Spending a day on Lanai with Trilogy Excursions
Written: Oct 03 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: a nice way to see another island; beautiful beach all to yourself
Cons: terribly choppy water; not recommended for those prone to seasickness
The Bottom Line: A good way to see another island in a day; not recommended for those who are prone to motion sickness
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| whitty's Full Review: Lanai |
We knew we wanted to see some of the other islands off the coast of Maui while were visiting. The two island choices were Molokai and Lanai. After reading about both islands, we decided we would like to see Lanai. Guest services at the Hyatt told us that Trilogy was the "only way to go" for a chartered trip over.
Although expensive, Trilogy has the best reputation on the island. We paid $169 plus tax per person.
Trip options
We decided to book the "Discover Lanai Sunset Sail." There are two trips taken daily to Lanai via Trilogy Excursions. Both boats leave out of Lahaina Harbour.
Early birds can catch the "Original Lanai Sail" that leaves the harbour at 6:30 am and returns at 4:30. We opted for the "sunset" cruise which left the harbour at 10:30 and returned by 7:30 pm, with a view of a sunset on the ride back.
Getting over there
As the Trilogy IV catamaran pulled out of the harbour, we were served some of "Mom's homemade cinnamon rolls." (I didn't have any but my husband said they were really homemade and very yummy!) The crew introduced themselves to us and told us a little bit about the sail and what our schedule would be like for the day. We were offered to additional excursions while on Lanai at an additional cost - one was a scuba lesson and the other was a dolphin watch. We opted out of both.
The ride over was fairly calm seas. It took about two hours to get to the island. About an hour into the ride they served us lunch -- a buffet of deli meats for us to make our own lunch. Also, we saw tons of flying fish on the ride over! I had never actually seen a flying fish before -- but they seem to fly all over the place between the two island in large schools.
Customer service
When in training to be a crew member for Trilogy, they must instruct the employees to be "perky to the point of nausea." These people were so friendly and cheery, we thought we had walked into an episode of Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood. During the sail out, they came around and asked for each person's first name so they could learn it throughout the day.
Arriving on Lanai
We arrrived on Lanai at Manele Bay harbour around noon. We docked next to a retired "Baywatch Hawaii" boat! We were then instructed to follow a few of the crew members to their private beach, where we would be able to snorkel and lay out for the day. We followed one of the crew members down a dirt road for about a five minute walk. We then arrived at Hulopo'e Beach, which is one of the nicest beaches I have ever been to.
The beach sits on a bay of sorts -- lava-formed rocks flank either side of the beach. (And up atop the hill to the West you can see the Manale Bay Hotel, a very pricey hotel and one of only two hotels on Lanai.)
Snorkeling, and other afternoon activities
Triology had a tent set up with all sorts of rental equipment (included in the price of the day.) Most people helped themselves to snorkeling equipment. They require everyone to wear a floating device.
The surf was mid-sized here. A lot of people were timid to try out the snorkeling here since the surf was at 4-5 feet. At first, we ended up walking up with a group to a series of "natural tidepools" which are great for snorkeling at low tide. We snorkeled for awhile here (saw all sorts of wonderful, colorful fish, even in two feet of water!) and then later made our way out into the ocean. We saw some great fish out in there as well, but getting in and out of the water was a little rough. Plus, the water was murky until we swam a good twenty feet out - so we had to go pretty deep to see anything.
There was also volleyball and hammocks set up.
In addition, Trilogy offered an afternoon plantation tour. We did not go on this because we were having too much fun on the beach, but people who did go on it and came back said it was an educational experience and that they got to see the town in Lanai.
Leaving Lanai
Before we left, they walked us back down the dirt road to a covered pavillion where we had an "early dinner" at 4 pm. Dinner consisted of chicken teriyaki and lo mein. They talked to us a little bit about the sail back to Maui -- and cautioned us that the sea might be a bit choppier on the way back. They offered some motion sickness preventative pills, and some Ginger root vitamins. I took some ginger root, not having any idea how choppy the ride back would be.
I could not believe the amount of waves and chop on the ride back. The boat was literally lifted feet in the air as we went over each wave. Surprisingly, I was okay, but I noticed that several people were not feeling well at all. Which is why I would definitely not recommend this trip for anyone who is prone to motion sickness. The crew walked around and handed out champagne classes as we sailed home, and we got to watch a beautiful sunset from the side of the boat.
If you are considering a trip with Trilogy, you can find more information on their website at: http://www.sailtrilogy.com/.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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whitty
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