounded by these towering sea cliffs, made it a natural prison for those quarantined there.

Hiking down the steep cliffs to the Kalaupapa settlement requires a strictly enforced permit due to the small number of remaining residents in the community. Most visitors access the area via small plane tours or organized mule rides down the towering cliff trails.

The Kalaupapa Cliffs were formed by a massive volcanic landslide that created a sheer drop from the northern flank of East Molokai into the Pacific Ocean. Over thousands of years, ocean erosion carved the distinct sheer, dramatic faces seen today.