Moments before the regatta’s start, everything is quiet and still. Six-person canoes line up next to their lane flags, each steadied by boat holders, one treading water at the nose, the other at the tail. The paddlers avoid looking at the competition; instead, they grip their paddles tightly, eyes forward. The wind silently pushes ripples […]
Trying to decide on what the best beaches in Hawaii Island are is no easy task. Fortunately, HAWAIʻI Magazine readers did the hard work for us by voting in our 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards, choosing their five favorite beaches in this all-star list of Big Island coastlines. 1. Hāpuna Beach One of the longest stretches
Satisfy your sweet tooth at these famous bakeries that make decadent treats on Hawaiʻi Island. From soft mochi to piping hot malasada, here’s how HAWAIʻI Magazine’s readers ranked the best bakeries they’ve enjoyed in 2023. Punaluʻu Bake Shop Located in Nā‘ālehu, this bakery was once located inside a restaurant where it became famous for its
A stroll down rice street in Līhu‘e, under the sporadic shade of monkeypod and palm trees, leads to the historic County Building in the center of town, past the great lawn. Often the location for community gatherings, the Kaua‘i County Building is a nod to the past; it’s the oldest operating government building in the
Outside my car window, all I see are lava fields—an archetypal characteristic of the landscape in Kailua-Kona on Hawai‘i Island. Ancient Hawaiians classified the distinct types of lava here as ‘ā‘ā, denoting rough and jagged rocks, and pāhoehoe for lava that’s smooth and billowy. The expanses of lava rock are a sign of the Big
You may have seen Lindsay Watson around. The local girl—she grew up in Upcountry Maui, mainly in Kula—is making a name for herself in Hollywood, starring in Netflix’s “Finding ‘Ohana” as Hana who—like herself—has big dreams. And in “The Wind & The Reckoning” she portrays Pi‘ilani in an unapologetic and movingly real look at the
Don’t judge a book by its cover, and don’t judge The Lei Stand by its front door. This Honolulu speakeasy pays homage to its Chinatown roots with its authentic-looking storefront and sign on Bethel Street. But once you shimmy through the plastic drapes separating the storefront from the bar, you’re in for a pleasant surprise.
In 1980 Han Sung “Has” Barry quit her job as a schoolteacher and started a cookie business. All because of a horoscope. She grabs her wallet and pulls out the astrological forecast, cut from the newspaper decades ago, and hands it to me. “You are ready for changes in business matters,” it reads. “Don’t let
In a space that was once a Christian bookstore, then a vape shop and now a bar, a pleasant scene plays out. In one corner of the establishment, longtime friends reminisce, telling stories and inside jokes only they would understand. A group of visitors pop in for a round of cocktails while a pair of
While there aren’t many bad poolside bars in Hawai‘i, there are some that stand out from the rest. From secret grotto bars on Maui to pools with panoramic views on O‘ahu, here are a few of our favorite places to wet your whistle, and yourself, in Hawai‘i. Sunset at Turtle Bay Resort Aptly named, Sunset
Chef Robynne Mai‘i never imagined she would be nominated for the prestigious James Beard Award, an honor she felt was unattainable for a first-time chef-owner with a small (but very popular) restaurant in faraway Honolulu. “We didn’t conceive Fête and run Fête with the aspiration of winning a James Beard Award,” says Mai‘i, who opened
Early on a crisp morning I flee rush hour in Honolulu for solitude in the Ko‘olau Mountains. I set out on the Pali Highway, the view through my windshield gradually changing from concrete towers and sprawling neighborhoods to dense forests and rugged mountain ridges. O‘ahu is known as the Gathering Place, where fast urban pursuits
