Why can't i visit Niihau?


Why can't i visit Niihau? No one is allowed to land on Niihau unless you are a resident of the island, a member of the Robinson family, or an invited guest. The Robinson family permits helicopter tours, but contact between the visitors and natives is not allowed. Fishermen and sailors may visit the island by sea, but are not able to land.


Where should I go if I never been to Hawaii?

For most travelers visiting Hawaii for the first time, the Big Island of Hawaii should be the winner because it offers the most diverse experiences.


What happens if you go to Niihau?

No one is allowed to land on Niihau unless you are a resident of the island, a member of the Robinson family, or an invited guest. The Robinson family permits helicopter tours, but contact between the visitors and natives is not allowed. Fishermen and sailors may visit the island by sea, but are not able to land.


What language does Niihau speak?

'mother tongue') is a dialect of the Hawaiian language spoken on the island of Ni?ihau, more specifically in its only settlement Pu?uwai, and on the island of Kaua?i, specifically near Kekaha, where descendants of families from Ni?ihau now live. Today, the Ni?ihau dialect is taught in Ke Kula Niihau O Kekaha.


Are there schools on Niihau?

Ni'ihau High & Elementary School or Niihau Island School is a public K-12 school in Niihau, Hawaii, United States. It is operated by the Hawaii Department of Education.


What happens if you trespass on Niihau?

Don't Even Try. While Niihau would be a perfectly stunning island to book a vacation to, it's already owned by the Robinson family. That means any and all visiting is off-limits and they can legally have you removed if you enter without permission. Tours via helicopter are the only way to get a good look at this place.


How much is Niihau worth today?

Niihau is now valued at $88 million, according to county tax records. The island's population has declined in recent decades in step with a shortage of jobs, according to the Niihau Cultural Heritage Foundation. Some residents make a living weaving prized Niihau shells into lei.


What family owns Niihau?

When the Sinclairs purchased the island in 1864, they committed to maintaining Niihau's Hawaiian culture. Brothers Bruce and Keith Robinson, descendants of the Sinclairs, own the island today, and they have continued to protect the island from the pressures of the outside world.


Do Hawaiian locals ask tourists to stop coming?

Some locals, many of them of Native Hawaiian descent, have gone so far as to argue that travelers should cross Hawaii off of their future itineraries for good. Tourism is seen as one of several factors that allowed the Maui fire to become so deadly.


Do people in Niihau have phones?

Most of the residents of Niihau live in or around the main settlement of Pu?uwai. There are no cars, no roads, no hotels, no power lines, no running water, no telephones and typically people there use bicycles or horses to get around.


What happens if you go to Niihau uninvited?

What happens if you go to Niihau uninvited? Turns out that Ni'ihau is called the Forbidden Isle because it's private property owned entirely by the Robinson family. Showing up without an invitation is trespassing, and the Robinson family doesn't appreciate uninvited visitors.


Does the Robinson family still own Niihau?

The island is currently managed by brothers Bruce and Keith Robinson. The people of Ni?ihau are noted for their gemlike lei pupu (shell lei) craftsmanship. They speak Hawaiian as a primary language.


How much did the Robinsons buy Niihau for?

In 1864, King Kamehameha V sold the island of Niihau to the Robinsons' ancestors, the Sinclair family, for $10,000 worth of gold and, according to some accounts, a requirement that the family would promise to preserve the Native Hawaiian language and Niihau's unique way of life.


Why is no one allowed on kahoolawe?

Access to the Reserve (the island and the 2 miles of ocean surrounding Kaho'olawe) is restricted because of the continued danger of unexploded ordnance. Access to the Reserve is permitted only with authorization of KIRC for specific purposes, such as restoration, education, and culture.


Why don t native Hawaiians want visitors?

But, the increase in tourism has resulted in problems such as overcrowding, littering, an overextension of our rescue and emergency resources & damage to the fragile ecosystem. Some Native Hawaiians may feel that tourists do not show enough respect for the environment.


What Hawaiian island does not like tourists?

About eighteen miles southwest of the Garden Island (Kauai), sits Hawaii's “Forbidden Island”, also known as Niihau.