Mention a mai tai and people might think of dimly lit bars adorned with tiki torches and wooden masks, or maybe people lounging under swaying palms sipping cocktails garnished with tiny umbrellas. No matter the specific imagery, when most people think of mai tais they also think of Hawai‘i. And while the mai tai didn’t […]
Thanks to a history full of sugar cane production, the mai tai has become synonymous with Hawaiʻi, even though the tiki cocktail didn’t originate in the Islands. To celebrate this National Mai Tai Day (Aug. 30), make your cocktails with more of a Hawaiʻi vibe by using locally made ingredients and shopping at local stores
“It’s like a pad Thai fell into your mai tai.” That’s how Johnny, tiggerish bartender at Kai Maikaʻi, described the Sugarcane Blaze cocktail, an unexpected and fiery combination of smoky mezcal, Kō Hana Kea rum, Ancho Reyes chile liqueur, peanuts and Szechuan pepper orgeat and mango syrup. And he’s not wrong. The cocktail, with a
When most people think of a Hawaiian vacation, they typically envision lounging at the beach or poolside with a beautiful tropical drink in their hand. Drinking cocktails (or mocktails) in Hawai‘i is one of those things that you have to do—a trip just isn’t a trip without a mai tai, Lava Flow, or a Blue
You haven’t been to Oʻahu until you’ve been to Waikīkī, the bustling, beachfront neighborhood on the island’s sunny south shore. It’s a mix of modern resorts and historic landmarks with a perfect view of Lēʻahi (aka Diamond Head). There are high-end shops and dive bars, upscale restaurants and hole-in-the-wall eateries—and you don’t need a rental
Oʻahu is the most popular island with visitors of all the Hawaiian Islands—and there’s a reason why. OK, there are tons of reasons why. Known as the Gathering Place, Oʻahu is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands and home to about 1 million people—that’s over two-thirds of Hawaiʻi’s total population. In pre-COVID 2019, 60% of
Kauaʻi is for those who truly want to get away. Lush mountains, cascading waterfalls, remote beaches — the island offers the Hawaiʻi vacation of your dreams. Hike through tropical rainforests or along breathtaking pali (cliffs). Kayak through verdant valleys to hidden waterfalls. Walk along more than 50 miles of beaches. If you want get away,
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport is a bustling hub for international, domestic and interisland travel, making O‘ahu a pitstop for countless U.S. travelers heading to or from Asia or Australia. Even interisland travelers flock to Oʻahu, aptly known as the Gathering Place, on business trips and quick getaways. So, if you’re stuck with a long
This story originally appeared in our sister publication, HONOLULU Magazine. The mai tai. Some say: Why? Others say: Why not? At my wedding, I was one of the latter. Little did we know, my brand-new bride and I, that the bartender at The Willows in Honolulu was intent on sending us off on our
The plan was to move from San Diego to Oʻahu for a couple of years to surf before starting medical school. But like so many others with similar ill-fated plans, Tony Nelson wound up never leaving. He got a job at Duke’s Waikīkī in 1997 as a bar host, then quickly worked his way to bartender. Nelson, now 50 and
What better way to celebrate National Mai Tai Day—or any day, really—with a new take on the classic tiki cocktail. Ryan Birkett, head bartender at Doraku Sushi in Waikīkī, walks you through the recipe for Aoki Tai—new to the restaurant’s menu—which uses housemade falernum, a Caribbean cocktail ingredient spiced with clove, lime, ginger and almond.
The mai tai is one of those quintessential Hawaiʻi cocktails. It’s that perfect blend of tropical flavors, orgeat and rum that’s best enjoyed on the beach—preferably at sunset. And there’s no better day to celebrate this drink than today, National Mai Tai Day.
