I worked, on the island of Lana'i, for 25 years. I remember when the Manele Bay Golf Course construction started in the early 90's. Much has changed since then, but this golf course is still one of the most dramatic in the world... with stunning ocean views on every hole!
I've hiked all over the Island of Lana'i. One of my favorite spots is the old Hawaiian Village site of Kaunolu. Many visitors, to Lana'i, never make it to this spot because of the rugged and rocky road getting down to this location... but the views, here, are incredible... with sheer sea cliffs rising over 1600 feet high from the churning ocean below. Amazing tide pools, like this, offer endless photo and exploration opportunities. This was shot the "old fashioned" way... with a DSLR on a tripod.
Many have seen photos of Pu'upehe (Sweetheart Rock) near the Island of Lana'i. When I first moved to Lana'i, in the early 90's, I actually tried to climb this sea stack. I was almost to the top when I reached for a rock that pulled away... and I almost fell. I decided I didn't need to reach the top on that day and came back down. Over the years, I always wanted a closer view of the stone structure on top of this sea stack that some believe to be the tomb of Pu'upehe (many don't realize that there is actually more than one stone structure up there). Drones, finally, allowed me to explore and photograph this storied place without disturbing one stone. In my opinion, this site is still one of Hawaii's most beautiful. This is a perspective of Pu'upehe that few have seen. You can, clearly, see the legendary stone structure on top of Pu'upehe as well as the Manele Bay Resort in the distance.
