Getting here: There are two ways to get to Lanai: by air from Honolulu International Airport or Maui's Kahului Airport, or via the Maui-Lanai ferry, which takes about 45 minutes. The Expeditions ferry service runs five round trips daily between Lahaina and Manele Bay. You will need reservations. One-way tickets are $30 ($20 for children), and you can book online at go-lanai.com. Read the ticket directions thoroughly. You'll need a picture ID, for example, and a printout of your reservation, and you have to check in both on shore and aboard the boat.
Off-roading: Most of Lanai is accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles, mountain bikes or on horseback. If you're staying at a hotel, the concierge or front desk can arrange a Jeep rental or a guided Jeep safari. If you prefer to DIY it, there are several Jeep rental agencies on the island, including Dollar Lanai (dollarlanai.com), which rents two and four-door Jeep Wranglers ($148-$180 per day), but you'll have to pick up the vehicle in Lanai City. Adventure Lanai Ecocentre (adventurelanai.com) offers guided off-road tours, surf safaris and Jeep rentals ($114 per day).
If you're going off-roading, there are no services or facilities out there. Pack plenty of water, food, a first-aid kit and a paper map (cell service is exceedingly spotty).
Lodging: Lanai has two hotels — the plantation-era Hotel Lanai and the Four Seasons Resort Lanai — open right now. The Four Seasons Lodge at Koele is closed for renovations but expected to reopen later this year.
Dining: In addition to Nobu, One Forty and Malibu Farm at the Four Seasons Resort, you'll find a variety of eateries in Lanai City proper, including the excellent Lanai City Grille.
Jackie Burrell
