Until 1991, Lanai was the world’s largest pineapple plantation, owned and operated by the famous Dole Company. It is now almost entirely owned by the Castle & Cooke Corporation, which has begun to turn the island into a tourist paradise.
When we think of Hawaii, we
think of beaches, tropical paradises, days relaxing in the sun in the mild
climate. Most people think first of the island of Oahu
and Honolulu, the geographic and
political center of the Hawaiian Islands. However, there
are many other islands besides Oahu which offer wonders
just as amazing as those of Oahu or even Maui
or Kauai.
Nestled between Molokai and Maui,
Lanai is the smallest of the populated Hawaiian isles
(save Niihau, which is not open to tourism). Lanai's population is only 2500 people, the majority of whom live in Lanai
City in the center of the island.
Lanai is unique among the Hawaiian Islands.
Views from atop its many cliffs often include the many islands surrounding it,
perhaps the best of all the islands from which to view neighboring isles. It
also gains a unique stamp from the Cook Island Pine trees that litter the
island. These trees are a strong part of the island's flavor, and were first
imported in the early 20th century by New Zealander George C. Munro, for whom
the Munro Trail is named. For a century the people of Lanai
served the Dole Company’s nearly island-wide pineapple plantation. Since Lanai’s
takeover by the Castle & Cooke Corporation, the economy has begun to change
from agriculture to tourism.
Because of its small size and relative exclusion, Lanai
is the least visited of the Hawaiian islands. This
offers visitors a chance to relish in the wonders of the island uninhibited by
the large numbers of tourists one would find on the more popular isles.
Uninhabited beaches, isolated trails, unspoiled beauty all mark the face of Lanai.
Lanai City
Lanai City
is the heart of the island of Lanai.
Not only is it the home of the majority of the island’s residents, it is also
the political center of the island. For most visitors of Lanai
it is also the springboard for their Lanai adventures,
housing most of the hotels and resorts available on the island.
Lanai City
is built in the tradition of the old plantation towns, and this feel exudes
from the city. The city is built around Dole
Park, a beautiful park which is
lined with frontier shops for tourists. Also on the edge of the park is the
Hotel Lanai, a remnant of the island’s plantation era built in 1923.
Other lodging available in the city includes the Lodge at Koele, a grand
award winning resort standing at the old headquarters of the Lanai Ranch.