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Lanai Honeymoon
Imagine being a guest on a private island with luxury resorts, championship golf courses and gourmet restaurants. A Lanai honeymoon gives you that feeling, only you don't have to be personally invited by the owner. In this case, the owner of approximately 98 percent of Lanai is Castle & Cooke, the real estate and resort arm of the Dole Food Company. And the resorts, two Four Seasons properties and the historic Hotel Lanai - are available to anyone looking for a quiet, upscale retreat.
The luxury properties stand in contrast to the modest Lanai City, the island's only town. Built in the 1920s for pineapple-plantation workers, Lanai City has maintained its original character. In fact, there are no traffic lights, chain restaurants, nightclubs or malls. There is a few cafes, several boutiques, a small grocery store, a movie theater, two banks and the island's only gas station.
The island is 141-square-mile island and has a population of about 3,200. Until 1990, the only hotel on the island was Hotel Lanai which opened in 1925. Now two hotels provide the majority of accommodations on the island; Four Seasons Resort Lanai, The Lodge at Koele and the Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay.
Along with the resorts come such dining venues as Ihilanie at the Manele Bay property serving contemporary Italian cuisine, and The Dining Room at the Lodge, which combines fresh local fare with European cooking techniques. Even Hotel Lanai's new restaurant, the Lanai City Grille, offers upscale cuisine in a contemporary setting.
Getting to LanaiLanai can be reached via daily, nonstop, regional air service on Island Air from Honolulu, a 30-minute flight. In addition, Expeditions Ferry operates daily service from Maui's Lahaina Harbor and Ma'alaea Harbor. The ride takes about 45 minutes. Once on Lanai, there's really no need to rent a car unless you plan on going off-roading. At Lanai Airport, skycaps provide luggage tags indicating which hotel you are going to, and free shuttles transport you to the appropriate property. Free shuttles also run regularly between the ferry dock at Manele Harbor and the hotels. Those looking for some adventure can rent a four wheel drive vehicle from Dollar Rent A Car. Upon arrival, tell the skycap that you have a rental reservation, and they will direct you to the shuttle bound for the upcountry hotels: the Hotel Lanai and Four Seasons Resort Lanai, The Lodge at Koele. The shuttle driver will drop you off at the rental facility located on the edge of town. Also available for rent are mountain bikes, scuba and snorkel equipment, and camping gear at Adventure Lanai Ecocentre, which also offers guided excursions. |
Lanai ActivitiesVisitors often rent off-road vehicles to explore such off-road gems as Keahiakawelo, or Garden of the Gods, located about six miles northwest of Lanai City, where centuries of wind erosion have sculpted a Mars-like landscpae. On the way to Garden of the Gods is the 590-acre Kanepu'u Preserve, the last dryland forest of its kind in the world and home to mroe than 40 species of native Hawaiian plants. Keep going past the Gardens to reach the pristine, secluded Polihua Beach, a nesting spot for sea turtles. Swimming and surfing are not allowed, due to the powerful undertow. On the northern shore is Kaiolohia, or Shipwreck Beach, situated along a rocky channel that has claimed many ships. There you can see a World War II vessel that was purposely grounded on a reef in the 1940s. Visitors can explore the island on foot, on horseback (through Teh Stables at Koele, which offer guided rides) and on mountain bikes. Those who go for watersports can dive, snorkel and kayak at several points around the island, including a marine preserve at Hulopoe and Manele bays with coral, lava tubes and The Cathedrals - underwater chambers created by 60-foot pinnacles, with visibility of at least 75 feet. In addition, Hulopoe Bay, once an ancient fishing village, features a white-sand beach where locals and visitors go to sunbathe, swim, explore tide pools, picnic, watch spinner dolphins and from November through April, watch migrating humpback whales. Hotel guests (including those staying at the Lodge) have direct access to Hulopoe Bay via a path from the Manele Bay property, which offers beach chairs, towels, umbrellas, complimentary snorkeling equipment and a beach concierge who provides water, lemonade and fresh fruit snacks. One of the main attractions on Lanai, is golf. Both of the Four Seasons resorts offer a championship course. For pampering, the spa at the Manele Bay property features such indigenous treatments as the Ki Pola Ko 'Olu (Cooling Ti-Leaf Wrap) and the Lomilomi Massage. At the lodge, guests can schedule a treatment in a private room at the fitness center or in their rooms. For more information on Lanai: www.visitlanai.net Hawaii Honeymoon Destinations Kauai Honeymoons |
Lanai Hawaii
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