Twenty-four hours after leaving Lana‘i, Hawai’i I am on my fourth of five flights that will carry me to Barcelona, Spain. I wriggle in the confining seat and and resign myself to another few hours of discomfort. To relieve the boredom I review the mental images of Lana‘i that are etched on my brain.
The exquisite Hawaiian sky projects on the back of my eyelids, a bruised purple-blue color that might be a harbinger of storms in the Midwest but is an everyday occurrence on Lana‘i. Deep green Cook Island Pines march in single file toward the ridges above town, their upturned needles capturing precious fog drip that replenishes the island’s aquifer. Over eons, iron and sulphur-rich volcanic lava has weathered, depositing a thick layer of burnt carmine, rose, and ochre yellow dirt across the island.
On the high plateau above Lana‘i City, giant boulders pock these multicolored soils like heaps of polychromatic cats-eye marbles. Though they were spewed out of an ancient dormant cinder cone, Hawaiian legend says the boulders are pebbles that fell out of the sky when the gods were gardening in heaven. This is Garden of the Gods or Keahi Kawelo – the place of Keahi’s fire – a landscape of blood red power, surrounded by oceans that ripple turquoise at the shore and impossibly cobalt in the deeps.
Even the man-made elements on Lana‘i present a colorful palette. Modest plantation-style wooden cottages in town are painted in vibrant jewel tones and the golf courses at Four Seasons Resorts Lana‘i shimmer chartreuse under a golden sun. Local men wear Hawaiian shirts with bright floral patterns and women tuck fresh flowers behind their ears.
The people are some of the friendliest I have ever met, the hotels are luxurious, and the activities are adventurous, but when I close my eyes and think about Lana‘i, its rainbow colors are what I will always remember best.
The Lana’i Visitors Bureau kindly hosted the author’s stay as part of the #VisitLanai Artist in Residence Program. However, the receipt and acceptance of complimentary items or services will never influence the content, topics, or posts in this blog. I write the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
That first picture on top isn’t Lanai. Looks like Molokai. I lived on Lanai
I beg to differ, John. I took the photo and I was standing on the road in Lanai when I took it.
Have you seen red sand beaches, and is it very hard to get there by boat? suv?
Hi William: I wrote an article a while back for another site about rainbow beaches arund the world. In my research, I discovered that truly red beches were rare, however there is a blood red beach in Hawaii: Located on the Hawaiian island of Maui, Kaihalulu Beach is tucked into a tiny pocket cove near Hana Bay, on the eastern half of the island. One of a very few red beaches in the world, the sand gets its red-black color from the iron-rich crumbling cinder cone hill surrounding the bay. However, I don’t know haw hard it is to reach, or whether you’d need a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
Lanai was awesome. A lot of people definitely skip over it when going to Hawaii but it’s well worth it.
Nice Photos.Thanks.
beautiful pics…. such a varied country… thanks
I’ve never been to Hawaii, and your photos are making me want to visit someday. It looks so gorgeous, and not at all what I would’ve expected!
Hi Ali: Hope you get to go; it really is so totally different that you might expect.
the photos look so real like we are standing there. amazing.
Thank you, Mark!
wow! i love the houses in that city, they look so kool
Hi Raymond: They were simple but comfortable looking and I also loved the colors – not so bright as the Caribbean, but a more subtle palette of pastels.
Hi Barbara, thank you for showing the beauty in Lanai. I was born and raised there. I am soo looking foward to retuning home after retirement. Love all your pictures. Brings back soo many memories.
Hi Warren. Thank YOU for taking the time to comment. I’m so pleased you liked my photos.
wow! i love the houses in that city! they look so kool
Wow Barbara you captured the colors! The intense reds and blues and greens there are amazing. I am so glad you enjoyed your visit – we really appreciate your spending time with us and getting to know Lana’i!