Here under Niihau, you will find travel information about the island of Niihau, as well as general information.
Niihau is located a few miles southwest of Kauai across the Kaulakahi Channel and can be seen from Kauai's west coast. It is the oldest and smallest of the inhabited Hawaiian islands.
Niihau Island is a privately owned island and primarily used as a sheep and cattle ranch. The island is very low and dry and lacks fresh water. Life on the island is very simple. There is no electricity, no paved-roads or telephones. The main settlement is the village of Puuwai, which is located on the western coast.
In 1864 the non-Hawaiian Sinclair family purchased the entire island and its native inhabitants from King Kamehameha V for $10,000. Their descendants, the Robinson family, continue to preserve the Hawaiian culture and its traditional way of live by protecting the islands isolation from the outside world. Hawaiian is still the primary language. Most of the residents (mostly of Hawaiian descent) work for the Robinsons on their ranch and are provided with salaries, basic foods and medical care in return. Their main food supplies they get from their own gardens or by hunting and fishing.
Niihau is only accessible for visitors on a very limited basis, whether via helicopter tours or by taking part in a hunting safari, as the island is home to many free roaming animals. Niihau is mainly famous for their beautiful and expensive leis (necklaces) made of the tiny and rare seashells that residents collect from the beaches. In Niihau's waters you can also find a number of endangered species including the Hawaiian Monk seals, spinner dolphins, humpback whales, manta rays, sea turtles and rare sea birds. The warm and clear waters at Lehua Rock off the coast of Niihau are great for snorkeling.
Nickname: "The Forbidden Island" Capital: / County: Kauai Area: 70 sq miles Population: 250 Highest Point: Mt Paniau (1,281 feet) Official Color: white Official Flower: pupu shell
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In 1864 the non-Hawaiian Sinclair family purchased the entire island and its native inhabitants from King Kamehameha V for $10,000. Their descendants, the Robinson family, continue to preserve the Hawaiian culture and its traditional way of live by protecting the islands isolation from the outside world. Hawaiian is still the primary language. Most of the residents (mostly of Hawaiian descent) work for the Robinsons on their ranch and are provided with salaries, basic foods and medical care in return. Their main food supplies they get from their own gardens or by hunting and fishing.
Niihau is only accessible for visitors on a very limited basis, whether via helicopter tours or by taking part in a hunting safari, as the island is home to many free roaming animals. Niihau is mainly famous for their beautiful and expensive leis (necklaces) made of the tiny and rare seashells that residents collect from the beaches. In Niihau's waters you can also find a number of endangered species including the Hawaiian Monk seals, spinner dolphins, humpback whales, manta rays, sea turtles and rare sea birds. The warm and clear waters at Lehua Rock off the coast of Niihau are great for snorkeling.