Lanai

I had the opportunity to stay at the Four Seasons by the sea and also the resort that’s inland. What a beautiful place. Was attending company events so they kept us entertained but otherwise, the place is extremely quiet. Not many people or businesses. I have no idea what it’s like since the oligarch bought it. LOL

Nothing much to do. One is enough, and need to book a tour if you want to visit the whole island . One way 10 dollar . The beaches are good with good crystal clear water . Good for relaxing . There is a small lake by the beach , good for snorkeling

Lana’i, Hawaii’s hidden gem, boasts a marine splendor that is nothing short of breathtaking. Its shores, caressed by crystal-clear turquoise waters, serve as a window to an underwater world teeming with vibrant coral reefs and a myriad of marine life. From playful spinner dolphins to the elegant manta rays, the seas around Lana’i offer a mesmerizing display of nature’s beauty. On land, the island’s wildlife continues to enchant, with rare birds and endemic species making it a haven for nature enthusiasts. The juxtaposition of the azure sea against the rugged coastline creates a visual symphony, making Lana’i not just a destination, but an experience for the soul.

Ocean Riders Adventure Tours took us out for the day. Shipwrecks, royal burial sights, blowholes, turtles, whales, secluded beaches, fresh fruit for breakfast, awesome deli spread for lunch, no other boats crowding the snorkeling spots, circumnavigate the island, FUN boat ride. Great way to see Lanai. 10/10 HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

This island has an interesting story to tell and great hikes. Let her introduce herself to you and you explore. Might just be my new favorite island.

Authentic Hawaii (probably too isolated for most). no traffic, no crowds, no stress. Nice beach and great hiking

Great beach & island time exploring...4 days was perfect! Lanai..mellow..yea!

Went scuba diving there, water was extremely transparent and full of life

Lana'i: Quiet and Laidback We stayed in Maui and planned a long enough vacation that we were able to squeeze in a day trip to Lanai and it was, without a doubt, worth it. We went online and booked a ferry ride to take us to Lanai. After a quick 45-minute ferry ride, we found ourselves landing on a different island! Lanai is located just nine miles from the west side of Maui and is one of three populated islands that make up the County of Maui: Lanai, Molokai, and Maui. When we docked at the Manele Harbor we got in one of the shuttles that took us to Downtown. The shuttle requires guests to make advance reservations. Yikes! The cost of a rental car can be over $200 per day. We used the shuttle system. It costs $10 per person for the shuttle. Tips are appreciated. $1-2 should be good. It's basically a ride sharing service so it won't just be your private group in the car, you will likely be riding with someone else. The shuttle will basically go anywhere there's a paved road... just so you know many of the sights are on unpaved roads and required some hiking so be prepared. Downtown Lanai is very small. We found shops, art galleries, restaurants, grocery markets and other businesses here (gym, laundromat, movie theater). The size of some of the business structures are no bigger than an average-sized house. The movie theater only showed two films. Currently, Spider-Man and Top Gun: Maverick were showing. Dole Park is in the center of these businesses. Locals here are friendly... we met one guy at Dole Park, Filipino, came to the islands when he was 3. Chatted with us while he ate his lunch. I almost picked up on his Pidgin English. He spoke of changes in the island and said "change is good, eh" referring to the growing tourist business. Originally an island-wide pineapple plantation (nicknamed "The Pineapple Isle") Lanai now is known for its quiet beauty and luxurious five-star resorts. And Oracle co-founder, Larry Ellison doesn't just own a home in Hawaii -- he owns an entire island. In 2012, Ellison bought 98% of the island of Lanai. Happy travels! That's all. Review #2687

12/3/2022: Still bumbling here, there, and everywhere exploring Lanai! Pamela, Maria, Chelsea, and I are bumbling throughout the Island Of Lanai despite, experiencing an horrific setback with Ace Rental Car, i.e., ACE RENT A CAR SUCKS! You're egregiously lower than pond scum ripping Maria off hundreds of US Dollars for a car rental which NEVER EXISTED--Karma knows who you are AND your Modus Operandi, BLEEPING, BLEEP SCAMMERS FROM HELL! ANYWAY~We traversed hiking throughout the beach leading towards Shipwreck, driving rocky, rough terrain driving the Airport Manager's car-Pua (Mahalo twenty million times saving our Lanai exploration for allowing us renting YOUR PERSNAL VEHICLE!!!), experiencing feeling fear getting LITERALLY STUCK IN THE MUD with NOBODY around for MILES, etc., all due to Expedition Six, Rabaca Shuttle-Rae Anne, and Airport Manager, PUA!!!!

Both my parents were born here so I spent more than enough summers and holidays at the grandparent's houses. So of course I gotta rate it 5 stars. There's not many places like it. You can walk the whole city in a short time. No traffic signals, no Starbucks, no McDonald's, no WiFi. Instead, it's a vacation for your mind and spirit. Hopefully you enjoy it as much as I do.

Its a once-in-a-lifetime trip...rent a vehicle while visiting! Don't bother with the $200 4x4 jeep rental! I have found that I can get anywhere on the island with a regular car rental, priced at $145 (that is with the taxes and fees included). Price if per one day (not 24 hours)! Also, with car rentals, they drop them off at the ferry or airport, depending on where you arrive. If you rent a jeep, you have to pay $20 round-trip for a shuttle to pick up your jeep in the city (per person by the way). Visit shipwreck beach, Garden of the gods, cat sanctuary, and a few hikes. Lots of good snorkeling too!

Such a mystical place. Once a Dole Pineapple based operation. Long since closed and moved on from and Billionaire owners that have purchased the island. It is still worth the ferry ride over to see what "old" Hawaii looked like. Dole Square is stunning and a reminder of the past.

Such a laid back relaxing island compared to Oahu. Wish I could take country roads to work. Felt like a dream driving around. People were friendly and always waved no matter if they knew you or not, lots of Aloha. Fly to Oahu and catch another flight by Ohana Airlines to Lanai or fly to Maui and catch the ferry across or another smaller flight. I'm not sure how the rental cars work when catching a ferry. Even though the island is small and seems walkable, it surely is not how I want to spend my time exploring. We caught the last flight out and arrived after 7pm. Dollar closed at exactly 7pm so a rental car was out. Fortunately I have some connects and was able to borrow a 4WD drive truck. No traffic and a nice scenery drive perfect for picture taking. I have seen cops pulling speeders over. Come on people, it's one of the smaller islands, what's the rush!? After using maps the first day, I pretty much knew my way around. Great spot to hunt for deer and mouflon during those open seasons! I recommend this to all those explorers who want to cross this Hawaiian island off their bucket list and people who prefer privacy and seclusion. As of right now, Four Seasons is open, no Air B&B allowed unfortunately. Hotel Lanai is under construction still. Besides the beach and exploring sites, there are only 2 other activities offered: horse back riding and ATV rides. To my surprise to ATV was booked up! My 6 year old son was too young to ride a horse by himself but could do the keiki class. We could not ride together so that was out of the plan. I'm sure we'll be back though, when he is older and allowed to hunt and ride those horses!

Peaceful and serene. Day trip from Lahaina harbor. Left at 0645am return trip at 230pm. Plenty of time. Used the shuttle Rabaca from the port, to the city and to the beach.

If you are going to the Hawaiian Islands you have to research and pick the right island for you. Each island has its own personality. Lanai is definitely the laid back island of Hawaii. To get to Lanai, there are no direct flights from the mainland, you have to fly to Maui and then get another smaller flight or a ferry. We got to Lanai by ferry from Lahaina, Maui. It was about a 45 minutes boat trip on which we saw several humpback whales. Lanai is not filled with tourists. It has about 3000 full time residents of the island who mostly work for the two Four Seasons Resorts or from the government (school, police, fire, etc...). Most of the people on the island are actually of Filipino decent because they were brought there to work the pineapple plantation. People on the island are very friendly. The island is beautiful but no where near as lush as Maui or even Oahu. There are very few trees, and the few there were planted in the last 100 years. The island is quite arid as well. So, what's there to do on Lanai? Mostly relax or play golf. There are two gorgeous resorts each with their own personality and style. Each has a championship golf course. If you aren't into golf, then you can go horseback riding, go to the spa, snorkel, swim... There are no movie theatres, very few restaurants, and no nightlife. This island is for the wealthy (those resorts aren't cheap) who want some privacy and seclusion. Expect to spend some serious cash on the island. There are few if any ways to be thrifty on Lanai, so plan accordingly. Make sure to see The Garden of the Gods and Ship Wreck Beach while you are there.

A relaxing and restful island to enjoy! People are friendly and the island is clean and enjoyable. Prices are more expensive than on other islands, but that's to be expected... We have been visiting annually for 20 years, staying at The Lodge, Manele Bay, or with friends, and we always find something new to explore or do! Never a dull moment. Right now, both The Lodge and Manele Bay are closed for renovation and upgrade.Can't wait to see what they're going to look like once they are completed. Of course, word is that Larry Ellison is turning Lanai into a world class destination for billionaires, so that puts everything way out of our league! Still, his commitment to the people of Lanai is commendable. Woo hoo!

Lovely island, very walkable Lanai City. Beautiful views from Manele bay and especially good food everywhere on the island.

You definitely have to be of a certain mindset to appreciate a trip to Lana'i. 1. Accept the fact that you will spend a lot more for anything and everything than you are used to spending. Gas is well over $5 a gallon here. Food at the resorts are pricey. 2. Be very laid back or very in need of completely unplugging and relaxing. There is not much to do here, unless you are outdoorsy, like the beach or shooting at things, and/or like to swim or lie on the beach. Anything outside of that, see #1 but really, there is not much outside of that. If you are fine with parting with gobs of money for a luxurious time at either the Lodge or Manele Bay and kicking back and relaxing like it's your job, Lana'i is a great place to visit.

An island of peace, quiet, and beauty. Love the people of this incredible island and the rich culture and history surrounding them. Manele Harbor provides a great welcome from the harbor. The general store has a great selection of food sundries. If you are up for a five minute walk, Hulopoe Beach is just around the corner. The shuttle to town is also a great deal. Great restaurants and places to hang.

This island is known as the "Pineapple Isle," however, I say it should be call the "Baby Friendly Isle." We brought our 9-months old baby girl with us for her first trip. Here are the reasons why: 1) No car seats required. Shuttle services from the Four Seasons will take you between the properties, airport and Lanai City. 2) No hustle and bustle. This is truly an R&R place. There is no sightseeing. Eat, Sleep, Play! 3) Baby friendly accommodations. See my review on Four Seasons - The Lodge at Koele. Beautiful and relaxing island. Can't wait to come back when our baby girl is a little bigger, so she can enjoy relaxing at the poolside and riding the pony.

Wow! Just wow! This island is unlike any other. We were fortunate enough to get to visit as part of the Trilogy Discover Lana'i Tour. We sailed over from Lahaina and spent about 4 hours on Lana'i. Our first stop was Hulopoe Beach at Manele Bay. Absolutely breathtaking beach! Right out of a movie scene. We then ventured up to Lana'i City via a van tour. The island is home to just over 3k people and is very beautiful. It has a home-y feel to it. Everyone knows everyone because it is so small. Our guide for the van tour explained about the town square and how everyone knows each other. She also gave a history about the island. It is definitely worth a visit if you get the opportunity. I was stunned that up until recently they had a dentist, but that the dentist did not do pediatric dentistry?!?! How sad for the children of Lana'i. They are slowly starting to develop, and hopefully in the coming years more people we be able to visit this majestic island.

ISLAND OF LANAI -Larry Ellison had purchased most of the island on June 2012. I don't know how the island will change, but he plans to expand the island's population from 3000 to double. We stayed on the island for 11 days in April. We loved it. It is somewhere we want to retire someday. Swim and hike every day. Low crime and accident rate, with tranquility and beautiful nature. There are only 2 clinics on the island, no hospital. As long as we can keep ourselves healthy or have a good insurance/s to transfer to major hospital in other island, I think we are good to go. The living expenses seem to be higher than Honolulu, so we might need to keep working IF we move.

Lanai is a special island, a secret no wants to talk too much about for various reasons. A place that helps remind you that life is more than material items. Sure it takes some work to get there, but the ferry from Lanhaina sure makes it pretty easy these days. The number one reason to go there is the dolphins. The spinner dolphins pod supposedly call Manele Bay area there home. While I was there, several people swam out to them. Something to do in your lifetime. You have to be comfortable entering the food bowl zone of the ocean. They were about 3oo yards from the beach. The number two reason to go there is the people. The locals are some of the nicest I have met on the islands. You can stay on the cheap at the hotel in Lanai City, a B&B that is reasonably priced. They had some rooms that were very reasonable. I didn't stay, but I wanted to. The hotel's front desk person let me view a couple of room, they were clean and no TVs. I will return as promised. There are some cheap eats in the City of Lanai, just stay out the pick pocket artists of the Four Seasons and you will be fine. PS: Thanks Four Season for the free bus ride to the City of Lanai. Well, since the company the Four Season manages the property for almost literally own the entire island I guess I paid you back by spending some money in the City.

Larry-Ellison approved. Need I say more? Beautiful island, beautiful resorts, swimming with the dolphins in the bay. You can't really ask for anything more... well, unless you want to spend less on hotels, or you really need to live the non-4-5 star lifestyle.