Leilani Farm Sanctuary

An absolutely beautiful sanctuary. Leilani was such a sweetie and so were the animals. The baby goats were probably
My favorite since they loved people so much and didn’t mind being touched at all. The sanctuary is huge and has beautiful animals. I def reccomend so any animal lovers who are staying in this island. Probably the most memorable thing I’ve done here. I read on the website to bring bug spray but on the Wednesday tours at four there doesn’t seem to be many bugs! :)

What a wonderful experience! I loved meeting Lauralee and seeing what a great place she created– a home for unwanted animals of all shapes and sizes. She restores your faith in humanity and it’s a joy to tour her sanctuary and meet her residents. They love and trust her so, adorable to see her deer, goats, donkeys, cats follow her around. Pigs, Guinea pigs, geese, ducks, chickens, and rabbits to meet too. A great tour loved every moment. Bring shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting a little dirty– though she has boots and ponchos if needed, sunscreen, hat. Some reviews said to bring bug spray (you can get in haiku at the market). We bought and when we toured– 4pm in a Wednesday there weren’t any mosquitos out– so hit and miss. I had an 8 month old baby strapped to my husband and we all agreed it was a MUST on our vacation. Be sure to donate… Loved loved loved it here.

We are local and live close by. Wasn’t sure what to expect as it is a rescue farm but it is an amazing place. Great for kids. My 2.5 yr old son loved it. We will be back.

Leilani Animal Sanctuary was a fantastic experience for both my husband and myself. We were about ten minutes late arriving for the tour, as we got lost, but we were very warmly welcomed by the hosts. This is a lovely haven for rescued animals of all kinds. The sanctuary is in a lush area of the upcountry and quite a contrast to the sunny beaches on the island. We were told ahead of time to wear tennis shoes and bug spray and those are both excellent recommendations. We had no problems walking through muddy, uneven surfaces and greatly enjoyed petting, brushing and holding the various animals. I am hoping to volunteer on our next trip and get to know the Sanctuary on a more intimate basis. Kudos to Lauralee and her partner for creating such a lovely oasis. Not just for animals, but people too…

Spent an Amazing morning @ Leilani Farm Sanctuary in Haiku on Saturday. Laurelee was an amazing host who made us feel right at home upon our arrival. We experienced a little Ulalana raining mist but Laurelee had it all covered with galoshes, ponchos etc. If you want to get up close & personal with farm animals and even some Axis deer who love to be petted and follow you around, this is the place to visit. We all loved the experience even my 2-​year old grandson Reef who was amazed by all the friendly, cuddly farm animals. Can’t wait to visit again. Mahalo Laurelee for the experience.
Michele Muir White, Adam, Christine & Reef Muir

I came here on my previous trip to Maui, too! It’s so fun to see and pet and hug the various animals and hear their stories! The tour started at 10, and ended around 11:30. When else can you get cozy with donkeys and deer and a pig named Bernie? Last time Laurelee even sent me some pictures she took of me holding a chicken!
I will say, though, that next time I’ll bring bug spray

First I will say I strongly support what this woman has done and am thankful to her for rescuing these animals and the sanctuary is just gorgeous. Anyone with out young kids will really enjoy this. If you have really young children, unfortunately u will not be welcomed by the owner. I’m so let down. I’m a new, passionate vegan, and I really wanted to take my husband and my two young children to see the animal sanctuary and let me tell you not only had I been so excited and looking forward to this all week, but my twin girls talked about it the whole way, saying «yay! See the animals!» I couldn’t wait to see the looks on their faces when the saw all these animals up close. Gosh we were excited to experience this with them. Anyway, my children are two years old so when the tour started my daughters were trying to talk to the chickens and the kitty’s and the owner tells a story about why she is vegan and how the sanctuary started. the owner turned around and half joking told my two year old to listen to the story. I brushed it off because she was being disruptive but goodness gracious she’s two, it’s not like she was doing it on purpose. It’s a moving story but I can’t help that my kids want to talk to the animals and I’m sorry that it distracted people from your story. I was listening and happy to hear her educating people on animal cruelty in factory farms.
Anyway, after that we moved to the back of the group so if my kids were loud then it wouldn’t disrupt the tour. I was doing everything I could go distract them while she spoke but they could see the animals so they started saying hi to all of them. We were going to stay behind until we moved to the open pastures so my kids could talk freely, but as the woman walked by she gave us (my kids) the dirtiest look and both my husband and I saw it and I’m sure others in the group did as well. We no longer felt welcome so we left. It was over before it even started. This wasn’t a great experience so unfortunately we won’t be returning.

A visit to the Leilani Farm Sanctuary is a wonderful up close and personal experience with rescued farm and domestic animals. The tour is offered twice a week by the lovely owner, Lauralee, who walks you through the stunning eight acre property and tells you the stories of the animal residents as you meet them. It is a great educational experience for those who haven’t met farm animals before and a must for animal lovers!

Laurelee has dedicated her life to the betterment of animals both as an animal activist and now creating an incredible sanctuary for rescued farm animals who otherwise would have met a certain death. Leilani is a beautiful tropical paradise on acres of land filled with happy people friendly animals. A peaceful and warm place for any who visit.

My friend and I loved it here! Laurelee was amazing and is doing so many wonderful things for all the animals. A true kind hearted, loving and genuine human being. I wish I lived on Maui so I could volunteer and help her out regularly.
We wore older clothes and used bug spray all over because of the previous reviews and I’m glad we did. You definitely get dirty and there are bugs but as long as you’re prepared it’s not a big deal.
I will for sure be back the next time I visit with my other animal loving friends!

Going to Leilani Farm Sanctuary was my favorite thing we did while honeymooning in Maui. My husband and I were the only visitors that day, so we got an extra personal tour. Laurelee, the sanctuary founder, is an amazing woman. It’s so obvious how much she loves these animals & how much they love her back.
The tour is very hands on, not just looking at or trying to pet a rabbit from behind a fence. Laurelee walked us all around the property and introduced us to all the animals. There are cats, goats, pigs, donkeys, rabbits, geese, chickens, roosters and a deer. Some highlights of our visit were meeting Alex-​the 3 week old goat, Berney-​the «wild» boar and holding a sweet chicken named Pumpkin while she ate an apple right from my hand.
I HIGHLY suggest visiting if you’re in Maui. I know I can’t wait to go back.

My favorite day on Maui. The animals are so lucky to live in the sanctuary. So precious. It was like being beamed up to a special land… spectacular. A must do!

A friend and I recently visited Maui and the Leilani Farm Sanctuary was one of our first activities/​stopped we had planned for our stay. I had emailed back and forth with Laurelee, the founder of the sanctuary, to confirm our plans for a tour one Saturday. She was incredibly helpful and a delight to communicate with.
The day of our tour, we drove to the sanctuary location in Haiku. The sanctuary is tucked away a bit, giving it a sense of calm and really allowing the animals to have the space they need to thrive. General tour groups are small… I think our was about 8 people? Laurelee provides the group with an overall experience with the animals throughout a walking tour of the sanctuary.
During your time at, and tour of, the sanctuary, Laurelee introduces the animals — including chickens, ducks, donkeys, pigs, goats, cats, deer, tortoises, and rabbits. You learn the names and stories/​background of each animal, really, and get to pet and bond with them… and even give some treats (though, admittedly, it was very entertaining watching my friend trying to feed a tortoise some grapes! The tortoise was pretty enthusiastic to get a snack and I think my friend wanted to ensure his fingers wouldn’t be included.) You come to realize the amount of adoration and care that goes into the sanctuary, especially seeing how all the animals respond to Laurelee.
As another reviewer has noted, there are some things to be considered when visiting the sanctuary. At 10am on a Saturday, when our tour was held, the mosquitoes are definitely out… so bug repellent is a really good idea. Also, dress appropriately. This is a farm and you’re dealing with the elements. Boots, or at least shoes that you could get muddy or dirty (and which also have traction), are highly recommended.
All in all, a really interesting and fun experience. I would absolutely recommend the Leilani Farm Sanctuary as somewhere of interest to someone visiting Maui.

We happened upon this place on the way back from ziplining. If you’re using your iphone to map your way here, I would suggest reading the overview first and then drive. Then instead of following the turn by turn horrible directions, look for the mailbox that says 260, then park, and then walk to the front. Iphone maps… You suck! Please fix your maps. Don’t tell me to park and walk 2 miles. Thanks.
Leilani Farms is owned by Laurelee who REALLY loves animals. She shelters and rescues all sorts of homeless animals you can possibly think of and has a passion and story for each one she keeps safe harbor.
There was a black baby goat by the name of Ella Fritzgerald that I got to hold throughout the entire tour. I got to feed her rabbits, meet her two donkeys, meet and pet a pot belly big, see baby chickens and ducks, and even feed some of the tortoises. There was even a sweet doe following us around with a collar.
Laurelee is great. She educates you about being Vegan and how animals are treated before they become your food. There were so many things that I just had no idea about!
Very unique, fun, interactive and pleasant place to go. I LOVE animals, and after visiting Lauralee, I think one day I will do the same as she… I will have a farm of my own and rescue animals myself.
BTW…Larurelee…if you’re reading this… please say «hi» and bump heads with Sugar! (Sugar is a rescued cat who loves to bump heads with you and is SUPER friendly.)
Pre-​cautionary: I was literally eaten alive by mosquitos and my shoes got all muddy… so I would suggest dressing appropriately. Wear long pants and boots.
Well worth the visit! Donate to a great cause!!!

TL;DR: This place is awesome, unique, and fun if you love animals.
I came here with my wife and 2 kids, ages 3 and 5. We are animal lovers and have gone to a variety of zoos and animal encounters, but I’ve never really been to a place like this. If you love animals and always felt like zoos weren’t quite interactive or educational enough, you will really like Leilani’s.
You know how petting zoos are typically pretty sad, with a bunch of cramped sheep and goats in a stinky pen? This is the opposite. The place is like a luxury, multi-​acre, outdoor home for a surprising variety of animals — deer, cats, chickens, pigs, tortoises, goats, donkeys, and rabbits. The animals are not milked or eaten, they’re more like wild-​ish pets.
Laurelee took us on a tour and told us the story of how the sanctuary came to be, and introduced us to each of the animals. Its sort of amazing how well each of the animals knows her and responds to her, and how much she understands about each individual. It’s a little like Dr. Doolittle. You get to hang out with each animal and learn how they came to the sanctuary and what their lives are like.
We spent just under 2 hours and it was very memorable and fun for both kids and adults. Laurelee took photos of us with the animals and emailed them to us afterward.
Some Tips
— You have to call or email ahead of time to set up the tour. It’s not really a zoo that has general admission. It’s a guided tour of a farm-​like environment.
— Spray with insect repellent before starting the tour. There are a lot of mosquitoes.
— The suggested donation for a private tour was $ 125. It was well worth it, as it was much more interesting and unique than, say, a tourist trap train ride or submarine ride for the family. Also, it was cool to help support the animals and the work the animal sanctuary is doing.
— The place is run by people passionate about animal rights, so at the end of the tour we got some literature from PETA. The kids got PETA coloring books. There was nothing pushy about it, though, and we thought it was fine even though our own views are not as strong as PETA’s.