who owns Niihau island - Niihau island tour

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Can You Visit Niihau - who owns niihau island or Hawaii's “Forbidden Island”

Niihau Island, known as the “Forbidden Island,” is one of the most mysterious of all the Hawaiian Islands, snorkeling niihau island with a unique history and long-standing independence. It has been privately owned by one family for over 150 years, they enacted a closed-door policy in order to create a cultural preservation site for native Hawaiians.

Niihau was formed about five million years ago from a single shield volcano. Paniau is the remnant of the volcano, also the tallest peak on the island, once standing 4,600 feet above sea level. However, after heavy erosion, the Paniau mountain now peaks at just over 1,200 feet above sea level and 13,000 feet above the ocean floor. Niihau and Kauai are linked underwater 15 miles apart, by a channel over 2,500 feet deep called Kaulakahi channel. Niihau is about 200,000 years younger than Kauai so many geologists disagree about whether Niihau and Lehua were formed separately from Kauai.

The islet Lehua is attached to Niihau, located about three-quarters of a mile north of Niihau. It is a bare, crescent-shaped rim of a volcanic island. It is primarily composed of tuff, which is cemented volcanic ash, and contains blocks of basalt and limestone, which has created unique underwater rock formations and structures. Seabirds are abundant here, as well as whales, dolphins, monk seals and an incredible variety of fish, giving it a reputation for one of the best snorkeling spots in Hawaii.

Currently there is approximately 100-250 residents on Niihau, all thought to be full-blooded Hawaiians, and it is the last place in Hawaii where Hawaiian is still spoken fluently as the predominant language. The Robinson family provides residents with basic domestic and health needs. They employ most residents through the Niihau ranch, providing residents with wood-frame houses, modest salaries, and medical insurance. Although modern conveniences are not encouraged, compromises to strict isolation have been made in order to provide clothing, domestic needs, ranch equipment, and a few amenities.

Residents typically rely on fishing and farming for most of their food. The only inhabited village is Puuwai, where residents live a simple life, getting around by walking, or riding horses and bicycles. The Niihau School serves children through the eighth grade, and has become the first school in Hawaii to become entirely run on solar panels. This has allowed students to become computer literate, demonstrating a possible trend for Niihau to slowly catch up with the modern world. The population of Niihau is consistently on the decline as students who wish to continue their education move off island and often do not return to live full time on Niihau.