The Hawaiian Island Nicknames
Off the beaten path: the less-traveled smaller isles and their unique past
Lanai – Pineapple Isle
Although part of the same contiguous island chain, all the Hawaiian islands have distinct characteristics and histories that set them apart. The islands also all have nicknames, which are revealing and offer us some context in classifying them.
Some like Lanai, known as the Pineapple Isle, or Niihau, often called the Forbidden Isle, are pretty straightforward in their nicknames. Lanai famously produced 75% of the world’s pineapples at one time.
molokai – the friendly isle
Molokai earned its name, the Friendly Isle, with its welcoming aloha spirit. With a fraction of the tourist visits of the more populated islands, Molokai and Lanai have maintained their rich cultural heritage and way of life, with farming and cattle-ranching still the main livelihoods.
Niihau – Forbidden Island
Although that number has dwindled significantly, they still celebrate this relic of their past with a pineapple festival every summer. Niihau garnered its nickname because it is forbidden for travelers to visit the island without being granted access by the Robinson family, who have owned the land for generations.
Oahu – the Gathering Place
Oahu, known as the Gathering Place, lives up to its moniker, with over 1 million inhabitants. It has the state capital, Honolulu, and famous spots like Waikiki and the North Shore surfing mecca, attracting over 6 million visitors a year to its popular locales.
Maui – the Valley Isle
The second most visited island is Maui, called the Valley Isle, due to its unique formation. Maui arose just over 1 million years ago when two shield volcanoes merged, creating a spectacular valley between the two volcanic masses, hence its name.
Kauai – the Garden Isle
Kauai, the most ancient island in the chain, at 5 million years old, is defined by its lush topography. With its pristine beauty, such as along the remote Na Pali coast, and its fertile soil, which produces an abundance of tropical fruit, it is known as the Garden Isle.
Kahoolawe, the Target Island
Kahoolawe, the Target Island, is unknown to many people, as it has been largely uninhabitable due to its dark past. Beginning in the early 20th-century and extending throughout WWII and the Cold War, the US Navy tested explosives and conducted bomb blasts on the island.
Unexploded ordinances still litter the landscape, making it highly dangerous to step foot on its shores. However, groups like the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission are doing noble work to restore the island to its prehistoric nature, the way it was before becoming entangled in an unfortunate chapter of US history.
Hawaii – The Big Island
The Big Island is the youngest isle, and also the largest, growing up in real-time. If the islands were siblings, Hawaii, simply called the Big Island, would be the youngest – eager, ambitious, and growing in front of our eyes.
At over 4,000 square miles in size, all its sister isles fit inside its contours on a map, with wildly varied geography from its northern to southern tips. Within its boundaries, you’ll find rainforests, hardened lava fields, rare birds, hidden waterfalls, and secluded black sand beaches.
You’ll also be in the presence of Mauna Loa and Kilauea, two of the largest and most active volcanoes, which together comprise over half of the island’s expanse. In the south, where Volcanoes National Park and Volcano Village Estates are located, Kilauea’s recent eruptions have created more land as lava flows harden and spread towards the ocean.
As a result, the Big Island truly becomes bigger and bigger over time, living up to its name in a quite literal fashion.
Book your visit today and experience the charms of all the different Hawaiian islands firsthand!
