Paradise Lana’i is the Hawaiian Island Less Travelled
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHERRI TELENKO
The horses’ strides stir up the red rich soil of Lana’i, one of the smallest and least travelled of the Hawaiian Islands. Their hooves rip up the black plastic buried in the ground for weed control decades ago. Visitors in saddles ooh and awe at the panoramic view of the Pacific waters (home to 3,000 Humpback whales in winter) and distant fog-covered mountain peaks that make this region a fantasy vacation for many. The animals are used to the steep sloping trails that meander through this hilly landscape past dense brush of invasive species (including deer) and the occasional abandoned pineapple or coconut tree. From the back of a horse from the Stables at Ko’ele is the best way to see the landscape of Lana’i—a place where Spanish Paniolo once taught Hawaiian natives to be cowboys. And that’s just one of the island’s peculiarities. 09.4 SEPT.OCT / TRAVELWORLD MAGAZINE