The Island of Lanai

Lanai overview

Lanai was considered kapu (forbidden) until the 15th century. It was thought that the island was inhabited by demons, so the early Hawaiians gave it a wide berth. Jim Dole--the pineapple magnate--purchased the entire island in 1922. At its peak, the plantation employed 6,000 worked and produced nearly a quarter million tons of pineapple per year. Lanai's environment is truly pristine and untouched, and immortalized by stunning Munro Trail. This eight-mile hike leads through rainforest to the highest point on Lanai, where Maui, Molokai, Oahu and the Hawaii Island all come into full spectacular view. Other activities include horseback riding through misty eucalyptus forests, where axis deer and wild turkey roam. Explore picturesque Shipwreck Beach, where the cargo ship Liberty wrecked around the time of World War II (pictured at right). There's also world-class golf and archery, English clay shooting, and four-wheeling into the mysterious Garden of the Gods (pictured below).

Photo courtesy Hawaii Tourism Japan.

• Microsoft mogul Bill Gates chose Lanai for his wedding. To ensure privacy, he not only rented all the hotel rooms on the island but also all the local helicopters.
• There's a great dive spot off Lanai called The Cathedrals - giant lava caves that scuba divers can swim inside. Sunlight shines in through vertical "windows" in the caves, looking very much like the stained glass windows in a cathedral.
• Lanai was formed by a single shield volcano creating a volcanic mass of tablelands and eroded gorges.
• Lanai was first discovered by Kaululaau (the son of a Maui chief), who was later banished to Lanai by his father after he destroyed the local breadfruit crop.