World’s Longest Ti Leaf Lei Attempt

Waikoloa Beach Marriott is attempting to break the current Guinness World Record for the longest lei. From now until our Lei Day Festival in April, guests are invited to add to the length. We are shooting for a 5 mile lei!

Currently, the longest fresh-flower lei measured 5.01 km (3.11 miles) long and was made by 120 volunteers in an event organized by Chev. Dr. N. R. Dhanapalan (India) in Chennai, India, on 2 January 2012.

Hotel guests and community members are welcomed to participate in the longest lei attempt throughout the month of April by joining workshops held daily at 10:00 AM on the resort’s Paniolo Ocean Terrace. There is no fee to attend the workshops, however donations of fresh ti leaves are welcomed. The final push to complete the lei will be at the 2nd Annual Lei Festival, which will take place on April 30th throughout the Waikoloa Beach Resort and at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott. For information, contact Lanakila Diprete at 808-886-6789 ext. 7473.

Come and kokua (help) the Waikoloa Beach Marriott as we embark on attempting to break the World Record for the Longest Lei on May 1, 2023. Join in on our weekly Ti Leaf Lei Making Class and add your hand into our Lei!

For more information, call 808-886-6789 Ext. 7473

To help promote this event, please download and print the flyer for distribution.

History, culture and the art of lei making is celebrated as the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa attempts to beat the Guinness World Record for the Longest Lei made from fresh foliage. Led by the resort’s Activities and Culture Coordinator, Bryson “Lanakila” Diprete, the goal is to complete a 26,400-foot (5-mile) ti leaf lei by May 1, 2023.

The Waikoloa Beach Marriott’s longest lei attempt began in November 2022, utilizing a “Hilo Braid” method, a traditional style of lei formed by twisting ti-leaves together. Diprete shares, “Lei making is one of the greatest connections to Hawaiian culture. It’s an opportunity for the hotel to responsibly educate our guests about Hawai’i’s rich and vibrant traditions through a unique form of art.” Diprete and his team, including Aunty Pua Ka‘ahanui, share that the attempt to break the world record is not only about educating visitors, but also bringing local lei makers together. Community members, organizations, and students from Kanu o Ka ‘Āina have all added a segment to the lei.

Lei making workshops are hosted daily at the hotel. After learning how to twine the ti leaves together, guests can contribute their share. “The lei is coiled on a large spool that allows us to wheel it in and out of the freezer”, says Diprete. “The cold temperature allows the leaves to hold its freshness, and we add more every day.”

The current Guinness World Record for the longest fresh lei (garland) is held in Chennai, India, where 120 volunteers strung carnations measuring 3.11 miles long. “I found it was bizarre that the record for the longest fresh lei wasn’t here in Hawai‘i”, says Diprete. “It’s time we bring the title home to the islands.” He is confident that breaking the current 3-mile record will be achieved, and the ultimate goal of 5-miles is to ensure the record stays with the Waikoloa Beach Marriott and Island of Hawai’i for years to come.

Official measurement for Guinness World Record is scheduled for Lei Day—May 1 .