Our trip to the beautiful island of Lanai got off to a wonderful start thanks to Rabaca’s Limousine Service. The morning after our arrival we had the pleasure of taking a private SUV tour of the island. The three hour tour included visits to the most noteworthy attractions accompanied by the relaxing yet surprisingly informative narrative of our local guide Bruce. After the tour, we were wishing that our visits to the other islands had started off with this type of experience. A personable local guide is definitely THE way to start off your first visit to the islands.  It’s a quick way to get a feel for which aspects of the island would be of most interest to you during the remainder of your stay.We met Bruce outside the Four Seasons at Manele Bay and were ushered into a comfortable Chevy Suburban.  This Hawaiian-born guide had so much to share and his take on the area was something we appreciated as well as his role as a parent raising a child on the island as well.  Along the road from the resort to Lanai City, Bruce pointed out landmarks and gave us a brief history of the geology of the island including the volcanic connection all the Hawaiian Islands share including the unique relationship the islands of Molokai, Maui, Kahoolawe and Lanai share. The varied terrain and climates of Lanai are readily visible in 20 minute drive from the tropical shores of Hulopo’e Bay at sea level to the cool forests of Lanai City at an elevation of roughly ¼ mile.Lanai City with a population of roughly 3000 people is the only town on the island of Lanai, and boasts an eclectic collection of homes, shops and even a small zoo (not really a zoo, just 4 deer in a front yard). The laid back and welcoming nature of the residents was personified by our guide Bruce who painted a delightful picture of the town’s characters including the benefits of living in such a tight knit community. Also mentioned, the minor drawbacks of exorbitant prices on everyday items such as eight dollars for a gallon milk, and a gas station that doesn’t even advertise the price due to the lack of competition (roughly five dollars a gallon).

Our tour continued with a brief look at the grounds of the Lodge at Koele, and a history of the cattle operations that prospered on this part of the island in the past. Upon leaving Koele a vast plain stretched miles westward toward the sea which was planted entirely with pineapple by the Dole family from 1922 through the 1980’s.  The pineapple industry dominated the island and for a period of time this tiny island produced 75% of the world’s supply. As profits dwindled in the late 1980’s the tourism industry became the economic mainstay of the island and the only evidence of the pineapple plantation are the fragments of black plastic found everywhere the fruit was grown.

Ten miles out of Koele, dirt roads formerly used by the pineapple plantation lead us to Keahiakawelo, Garden of the Gods. This mangled terrain of rocks and scorched earth provide a sense of the violence associated with a volcanic island and a surreal beauty that accompanies the making of a planet.  Looking like something you’d envision on Mars, it’s almost hard to believe you’re in Hawaii.  Strewn rock vistas reaching westward to the sea provide the jumping off point for 4×4 tours of the isolated beaches of the Polihua beaches along the northwest coast of Lanai.

Bruce then led us back up through the Kanepuu Preserve and explained the unique roll hunting plays on this island. Apparently, with no natural predators deer and other imported mammals flourish in this environment and the only means of control is managed hunting. Lanai boasts a world class archery and trap shooting range and numerous hunting related activities.

As we headed down the north slope of the island we were treated to amazing vistas of Molokai and the Kalohi Channel. The road meanders along the Maunalei Gulch which was the historic home of a large population of natives. The natives of Lanai peacefully farmed this gulch and some water rich inland parts of the island as well as lived off the bounty of Hawaii’s seas.  Our tour led us to Kaiolohia or Shipwreck Beach on the windward side of the island, home to Hawaii’s largest continuous reef.  The area where Maunalei Gulch meet the sea was the site of a tuning point in the history of Lanai.  A war party from neighboring islands landed near this spot, invaded Lana’i and laid waste to the natives and the delicate ecosystem. Intentionally set fires destroyed much of the native vegetation and the murderous invaders decimated the native population. Lana’i was essentially uninhabited for a number of years until colonists began the grazing operations. In an attempt to restore some vegetation to the island, cattle ranch manager George Munro began planting Cook pines and no visitor to the island today leaves without an impression of these unique arboreal specimens.The SUV tour by Rabaca’s Limousine Service was the perfect way to start our vacation on Lanai. This 3 hour journey through the geology and history of Lanai was an enjoyable and informative trip around the island.  The Aloha spirit is alive and well on the island of Lanai and this tour is an excellent way to experience this unique Hawaiian landscape.  For more information, and to book Rabaca’s Guided SUV Tour, call (808) 559-0230.

Our tour was hosted by the Lanai Visitors Bureau, gratuity was offered by us and all opinions are ours.