Niihau Information

Well named the "Forbidden Isle", this island is a private island and for the most part off limits to the public. It is the smallest of the inhabited islands and anchored west of Kauai. Visiting Niihau is restricted to invited guests, US Navy and Government personnel, and relatives of residents. General visitors and tourists can only visit the island via supervised tours such as heli-tours or diving excursions.

The residents of Niihau enjoy the deliberate separation of the outside world. Niihau residents preserve the Hawaiian way of life and Hawaiian culture. They live simply and without electricity. Most of the inhabitants are of Hawaiian decent, and the Hawaiian language is predominately spoken on the island. The peoples of Niihau are a proud people, and rightfully so, as they have kept their native traditional alive today.