Known as “Pineapple Isle”, once covered with pineapple plantation, Lanai is the smallest island of Hawaii.
With few resorts and paved roads and no traffic lights, this island has plenty of natural beauty to explore. It has valleys, ironwood forests, cook pine trees and fabulous beaches. Therefore, it is perfect for hiking and mountain biking lovers and golfers. After that, is great for scuba diving and snorkelling enthusiasts.
The main village, Lanai City, founded in the early 1900s as a plantation town, is just 4 kilometers away from the airport. Visitors can find local dining, art galleries and small boutiques and discover artisanal works at the Lanai Art Center. This is a non-profit organisation that provides arts and cultural experiences for all residents and visitors.
Don’t miss
The must-see places of Lanai are, the Garden of the Gods (Keahiakawelo), on the Northwest side. This is a unique lunar rocky landscape with no trees, flowers or grass. After that the Kaunolu Village, on the southern part of the island. This spot has ruins of a surviving prehistoric Hawaiian fishing village.
For beach lovers, Lanai offers isolated shores for tanning and relaxing. The most renowned in the North are for example Shipwreck Beach (Kaiolohia). It has shallow reef, strong currents and a derelict ship stuck in the water. After that, Polihua Beach is a long white sand beach where to see green sea turtles and humpback whales.
In the South part of the island travellers can visit the Hulopoe Bay, a protected bay with white sand, crystal blue water and marine life. In fact this is ideal for snorkelling. After that, Manele Bay is a marine preserve with colourful fish and with dolphins.
Info: https://www.gohawaii.com/ – https://www.meethawaii.com/
Photo credit: © Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), Hawaii Tourism Japan (HTJ), Dana Edmunds, Pierce M Myers Photography
