7-night Hawaiian Seascapes Cruise

The fifth largest and least developed of the Hawaiian Islands, Molokai is only 20 minutes by air from Hawaii's most populous islands, Maui and Oahu. Molokai's population, numbering less than 7,000, includes the highest percentage of people of native Hawaiian ancestry of any of the islands. Because of their friendliness to visitors, Molokai is known as, "the Friendly Isle." Molokai is a quiet island that offers a unique introduction to the gentle rythms of South Seas life. Many of the Hawaiians here still exist much in the fashion of their ancestors, reaping fish from the sea. Days are spent in a carefree manner, and nights pass in a relaxed mood of tranquility Kaunakakai, the main town on Molokai, is famed in song for its "Cockeyed Mayor." A few hotels and condominiums are scattered along the island's south shore, and on the western coast is the 6,700-acre Kaluakoi Resort with an 18-hole championship golf course and miles of secluded white sand beach. On the west end of Molokai is the plantation village of Maunaloa. A highpoint in any tour of the Friendly Isle is a visit to Kalaupapa, one of America's early settlements for sufferers of Hansen's Disease (commonly known as leprosy). The most interesting way to visit is on a mule, with the Molokai Mule Ride. Established by the Hawaiian Monarchy in 1866, the settlement lies on a peninsula jutting out from Molokai's north coast. Father Damien de Veuster, a Belgian priest, came to Kalaupapa in 1873, planning to stay only a few weeks. Instead, he spent the rest of his life establishing order, ministering to those forgotten people, and becoming himself a victim of Hansen's Disease. Damien's church, St. Philomena's, stands near the settlement's old cemetery where a monument marks the martyr's gravesite. From a pleasant park along the craggy shoreline you have a stunning view of Molokai's windward side, with the world's highest seas cliffs and waterfalls plunging thousands of feet into the ocean. Near the park is Kaohako Crater, with ancient Hawaiian graves along its slopes. All of Molokai is rich with old Hawaiian lore. Much of the island's eastern end is dense wilderness, thrusting mountains deep, green valleys. The western side is a rolling fertile plain which is Molokai's agriculture center. Winding country roads beckon sightseers via offroad tour and taxi services. You'll find a pit where Hawaiians measured loads of fragrant sandalwood before shipping them to China, missionary churches, the walls of ancient Hawaiian fish ponds, stark stone heiau (sacrificial temples), and historic battlegrounds. Molokai's thickly-forested back-country intrigues the huntsmen with a variety of game, while isolated and unfrequented beaches and reefs delight skindivers. Like all of the islands, Molokai, or "the friendly isle" as it is called, has a variety of distinct climate zones, including the cool, wet rainforests of the rugged mountains and valleys of East Molokai, the sunny, arid rolling hills of West Molokai and the dry central plains region of Hoolehua. Visitors will find the island's climate relatively uniform throughout the year. The average summer temperatures in the island's principal town, Kaunakakai, range from 68-82 degrees F. (20.0-27.8 C), while the average winter temperature is 61-80 degrees (16.1-26.7 C).

The fifth largest and least developed of the Hawaiian Islands, Molokai is only 20 minutes by air from Hawaii's most populous islands, Maui and Oahu. Molokai's population, numbering less than 7,000, includes the highest percentage of people of native Hawaiian ancestry of any of the islands. Because of their friendliness to visitors, Molokai is known as, "the Friendly Isle." Molokai is a quiet island that offers a unique introduction to the gentle rythms of South Seas life. Many of the Hawaiians here still exist much in the fashion of their ancestors, reaping fish from the sea. Days are spent in a carefree manner, and nights pass in a relaxed mood of tranquility Kaunakakai, the main town on Molokai, is famed in song for its "Cockeyed Mayor." A few hotels and condominiums are scattered along the island's south shore, and on the western coast is the 6,700-acre Kaluakoi Resort with an 18-hole championship golf course and miles of secluded white sand beach. On the west end of Molokai is the plantation village of Maunaloa. A highpoint in any tour of the Friendly Isle is a visit to Kalaupapa, one of America's early settlements for sufferers of Hansen's Disease (commonly known as leprosy). The most interesting way to visit is on a mule, with the Molokai Mule Ride. Established by the Hawaiian Monarchy in 1866, the settlement lies on a peninsula jutting out from Molokai's north coast. Father Damien de Veuster, a Belgian priest, came to Kalaupapa in 1873, planning to stay only a few weeks. Instead, he spent the rest of his life establishing order, ministering to those forgotten people, and becoming himself a victim of Hansen's Disease. Damien's church, St. Philomena's, stands near the settlement's old cemetery where a monument marks the martyr's gravesite. From a pleasant park along the craggy shoreline you have a stunning view of Molokai's windward side, with the world's highest seas cliffs and waterfalls plunging thousands of feet into the ocean. Near the park is Kaohako Crater, with ancient Hawaiian graves along its slopes. All of Molokai is rich with old Hawaiian lore. Much of the island's eastern end is dense wilderness, thrusting mountains deep, green valleys. The western side is a rolling fertile plain which is Molokai's agriculture center. Winding country roads beckon sightseers via offroad tour and taxi services. You'll find a pit where Hawaiians measured loads of fragrant sandalwood before shipping them to China, missionary churches, the walls of ancient Hawaiian fish ponds, stark stone heiau (sacrificial temples), and historic battlegrounds. Molokai's thickly-forested back-country intrigues the huntsmen with a variety of game, while isolated and unfrequented beaches and reefs delight skindivers. Like all of the islands, Molokai, or "the friendly isle" as it is called, has a variety of distinct climate zones, including the cool, wet rainforests of the rugged mountains and valleys of East Molokai, the sunny, arid rolling hills of West Molokai and the dry central plains region of Hoolehua. Visitors will find the island's climate relatively uniform throughout the year. The average summer temperatures in the island's principal town, Kaunakakai, range from 68-82 degrees F. (20.0-27.8 C), while the average winter temperature is 61-80 degrees (16.1-26.7 C).

For nearly 70 years, Lanai dubbed the "Pineapple Island," was operated as a pineapple plantation by Dole Company. Today there are two exclusive, world-class hotels, the Lodge at Koele and the Manele Bay Hotel. In addition, the Experience at Koele and the Challenge at Manele provide visitors with award winning, world-class golf. People: Lanai is known for is amiable residents who greet island visitors with old-fashioned Hawaiian aloha. Some 2,800 people call the island home, including older families of Hawaiian, Caucasian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Puerto Rican and Filipino ancestry. Recreation: Golf, tennis, diving, snorkeling, sailing, fishing, hunting, ocean-rafting, kayaking, horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, and exploring by four-wheel-drive vehicle are among the outdoor activities residents and visitors enjoy on Lanai. Restaurants: Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at the hotels, and all three share the homegrown bounty of lettuce, herbs and other produce from island gardens. The Lodge at Koele and the Manele Bay Hotel also offer room service and fine dining options. Lunch is offered at the clubhouse at the Experience at Koele and the Challenge at Manele. There are also two small cafés in Lanai City. Transportation: Two airlines--Hawaiian Airlines and Island Air--currently serve Lanai with more than 100 scheduled flights weekly. Expeditions operates five round-trip ferries daily from Lahaina, Maui, Phone:(808) 661-3756. On the island, cars and four-wheel-drive vehicles are available for rental from Lanai City Service Dollar Rent A Car, Phone:(808) 565-7227. Whale-watching: In season, November to April, whale-watching abounds in the winter breeding and calving grounds of the giant humpback whales in the waters surrounding Lana`i. The 40-ton mammals perform their bring ballet in great leaps and dives. Mother and calves are often spotted swimming together in preparation for the migration north to the humpback's summer home, Alaska. Environment: This relatively undeveloped island features wide open spaces with only 30 miles of paved roads, one airport, and one plantation village boldly named Lanai City, where virtually the entire island population lives. The primary man-made impact is agricultural: rows of spiky green pineapple, hay fields, macadamia nut, papaya and banana trees, herb gardens, and penned cattle line the Palawai and other fertile cropland. Lanai's natural and cultural resources are fragile and vulnerable, and as the island opens itself to guests and more residents, protecting the resources is a major goal of the corporate owner and populace alike. Topography: Only one fifth of the area of Lana`i was used for pineapple cultivation. Today there are less that 100 acres growing pineapple for consumption by island residents and hotel guests. The rest of Lana`i's ancient volcanic land mass is rolling tablelands and steep, eroded gorges. Red lava cliffs and mesquite bushes give way to giant stands of towering Cook pines and green mountains at higher elevations. Wild Game: Axis deer, a prized game animal introduced before the turn of the century, now outnumbers Lana`i's inhabitants. There are also Mouflon sheep, and a plethora of game birds--pheasant, quail, chukar partridge and wild turkey. Hunting and resource management is under protection of the Lana`i Company and the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Preserves: In 1991, Dole Food Company, Inc., granted the Nature Conservancy a permanent conservation easement over the seven patches of 590 acres of native forest at Kanepu'u. The Nature Conservancy receives two thirds of its management funds through the Sate of Hawaii's Natural Area Partnership Program. The funds are used to protect and restore this rare forest. Kanepu'u contains the largest remnants of olopua and lama (native Hawaiian olive and ebony) dry land forest left in Hawaii. This forest type once covered the lowlands of the largest Hawaiian islands. Kanepu'u is high in biological diversity hosting 48 species of plants unique to Hawaii, including endangered Hawaiian gardenia (na'u) and sandalwood ('ilihai) trees. The waters of Manele Bay and Hulopo'e Bay are designated as marine preserves, and the snorkeling and diving spots are among the best in Hawaii.

Near Napoopoo, just south of Captain Cook, is Kealakekua Bay, where Cook's ships made their unwise anchorage in 1779. You can see a tall white marble obelisk that commemorates the bay as the place where the explorer was killed. The monument, at the far northern end, marks the spot where Cook was mortally wounded in a skirmish with the Hawaiians.

A steep and difficult hiking trail leads down to the Cook monument from the highway above the north end of the bay. You can also see the monument from Hikiau Heiau, a well-preserved temple in the parking lot at Napoopoo Beach County Park. Book a tour or rent kayaks for up-close exploration.

Nearby is the heiau where islanders sang Cook's praises when they first thought he was an incarnation of a revered deity. The bay is now a marine-life conservation district with good diving and snorkeling.

Kealakekua Bay is 17 mi/27 km south of Kailua-Kona.

This famous area of the Big Island is on the western side along the coast North Kona and South Kona. Kailua-Kona is the name of the main town along the coast, with Kona added to distinguish it from other Kailuas. This tourist-oriented seaside village is at the base of 8,271 foot Mt Kaulalai. The main drag is Alii Dr, over a mile of oceanfront shops and restaurants. The newer Waterfront Row complex is at the southern end of the tourist strip. It is a shopping and dining complex. There is a seawall along the waterfront that is popular with fishermen and locals who weave hats and mats for tourists. There is the Kailua Pier where marlin are weighed in tournaments. Most big game fish are landed at Honokohau Harbor.