Lana'i, Hawaii's Secluded Island

Size:

Lana'i is the sixth largest of the Hawaiian Islands with a land area of 141 square miles. Lanai is 13 miles wide by 18 miles long.

Population:

As of the 2000 U.S. Census: 3,000. Ethnic Mix: 22% Hawaiian, 21% Caucasian, 19% Japanese, 12% Filipino, 4% Chinese, 22% Other

Nickname:

Lana'i used be nicknamed the "Pineapple Island" when the Dole Company owned a huge pineapple plantation there. Unfortunately, no pineapple is grown on Lana'i anymore. Now they call themselves the "Secluded Island."

Biggest Town:

Lana'i City (the island's one and only populated town)

The only airport is the Lana'i Airport, located three miles southwest of Lana'i City It is serviced by Hawaiian Airlines and Island Air.

The Expeditions Lahaina-Lana'i Ferry departs Lahaina Harbor on Maui from the public loading dock near the Pioneer Inn and docks at Manele Harbor near the Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay. There are five daily departures in each direction. Fare is $25 each way for adults and $20 for children. Expeditions also offers several "Explore Lana'i" Packages.

Tourism

For many years, almost all of Lana'i was dedicated to growing Hawaii's most popular export, pineapples. Pineapple production ended in October 1992.

Lana'i has a varied climate due to large elevation changes on the island. The temperature at sea level is usually 10-12° warmer than the temperature in Lana'i City which sits at 1,645 feet in elevation. The average afternoon winter temperature in Lana'i City is around 66°F during the coldest months of December and January. August and September are the hottest summer months with an average temperature of 72°F.

Lana'i is a relatively dry island with average annual rainfall of just 37 inches

Miles of Shoreline - 47 linear miles of which 18 are sandy beaches.

Number of Beaches - 12 accessible beaches. 1 (Hulopoe Beach at Manele Bay) has public facilities. Sands may be white to gold in color.

Parks - There are no state parks, 5 county parks and community centers and no national parks.

Highest Peak - Lānaʻihale (3,370 feet above sea level)

Number of Visitors Annually - Approximately 75,000

Lodging:

• Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay sits atop a rugged red-lava cliff above a white-sand beach. It offers two golf courses, a spa and dynamic adventure amidst pristine, natural landscapes.
• Four Seasons Resort Lana'i, The Lodge at Koele, within the central highlands, provides a gracious retreat amidst manicured gardens along with two golf courses and many recreation options.
• The Hotel Lana'i is owner-operated and has 11 guest rooms and a Chef's Signature Restaurant.

Most Popular Visitor Attractions:

• The attractions and places consistently drawing the most visitors are Keahikawelo (Garden of the Gods), Kaiolohiʻa (Shipwreck beach), Hulopo`e Bay (Marine Sanctuary), Puʻupehe (Sweetheart Rock), and the Lānaʻihale and Kanepuʻu Preserve (Dryland forest).

Manele and Hulopoʻe are adjacent bays on the southern coast of Lana'i. The ruins of the ancient fishing village of Manele extend from the area just inland of Manele Small Boat Harbor to Hulopoʻe Beach Park. Within Manele Bay corals are most abundant along the sides of the bay near the cliffs, where the bottom slopes off quickly to about 40 feet. The middle of the bay is a sand channel. Just outside the western edge of the bay near Puʻu Pehe rock is "First Cathedrals", a popular SCUBA destination.

Virtually all activities on Lana'i are arranged through the concierge at one of the resorts. These include:

• Air Rifle Gallery
• Archery Gallery
• Beachcombing
• Blue Water Adventure Rafting
• Croquet
• 4x4 Exploration
• Golf
  Despite its small size, Lana'i is home to two of Hawaii's best golf courses: the Greg Norman designed Experience at Koʻele and the Jack Nicklaus designed Challenge at Manele. It has one municipal golf course, the nine hole Cavendish Golf Course.
• Hiking
• Horseback Riding
• Hunting
• Island Tours
• Lawn Bowling
• Mountain Biking
• Scuba diving
• Snorkeling
• The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Lānaʻi at Manele Bay
• Sports Fishing
• Sporting Clays
• Tennis

Photos

You can view lots of photos of Lana'i in our Lana'i Photo Gallery.