If the island of Lana’i had its way—and the lore of the tiny oasis suggests it may have—then the Four Seasons Resort Lana’i at Manele Bay has prospered because of a reluctance to accommodate any other enterprising purpose.

Until 1922, inhabitants of the tiny island off the coast of Maui lived in relative historical obscurity. The only attentions given to the island, in fact, was to failed colonial businesses, a line of which provided nice counterpoint to the legend of King Kaululuaau’s son. As native lore goes, the son’s crimes brought him a death sentence that he plead down to exile at Lana’i, reputed by native Polynesian inhabitants some five centuries ago to be the molten home of evil spirits. The young man’s task: to excise the island of its dark inhabitants. Whether these spirits were banished is questionable, but the centuries passed in the Age of Expansion saw few new inhabitants to the island. Rocky shorelines and unpredictable current and wind shifts forced exploring vessels off shore, and today the coasts of Lana’i are spotted with exceptional shipwreck dive sites. Modest efforts to raise both sugar cane and cattle around 1900 failed, and it wasn’t until around 1922 that the mystery of Lana’i was unwrapped. American businessman James Dole purchased the island for just over a million dollars that year, with the hope that the lush, fertile foothills would be perfect for a pineapple tree plantation. 80 years later, his surname is synonymous with the tropical fruit, and cultivation rates on Lana’i have receded to pre-Dole levels—today, just two to three thousand people live on the 18-mile by 13-mile island, and most of them are concentrated in tiny Lana’i city, a creation of the Dole legacy.

On the very shores that European settlers failed to land on sits the Four Seasons Resort Lana’i at Manele Bay, one half of the Lana’i resort experience and a sensitive and respectful taming of these jagged shores and blustery coastal environs. Once there, though, the inhospitality shown to early seafarers becomes nothing more than a footnote in the island’s history. Expectations here lose often to excess, as the resort accents the energies and drama of the land with stunning vistas and luxurious accommodations and amenities. Private balconies, four-post beds, original artwork and marble baths are featured in each of the 249 rooms, where private space was clearly the designer’s heed—even the most ‘standard’ room at Manele Bay is more than five hundred square feet in size. Balconies either face the sublime stretch of flat ocean horizon or the wonderfully sculpted shapes of the surrounding gardens.

Gourmet Magazine reserves only the best dining rooms for its Top 10 positions in all of Hawaii, and the fact that Manele Bay’s Ihilani finds a perennial spot there is a testament to the cuisine at the resort. The room itself inspires memories of a villa off the Southern European Riviera, as the sun, earth, and sea mesh in nature and in the accented stylings of the décor and furniture. The same dramatic grace greets guests at the Hulopo’e Court, where the robust metropolitan blue of the Pacific wanders right up to the restaurant’s edge. The same brilliant haunting blues and assorted tropical hues colour the more casual pool grille and the Challenge at Manele clubhouse, while the strumming of authentic Hawaiian melodies can be enjoyed over mai-tais at the Hale Ahe Ahe. As one would expect, only the freshest produce and seafood make up the plate at any of these eateries.

While golf may be the instinctive leisure choice at the Four Seasons Resort Lana’i at Manele Bay, leisure activities are not limited to the links. In the warm and vibrant waters of Hulopo’e Bay, Trilogy Excursions offers a unique triumvirate of ways that coral castles and tropical fish can be explored. Luxury custom sailing catamarans and—truly—another world beneath the sea has made Lana’i one of the ten best snorkeling and scuba spots worldwide. The sheltered, environmentally protected shorelines is the year-round habitat for spinner dolphins, and in winter months the island’s most famous and discreet visitor, the humpback whale, can often be seen lounging in the shallow currents. Be afforded the chance to marvel at the sea life just off Lana’i ‘s shores, and for a more rigorous aquatic outing, try to conquer the seas aboard the 53-foot Kila Kila, trying to reel in the great game fish that make their homes in the cold depths of the Pacific. With an enviable heritage that boasts several record catches in these local waters, the Kila Kila is also a peerless deck from which to watch the sun set over the cliffs of Kaunolu. Imagine waters and tropical scenery rarely seen by the tourist’s eye! The skilled resort and charter staff can take you there.

For a more relaxed exploration of the island, guests can also embark on casual fitness hikes over marked trails, or just lounge about in the sunshine at one of the tide pools. Shopping in Lana’i City offers a unique and authentic Hawaiian village marketplace, or channel your creative energies with the Visiting Artist Program, allowing you to tap into that unfettered fountain of ideas. If all of this—or even the thought of it!—wears you out, the sanctuary of the Spa at Manele beckons. Here, guests can relax with a traditional ti leaf wrap or a Lomi Lomi massage. At Manele Bay, the rewards are your own.  

A coastal paradise, or a thrilling and secluded inland mountain lodge. On the island of Lana’i, it is indeed the best of both worlds that await your arrival.