The 590-acre Kanepuʻu Preserve is the last native dryland forest of its kind across all Hawaii. Just 5 miles northwest of Lanaʻi City, the forest is home to 49 species of rare native plants, including the endangered ʻiliahi (Hawaiian sandalwood) and naʻu (fragrant Hawaiian gardenia). Look for signs denoting a short interpretive trail, which covers the flora and fauna.
Kanepuʻu Preserve
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
21.95 MILES
For a long day on the beach, it’s hard to beat this crescent-shaped strip at the southwestern tip of Kapalua. Snorkel in the morning, grab lunch at the…
21.06 MILES
This spot offers a scenic overview of the Kalaupapa Peninsula, formerly an isolation zone for sufferers of Hansen's disease (leprosy), from the edge of a…
27.45 MILES
The light-hued sands of Papohaku Beach run for an astounding 2.5 miles. Come here for the solitude – the sand is soft and you can often stroll from one…
27.91 MILES
If you’ve seen just one photograph of Maui's lush interior, odds are it was of the magnificently phallic 2250ft ʻIao Needle, the green pinnacle that…
18.43 MILES
Home to West Maui’s liveliest beach scene, this gorgeous stretch unfurls alongside Kaʻanapali’s resort hotels, linking the Hyatt Regency Maui with the…
10.58 MILES
The island's main beach is kept looking beautiful, with manicured lawns and clean restrooms, thanks to Pulama Lana‘i‘s legion of groundskeepers…
19.34 MILES
Tucked in the shadows of the iconic banyan tree, Lahaina’s 1859 courthouse is a repository of history and art. Its location beside the harbor is no…
27.8 MILES
Kepuhi is a rocky, white-sand dream, but swimming here can be a nightmare. There's a tough shore break, and strong currents are often present, even on…
Nearby attractions
1.32 MILES
Inside the Kanepu'u Preserve is this a dramatic place, also known as Garden of the Gods, formed by the eruption of a volcano, the lava bombs that spewed…
2. Lanaʻi Culture & Heritage Center
4.9 MILES
This engaging small museum is the best place to start before exploring the rest of Lana'i. It has displays with cultural artifacts covering the island's…
4.99 MILES
This broad, 1.5-mile-long white-sand beach at the northwestern tip of the island takes its name from the green sea turtles that nest here (polihua means…
5.55 MILES
Easily Lana‘i's most peculiar attraction is this volunteer-run, 3-acre feline wonderland housing 620 cats that have been 'rescued' from the wild. Locals…
5.66 MILES
Near Shipwreck Beach a 0.5-mile trail leads directly inland to the Pōāiwa petroglyphs – a cluster of more than 20 fragile carvings on dense basalt-lava…
5.82 MILES
You can stroll along this blustery shore for 7 miles looking for flotsam and shipwrecks, and taking in the views of Molokaʻi and Maui. This area is the…
9.36 MILES
At the architectural site of Kaunolū you can walk right to the edge of this vertigo-inducing platform and look down to the ocean 63ft below. Kings and…
9.42 MILES
Perched around the highest sea cliffs on the island (at 1080ft above sea level) is a vast archaeological site home to the largest collection of ruins on…