On the southern end of the island one finds the most beautiful and tropical
part of Lanai, where the twin bays Manele and Hulupo’e
are located.
The Manele Bay Hotel is actually located above Hulupo’e Bay; however this
unfortunate name does not lessen its beauty. Of all the hotels on Lanai,
the Manele Bay Hotel might very well be the most beautiful and luxurious,
although also one of the most expensive.
Boat traffic in the bays is greatly restricted, making it a perfect haven
for swimming and snorkeling. Manele Bay is one of the best sites in Hawaii for
snorkeling, and is much less crowded than better known Hawaiian snorkeling
sites such as Hanauma Bay on Oahu.
Between the two bays is a rock famous in local legend known as Pu’u Pehe,
or Sweetheart Rock. According to the legend, the beautiful Pehe was kept in a
cave on the edge of the ocean so that she could not escape her jealous husband
or fall into the arms of another man. Unfortunately a fierce storm arose,
drowning Pehe. Her husband buried her on the rock island
of Pu’u Pehe then leapt to his own death.
Ancient Hawaiian History
Lanai offers visitors a glimpse at the mysterious
past of the Hawaiian people. Only two miles south of Lanai
City lies the Palawai
Basin. This basin, the remains of
the extinct volcano which created the island
of Lanai, carries on its eastern
wall some of the best preserved and largest collections of petroglyphs in all
of Hawaii.
These petroglyphs, some of which are at least 500 years old, are drawn upon
large black stones protruding from the sharp red eastern wall of the basin. The
glyphs include images of humans and dogs, as well as more recent images of
horses and surfers.
Further to the south of Lanai City
lies the fishing village of Kaunolu.
This village, abandoned by the Hawaiians in the mid 19th Century, provides
visitors with a unique glimpse into the everyday life of the ancient Hawaiian
peoples.