Lanai is the Hawaiian word for a porch or balcony. Lanai is the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is also known as the Pineapple Island because of its past as an island-wide pineapple plantation. The only town is Lanai City, a small settlement. The island is somewhat comma-shaped, with a width of 18 miles in the longest direction. The land area is 140.5 square miles making it the 42nd largest island in the United States. It is separated from the island of Molokai by the Kalohi Channel to the north, and from Maui by the Au'au Channel to the east. The United States Census Bureau defines Lanai as Census Tract 316 of Maui County. Its total population was 3,193 as of the 2000 census. Many of the island's landmarks and sites are located off of dirt roads where four wheel drive is required. Lanai History Lanai was first seen by Europeans on February 25, 1779, when Captain Charles Clerke sighted the island from aboard James Cook's HMS Resolution. Clerke had taken command of the ship after Cook was killed at Kealakekua Bay on February 14, and was leaving the islands for the North Pacific. In 1922, James Dole, the president of Hawaiian Pineapple Company (later renamed to Dole Food Company), bought the entire island of Lanaai, and developed a large portion of it into the world's largest pineapple plantation. In 1985, Lanai passed into the control of David H. Murdock, as a result of his purchase of Castle & Cooke. Tourism on Lanai started more recently as the pineapple industry was phased out in the islands. There are two resort hotels on Lanai, both managed by Four Seasons Hotels: Manele Bay and the Lodge at Ko'ele. The latter is unusual for a resort in Hawaii in that it is located inland rather than near the beach. There is also a small hotel in Lanaai City used primarily for people visiting Lanaai residents. Both resorts have golf courses, and are managed by Four Seasons. Most of the attractions on the island outside of the hotels and town can be visited only via dirt roads that require a 4x4 vehicle. Places to visit
• Puu Pehe, a.k.a. "Sweetheart Rock", is situated about 150 feet offshore between Manele Bay and Hulopoe Bay along the island’s southern coastline. It is one of Lanai’s most recognizable landmarks and also the setting for one of Hawaii’s most enduring legends. THE LEGEND OF SWEETHEART ROCK It is also the setting for one of Hawaii’s most enduring legends. He took her as his wife and brought her back to his home island. He was so stricken with her beauty that he was afraid to let other men see her, and thus he confined the princess to a sea cave near the rock. this side of the island. The warrior rushed back to the cave, but it was too late: His beloved Puu Pehe had drowned. Heartbroken, he retrieved her body and, with the help of the gods, climbed the steep rock island, where he buried her in a tomb. Overcome with grief, the warrior then leapt off the rock to his death. southern coastline. A closer look at this picturesque sea stack reveals, indeed, a tomb-like structure resting at the summit. Archeologists who have studied the rock will tell you that there are no human remains in this "tomb." The tomb, in fact, may actually be a bird heiau constructed by the ancient Hawaiians, as numerous bones from sea birds have been found near the heiau. A trail from the beach will lead you to a breathtaking overlook of Puu Pehe. A number of tidepools, a sea arch and Sharks Cove are found along the trail. Do not attempt to scale the rock. The walls are impossibly steep and the rocky waters below are swift and treacherous. • Keahikawelo, also known as "Garden of the Gods", is characterized by boulders of varying sizes, shapes and colors. They are the result of thousands of years of erosion. • The largest private residence on the island is a mansion owned by billionaire David H. Murdock. It is located next to Manele Bay, on the south east side of the island.
Best Beaches, Tropical Fls, and Volcanoes.
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