For decades, Lana'i was known as the "Pineapple Island," because of its hundreds of acres of fields filled with the golden fruit. Today this 141-square-mile island has been renamed "Hawai'i's Most Secluded Island," and the pineapple fields have given way to sophisticated hotels and guest activities. In 1990, Dole Foods Inc. -- now Castle & Cooke, Inc. -- which owns 98% of the island, opened the luxurious Lodge at Ko'ele, and, the following year, the Manele Bay Hotel, plus two championship golf courses. Despite these additions, Lana'i remains the most remote and intimate visitor destination in Hawai'i. Lanai's unique outdoor attractions are the primary reason for visiting the island. They include the Garden of the Gods in Kanepu'u, where rocks and boulders are scattered across

 

a crimson landscape as if some divine being had placed them there as a sculpture garden. Adjacent is a self-guided nature trail leading through the Kanepu'u Preserve, a unique dryland forest hosting some 48 native species, including the endangered Hawaiian gardenia. The waters at Hulopo'e Beach are so clear that within a minute of snorkeling you can see fish the colors of turquoise and jade. After hiking or driving to the summit of Lana'ihale, a 3,370-ft-high windswept perch, you'll find a splendid view of nearly every inhabited Hawaiian island. One of Lana'i's more successful visitors was a man named Jim Dole (1877-1958), who in 1922 bought the island for $1.1 million and began to grow pineapples on it. He built Lana'i City, then planned the harbor at Kaumalapa'u, from which pineapples would be shipped. Four years later, as he watched the first harvest sail away to Honolulu, this enterprising businessman could safely say that the Dole Plantation was a success. A visit to Lana'i can be either simple or elegant. Solitude is easy to come by. On the other hand, you can rub elbows with sophisticated travelers during a game of croquet at the Lodge at Ko'ele or a round of golf. Bring casual clothes because many of your activities will be laid-back. Come, take your time, and enjoy it before the island changes too much more.