Maui Adventures and Activities: Discover Lanai by Sailing with Trilogy

Maui Adventures: Discovering Lanai

One of the advantages of Maui is the many opportunities for activities to choose from to help create the ideal adventure for you. With whale season coming up (December – March) I would like to share one of my favorites…discovering Lanai with Trilogy, one of Maui’s oldest activity companies owned by the Coon family.

Sunrise on the Water

Departing from the Lahaina Harbor around 6:30 am gives you a ticket to a view of the sunrise over the West Maui Mountains and Haleakala Crater. Appreciate the golden hues of the sunrise as the many tones seamlessly fall over the natural canvas of the ocean and sky. Enjoy homemade cinnamon rolls (Mom Coon’s Recipe) with coffee and/or my favorite their bacon/egg/cheese stuffed croissant. Given the opportunity, I highly recommend the sunrise departure time.

Lanai in Sights

The sail to Manele Harbor is about 45-60 minutes. Starboard you’ll find a view of the Lanai you can’t see from Maui due to the orientation of the islands. There are countless amount of sea caves and cliffs created by mother nature. As we embarked closer to the Harbor,  a unique rock formation known as Puu Pehe rises above the water and demands attention. A resident of Lanai catching a ride back welcomed all of us on board and told us the love story behind the rock formation. I won’t spoil it for you so you can hear the story for yourself and appreciate it that much more.

Lanai Fun

Unlike the towering buildings of Honolulu, sailing into Manele Harbor, you get the small town feeling that gives you an untouched raw version of Hawai’i. Once docked, a short walk or ride by van with A/C to Hulopo‘e Bay Marine Sanctuary where the activities start for the day. Keep an eye out for the Dolphins. Trilogy does a great job with keeping you entertained by offering snorkeling, SNUBA, a tour of Lanai City in a van with A/C, and hiking trails. I decided to go on a little hike to the tidepools and of course, take a dip. The tide pools themselves are unique but look closer and you’ll see an array of fish that decorate the pools with their colors.

Lanai City

After my refreshing swim with the fish, I decided to venture into Lanai City. The driver did an amazing job telling stories about the history of the city. Lanai was once responsible for 75% of the world’s pineapple production. Outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing is an essential part of life in Lanai according to our driver. Living on Maui, I would say we have our fair share of outdoor activities with Upcountry, but with the towering Pine trees with an occasional sun ray coming through, Lanai gives Maui a run for its money.

Aloha Lanai…for Now

After our tour of Lanai City, we all met up at the Manele Pavillion where our Captain grilled lunch for us. On the menu, delicious Kiawe grilled BBQ chicken, stir-fry noodles, and fresh green salad. The crew graciously served us and offered a generous amount of food. Wrapping up the day after lunch was a highly anticipated ride back to Maui. As if the day couldn’t get any better, we spotted whales and the crew served adult beverages for those of age. This trip left me with a feeling of how amazing it is to live in Hawaii. Being an avid golfer, I will return to Lanai to golf Manele Golf Course next time and stay at the Four Season Lanai. If you are looking for an adventure and get a preview of the Island of Lana’i, check out Trilogy.

Share your experience with me, Josh Jerman, R(B) at Josh@HawaiiLife.com or 808.283.2222. Aloha!