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Getting to Lanai is Half the Fun
Visitors to the Hawaiian island of Lanai
can either fly there, take a ferry from Maui,
or sail over on a catamaran.
From Maui across the 'Au'au Channel, the island of Lana’i appears
as a rounded hump, like a whale cradled in a calm and gentle sea.
From Lana’i, the West Maui Mountains are powerful and purple, an
extension of itself nine miles of ocean away.In prehistoric time,
Lana'i was one of several islands joined to Maui.Now it’s a small,
graceful, sparsely populated destination with its own strong identity:
Hawai'i’s most exclusive island.
Forgotten by time, an anachronism in modern Hawai'i, Lana'i is a
singular escape, a former pineapple plantation that has evolved
seamlessly into the ultimate vacation destination.Instead of high-rises,
stop lights, traffic jams and shopping centers, there is one small town
square and easygoing people whose way of life is centered outdoors.
On Lana'i, 80,000 acres of countryside invite fishing, swimming,
diving, hiking, hunting and riding horseback.
This means adventure coming and going, a journey of discovery even
before you set foot on the island. You can fly a jet, take a ferry,
or sail to Lana’i by catamaran.You can stay a day or a long time.
However you choose to arrive, you’ll find that getting there is
half the fun, and staying there is a grand adventure.
Two of Hawai'i’s airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Island Air, offer
daily flights to and from Lana'i.Hawaiian’s jet planes fly higher
but run less frequently than Island Air’s twin engine planes.
On the ocean, the Expeditions ferry, certified by the U.S. Coast
Guard, makes five 45-minute trips daily between Lana'i’s Manele
Harbor and Maui’s Lahaina Harbor. These trips are fun and purposeful,
with thrilling views of humpback whales in the winter and spinner
dolphins all year round—and behind Kaho'olawe, the summit of Mauna
Kea peeking through the clouds from Hawai'i’s Big Island.On land or
sea, Trilogy Lana'i Ocean Sports, Lana'i’s premier recreation
activities operator, offers a full menu of land tours, private
charters, and snorkel and scuba sails between Maui and Lana'i and
in the surrounding waters.
Once you arrive, the adventures expand exponentially. Will it be
golf, archery, the spa, meandering around town, watersports, or
exploring the remote beaches and abandoned villages in a 4-wheel
drive? Shuttle service is provided from Lana'i Airport to the
upland Lodge at Ko'ele and the Manele Bay Hotel at Hulopo’e Beach.
An inter-hotel shuttle, complimentary for hotel guests, runs every
half-hour between the two hotels, stopping on the way at Hotel
Lana'i in Lana'i City.
If you plan to venture off the beaten path, Lana'i City Service
is the sole purveyor of rental vehicles, from 4-wheel-drive
Wrangler Jeeps, Cherokees, and mini vans to trusty four door
sedans. Because Lana'i has only 30 miles of paved road,
4-wheel drive vehicles provide the opportunity to explore
the back roads, abandoned villages, and out-of-the-way points
that are the historic landmarks of the island.And of course,
there’s nothing like a horseback ride, bicycles, mountain bikes,
and a sturdy pair of walking shoes to help you hit the trails.
Everything in Lana'i City is in walking distance, bringing a
remarkable feeling of accessibility to the luxury of seclusion.
Customized tours to the far corners of the island, such as
Polihua Beach, Keomuku village, and the historic Kaunolu, can
be arranged through private tour companies with knowledgeable
guides who enlighten you with fascinating history and culture.
Article courtesy of the Lanai Visitors Association
See also:
More Articles About Lanai
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