Lanai Excursion
The island of Lanai is a fantastic place to visit when you are visiting Maui! There are a couple of companies that offer Lanai tours and excursions for snorkeling and day cruises.
Logo Courtesy of Trilogy*
Trilogy Ocean Adventures offers trips around Maui, Molokini and Lanai. The Lanai day trips sail from Maui to Lanai and include time to explore the island, go snokeling, or other adventures. Trilogy happens to be the only company that is allowed to take customers to Hulopoe Beach. They offer 2 Lanai excursions: both range from about $95 – $170 and last around 8 hours.
Although I have yet to go on either of these excursions offered by Trilogy, I am sure that they offer adequate fun during the sailing and guided snorkel tours. These may be the best options for people who want an all-inclusive package. You can click the logo above to visit their website or by clicking here: http://www.sailtrilogy.com/lanai/
There is another way to visit Lanai, however, and I have made the trip over more than a few times this way. Expeditions Maui-Lanai Ferry offers daily trips to and from Lanai.
Logo Courtesy of Expeditions Ferry*
The ferry leaves from the Lahaina Harbor at multiple times during the day:
| Lahaina Departures: (public loading dock in front of Pioneer Inn) Departs promptly at:6:45am 9:15am 12:45pm 3:15pm 5:45pm
Lanai Departures: Departs for Lahaina at: 8:00am 10:30am 2:00pm 4:30pm 6:45pm Tickets: ADULT: $30.00 each way / CHILD: $20.00 each way |
Expeditions has been operating for over 15 years and tourist and locals alike enjoy the quick trip over the Auau Channel aboard Coast Guard Certified Vessels. The ferry allows you to bring everything from camping gear, luggage, ice chests, golf clubs, or even bulk items like groceries from a Costco run…and more. The trip over is nice. They serve beverages and snacks downstairs in the cabin and offer indoor and outdoor seating on the top deck. Not only does Expeditions offer the ferry service, but they can also arrange activities for your Lanai trip including 4×4 rentals, golfing, hotels, and even sporting clays if you feel like squeezing off some rounds at clay pigeons… Expeditions pulls into the harbor at Manele Bay. It is a short walk to Hulopoe Beach Park from the harbor. So if you are camping at the beach park or just heading to the beach for a relaxing day of lounging on the beach and snorkeling, getting from the harbor to the beach is an easy walk.
American Flag flyig on the rear of Expeditions Ferry…
Check out the Expeditions website by clicking the logo above or by clicking here:
Hulopoe Beach
Hulopoe Beach looking towards Four Seasons Manele Bay….
Hulopoe Beach palms swaying in the wind…
Bring your favorite beach chair to lounge around in….
Hulopoe Beach is one of America’s most beautiful beaches and is located in south Lanai along the crescent-shaped Hulopoe Bay. The bay is also protected as a Marine Life Conservation Area.
Hulopoe Beach looking towards lava tide pools and Sweetheart Rock area
The golden sands of Hulopoe Beach make for an ideal day on the beach in Lanai.
Waves crashing onto Hulopoe Beach
Swimming out into the bay, the sea-bottom is mostly sand with crystal clear blue water.
Waves crash on the shoreline at Hulopoe Beach
The waves at the beach vary in size here… sometimes, if a big swell is coming in, surfers can be found here ripping some waves… along with body and boogie boarders.
Hulopoe Beach from the water
On the eastern side is a lava area where there are tide pools. They offer excellent snorkeling there in the tide pools. There is easy access via a staircase down to the pools.
Stairs leading to lava tide pools
The lava tide pools here are teaming with marine life and make for good snorkeling…
In Hulopoe Bay is Hulopoe Beach Park and it has picnic tables, barbecue grills and grassy, shaded areas. Restrooms and showers are also available. There is also a site within Hulopoe Beach park that allows for some great camping.
Lanai residents can set up camp right on the beach
If you are a local Lanai resident, you are able to set up camp directly on the beach. Otherwise, if you are just visiting, there is a large camping park with numerous spots in which to camp.
This can be your view when camping in Hulopoe Beach Park…
To the left of the bays near the tidepools is a trail that leads to the left of Hulopoe Beach nearer to Sweetheart Rock. This is a volcanic cone that has eroded and creates two coves, one is called Puu Pehe Cove. Offshore is the small island rock of Puu Pehe, better known as Sweetheart Rock. Taking a short hike to SweetHeart Rock early in the morning is a great way to catch a beautiful sunrise… or just to snap some photos of your sweetheart!
SweetHeart Rock in the background…. Sweet Heart girl posing up front…at sunrise….
Sunrise from SweetHeart Rock is breath taking!
The Four Seasons Manele Bay hotel is located on the right side overlooking Hulopoe Beach. The resort features a spa, restaurants, a wonderful pool, hot tub and pool bar area, and the world-class golf course called Challenge at Manele designed by Jack Nicklaus. My mother, father and I enjoyed a day of golf there when they visited me in Maui. We also had lunch at the clubhouse. I suggest you try eating there if you play a round of golf. The food is Ono-licious!
Dad and I getting in 18 holes at the Challenge at Manele Bay
I have visited Lanai on multiple occassions and even when I camp, I enjoy visiting the Four Seasons for a wonderful (albeit expensive) breakfast. My favorite is the Eggs Benedict with a Bloody Mary. Yeah, I know what you may be thinking… Four Seasons breakfast while camping?! Well, YES! This is how we… well, I do it on Hawaii. Go big or go home!
Eggs Benedict at the Four Seasons Manele Bay are incredible!
Lanai is a wonderful and magical place to visit. By taking the Expeditions Ferry, you can save money by packing an ice chest with lunch and beverages. Bring your snorkel gear and some beach towels to lounge on the beach all day. If you want, you can catch a shuttle into Lanai City to explore. There is also a second Four Seasons on the island. It is called the Lodge at Koele. It also features another amazing golf course.
My favorite thing about Lanai and Hulopoe Beach is the fact that you can get a chance to swim with hundreds of Spinner Dolphins that come into the bay almost every day. Swimming with this many wild dolphins in their habitat is an awesome and inspiring event! Local photographer, Paul Karanik, of Karanik Photography (http://www.karanikphotography.com/) took this photo recently of the dolphins there….
Rare shot of Spinner dolphins mating. Hulopoe Bay, Lanai. Photo courtesy of Karanik Photography* 2012
Go visit Lanai the next time you are in Maui! With the island recently being purchased by CEO of Oracle, Larry Ellison, there will be some new and exciting upgrades to the 2 Four Seasons Resorts among other things. You can visit this magical place affordably or you can go big and drop 2 dimes and a nickel spending just a day here. Lanai is definitely on the top of my Maui Day Trips!
I Am Aloha 