When’s the last time you watched a pod of dolphins off the coast of a pristine white sand beach, explored tide pools, and drank straight from a coconut?!
Our recent Day on Lanai tour with Epic Experience Maui was one for the books, and one we highly recommend for a new kind of adventure in Hawaii.
The day kicked off at Lahaina Harbor, next to the famous Banyan Tree, where we hopped aboard the ferry with our private tour guide for a quick ride to Maui’s neighbor island of Lanai, only about 45 minutes away.
If traveling during the months of December to April, you’re likely to see another amazing sight on the ferry ride to Lanai – humpback whales! Keep an eye out for mist from their blowholes, as well as common behaviors such as pec slapping, spy hopping, fluke diving, and breaching!
As we neared Lanai, a few school or swarm of flying fish jetted past. And then in the distance, as luck would have it, a huge pod of Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins were spotted heading our way. Frolicking, smiling and leaping into full flips in the air, they decided to come celebrate with us! They stayed with the ferry for a good 20 minutes before heading off in the direction of Maui.
After arriving at Manele Harbor, we took a short walk to the gorgeous Hulopo’e Bay, a pristine area for snorkeling, swimming, and enjoying the sights of paradise. There was a big population of sizable tropical fish, and the visibility was excellent.
We then took a short walk alongside dramatic lava tide pools to reach Puu Pehe, or Sweetheart Rock. The romantic legend tells of a Hawaiian warrior who lost his love in this very spot.
The area is scenic and pristine, and more dolphins occasionally passed through during our time there to frolic in the shallow, warm water.
We relaxed and drank fresh coconut water out of a coconut on the beach, and enjoyed the view of the neighboring Four Seasons Resort and swaying palm trees.
Overall, our day with Epic Experience Maui was wonderful, and one that we’d highly recommend for travelers who want to see something new from a local’s perspective. The fact that it was just our small group made it even better, and the laid-back, low key approach to the tour made it seem all the more personal and customized to our preferred ways of travel.
Contact them at 908.256.6365 to book your tour to Lanai, and as always, mahalo for reading!
It’s my dream to go to Lanai one day! Thank you for sharing about your adventure there 🙂
Aloha,
Jennifer
Looks like a fun activity for our incoming guests from California this March. I swam with dolphins once. It was unexpected and as you can imagine, I was completely thrilled.
I am spoiled as I did work for the island visitor bureau for two years. It is a wonderful place to visit and still off the beaten path for most Hawaii tourists.
Sylvia – it is a fun day trip on the ferry – which offers kamaʻaina rates too.
Chris – you got some great photos!
one day I’d like to go too!
That sounds like a fantastic trip. I’ll have to put it on our list for ourselves and our guests.
I’ve lived in Hawaii nearly half my life and I suspect the opportunity for this will always be as thrilling as the first time. I want to do this right NOW. lol