Hanalei, Kauai County, Hawaii
When you travel to Hawaii, one of the best villages that you should visit is Hanalei. The crescent-shaped island off the coast of Kauai has earned the reputation of growing the sweetest taro in the state. Since it is a growing tourist destination, Hanalei is littered with cozy and beautiful resorts, green fields, and pristine waters.
Hanalei is a diversified island in many ways. As one travels from one place to the next, its landscape and colors turn beautifully with constant change. The scenery changes from lush greens, taro farms, to white sand dunes covered with towering coconut trees.
Hanalei is situated at the northernmost area of Kauai. Sugary white sand beaches and azure pristine waters surround the tiny village. The entire area of Hanalei is 2.1 kilometer square. The total land area is 1.7 kilometer square while 0.4 kilometer square of the village's area is water. Hanalei village is one of the smallest in Kauai. You can actually travel its circumferential road in just a day or two.
The name Hanalei means "lei making", but aside from leis, the village is also popular for its taro. Taro is a tropical plant grown primarily as a root vegetable for its edible corm, and secondarily as a leaf vegetable. The people reflect the whole village's love for farming with a population of 478 based on the latest 2001 census. Like most islands in Hawaii, Hanalei served as a home for multilingual and multiracial citizens who came from Asia and Western countries.
Hanalei's History
The history of Hanalei is also the history of the whole Kauai county. Over 5 million years ago, Kauai took its place as part of an island chain. Polynesians, specifically the Menehune tribe, were the first group of people to populate the island. The tribe grew taro, potatoes, and sugar canes in shorelines and valleys. Mana, the ethereal prowess of the gods and the elements affected all aspects of life and became the core of ancient Hawaiian culture.
For hundreds of years, the residents of Kauai lived without outside influence. The modern Hanalei history began in 1778 when English explorer James Cook discovered the island of Kauai. Years passed before an influx of traders, whalers, and missionaries sailed out of New England to transform the Hawaiians to Christianity. The first boatload of them arrived in the Kauai shores in 1835, diminishing the numbers of full-blooded Hawaiians. Children of these missionaries established themselves in different professions and became the owners of land and sugar plantations in Hawaii. The expansion of foreign power and influence brought the downfall of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893.
Because of the growing sugar trade, owners of the plantation recruited immigrants from Europe and Asia, each bringing their own culture. The inflow of foreign influence changed the culture of the island, introducing a new economy, practice, and lifestyle. Most of the immigrants settled in the place, and as a result, different arts, languages, foods, and traditional celebrations became part of the rich history and culture of Kauai.
Hanalei's Attractions
The town proper of the island of Hanalei lies about more than a hundred yards from the Hawaiian beach. It is generally a small old-fashioned town near the waters teeming with a varied combination of diverse people like the traditional quiet and laid-back old-timers, the highly-experimental newcomers and the extremely boisterous surfing fanatics.
A major attraction of the town are two outdated shopping centers that are facing each other right across the busy streets, but from where most of the local residents get their basic supplies from. A row of business establishments are lined up nearby collectively referred to as the Hanalei Center. Some of the businesses operating here include a converted school, a couple of restaurants as well as snack bars, including a Hanalei Natural Foods corner, and several clothing and gift stores.
For fleeting tourists as well as regular visitors in search of local but unique as well as hard-to-find products, the town offers the Yellowfish Trading Company located at the back of the Hanalei Center.
Aside from the retail stores, other great attractions of Hanalei are sites and establishments replete with history. Some of these are the mission buildings like the Wai'oli Hui'ia Church, a most photogenic edifice with stained-glass windows and a magnificent belfry. Built in 1912, it's a green-colored little Hawaiian church shaded by tall green palm trees with several Hawaiian hills serving as its backdrop.
Other popular attractions found at Hanalei are the beaches and parks. Among these are the Lumahai Beach Park, the Haena State Park, and the Anini Beach Park. For water sports lovers, the town boasts of several water-related activities like windsurfing which can be done at the Anini Beach.
Hanalei's Economy
Tourism is the main source of income for the government of Hanalei as well as for the local residents. The town has numerous hotels and lodging inns offering several exciting promos for tourists. Aside from this, numerous restaurants and commercial centers line up the town's streets offering a wide variety of world-class local items and providing employment to many Hanalei folks.
Previously, commercial boating was a highly lucrative business in the island with an estimated $7.5M a year income and providing employment to around 200 people. Many companies involved in this business took visitors to short trips to Kauai's famous but rather inaccessible Na Pali coastline. However, the activities soon had adverse effects on the overall environmental set-up of the Hawaiian waters that local authorities had to take drastic actions; commercial boating was banned.
Nevertheless, Hanalei folks proved to be made of indomitable spirits. Other businesses soon sprouted and today, lines of bike shops are seen all over the town, providing an alternative means of transportation for visitors and tourists to enjoy the town's many splendid sceneries.
The brisk bike business in the island has excitedly spilled over to Hanalei's primary source of income - tourism. Today, automobiles line the many busy Hanalei streets, most restaurants are filled with guests, and residents as well as tourists can often be seen riding the bike or hiking across the nearby Kalalau trailhead with their average number placed at around 500 a day.
The revitalized Hanalei economy is expected to continue moving in its present path especially with the fast-approaching Christmas season. The bike business in particular is seen to experience bigger gross sales with possible increases of as much as 30 percent.
Hanalei Statistics:
Population: 478Households: 193
Median resident age: 40.2 years
Median household income: $34,375
Median house value: $422,900
Land area: 0.6 square miles
Elevation: 13 feet
Latitude: 22°12'N
Longitude: 159°30'W
Zip code: 96714
County: Kauai
