The Best of Both Worlds
Being born and raised in Hawaii, I had been to all the major islands, but one I had never been to the island of Lana‘i. So, when I was presented with the opportunity to finally visit Lana‘i , I jumped at the chance.
I had heard that Lana‘i was home to two beautiful resorts that served as luxury destinations for the famous and elite to marry, play golf, and relax in relative seclusion. With this in mind, I was excited to book a long weekend on the Island with a night’s stay at each Four Seasons resort, the quiet Lodge at Koele and the beach-y Manele Bay.
As I got off the plane on Lana‘i, I was immediately smitten with the quaint one-room building surrounded by pine trees that serves as the Island’s only airport. Heading first to The Lodge at Koele, our drive took us through expanses of former pineapple fields and Lana‘i City, a reflection of the Island’s history with old plantation houses placed incongruously close together in relation to the surrounding landscape. The homes were originally built for the pineapple workers on the Island and are now occupied primarily by resort workers and their families. The houses surround a park that serves as the official town square, which boasts a few small boutiques, a couple of locally owned restaurants, three grocery stores and the Island’s visitor center.
On arriving at The Lodge at Koele, I was welcomed with a lei and a warm hand towel into what seemed like a gracious old residence. The lobby of the Lodge is the antithesis of a Waikiki hotel lobby; it is a grand room filled with over-stuffed chairs and couches, beautiful art work and is flanked by two huge fireplaces. Time seems to slow down as you enter the Lodge; I turned off my Blackberry and knew I was going to have the most relaxing vacation I had ever had.
I wanted to be sure to experience all Lana‘i has to offer, so our first activity on the Island was an introductory skeet-shooting lesson on the world famous Lana‘i Pine Sporting Clays course. I was outfitted with a large pocketed vest, earplugs, and gun before I took off in a golf cart with my instructor. He patiently took me through the steps of loading my gun and hitting the targets as we moved from one station to the next on the scenic course set amid a lush forest of trees. My father will be upset to learn that I am not at all talented at skeet-shooting, but my instructor was so good that I eventually managed to hit a few targets, receiving an official certificate and commemorative pineapple pin.
After returning to the Lodge, we sat down in front of a fireplace in the lobby for afternoon tea, a decadent affair with a full tea and tasting menu, as well as a complete gourmet hot-chocolate menu. The most striking thing about the Lodge is not how beautiful it is, but how you feel as though you almost have the place to yourself. During my stay, I saw a few other couples enjoying the Lodge and groups of golfers getting ready to tee up on the stunning course but, in general, I felt as though I was staying at a grand estate with my own private staff.
The next day we decided to go on a private horseback ride at The Stables at Koele. It was a great way to see the diversity of Lana‘i’s landscape. Our guide, Rose, was wonderful, pointing out amazing views of Moloka‘i and Maui, as well as a wild deer. When we returned to the Lodge, it was time for us to check out and make our way over to Manele Bay.
As we drove to the resort, we noticed the nearly 10-degree difference in temperature; the bay is much hotter and drier than the cool mountain area of the Lodge. On arriving, I was again greeted with a lei and, this time, a cool towel from the courteous staff. The lobby opens dramatically onto a dazzling ocean view and is an eclectic mix of Hawaiian and Asian artwork and murals. I was blown away when I opened the door to my room, a suite with a huge lanai set with lounge chairs, a day bed and best of all, a breathtaking view of Hulopo‘e Bay. I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave the suite for the rest of the day, but we were booked on a sunset cruise and I was dying to see whales and the legendary Hulopo‘e Bay dolphins.
As we arrived for a sunset sail with Trilogy, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that we were the only people booked on the cruise that night. Three friendly and incredibly knowledgeable local guys staffed the boat, and were happy to let us take the reins and chart the course for the evening– my only request was to see some wildlife. As we left the harbor, we had a beautiful view of Maui and the famous Sweetheart Rock. Our captain knew right where to take us to see whales. Our boat was soon surrounded by curious newborn whale calves and their larger-than-life mothers. It was an amazing experience that ended with a gorgeous sunset on the water as we sailed back toward the harbor – by far, this was the highlight of my vacation on Lana‘i.
On our last day, we got up early to go snorkeling in Hulopo‘e Bay and see if we could swim with the dolphins that are always spotted offshore from the resort. Although there was no sign of dolphins, we were the only people in the water and were treated to an astounding array of wildlife in the pristine bay.
As we checked out and headed back to the airport, I was dreading returning to Honolulu and having to turn on my phone again. Lana‘i is an escape; it is peaceful and unhurried, and a place to be a little adventurous while still very relaxed. For me it was the best of both worlds: a feeling of being on a small, secluded island with one foot in the past yet being afforded all the modern luxuries and amenities at the same time. Whether you want to “get away from it all” on a romantic retreat or experience Hawaiian life a little more slowly, Lana‘i is just a short flight away.
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