Niihau, The Forbidden Isle. The seventh largest of the Hawaiian Islands. This island is designated as critical habitat for endangered species. They have a population of 130 (according to information gathered on June 2009). The island was purchased in 1864 by Elizabeth Sinclair and private ownership passed on to her descendants, the Robinson family. The Island generally doesn't permit entrance to everybody but relatives and friends of the island's owners, or people coming in from recently opened tours, this caused the nickname “The Forbidden Isle”.
Several intermittent playa lakes provide wetland habitats for the Hawaiian coot, the Black-winged stilt and the Hawaiian Duck. The Niihau island is, alongside the small nearby island of Lehua home to a large population of seabirds.
Even though Niihau is a small island with a very small population, it has a fascinating history. During the Second World War an incident occurred that was later become known as the Niihau incident. When the attack of Pearl Harbor Japanese navy officers pointed Nihauu as a location for pilots of damaged aircraft lo land after the attack and then rendezvous with a rescue submarine. They considered that the island was inhabited, not knowing that it had 136 residents, almost all of them were native Hawaiians. A Japanese pilot crashed his plane on Niihau, where he, assisted by a couple of japanese people who happened to live in the island, wreaked havoc for the better part of a week until he was finally subdued and killed by one of the locals.
Now a days the Niihau island is still privately owned by the Robinson family, and as of 1992 in Niihau tours are welcomed. A private Augusta 109A helicopter can take visitors to enjoy the pristine waters and untouched beaches. There, you would be able to enjoy a Niihau Snorkel tour and diving. As well as to witness the beautiful Niihau shells that are scattered all over the beaches.
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