Hawaii: The Pacific’s Multi-Culti, Queer-Friendly Paradise
Aloha from my long, somewhat grueling flight home from Honolulu. But it’s been well worth even enduring Continental’s tender mercies, because I had an awesome time and learned a lot I hadn’t really fully realized about the United States’ most exotic state, way out in the middle of the Pacific. Living on the East Coast all my life, I’d never had a burning desire to make the long slog to Hawaii, because for island paradises, well, the Caribbean’s practically next door — and besides, I so wasn’t into the hokey lei-and-luau thing. But at long last I got out to Oahu and Maui this past week — people, I was blown away, and boy will I be back very soon. Sure enough, there’s a bit of the hokey lei-and-luau thang goin’ on, but there’s so much more to this six-island chain. Obviously gorgeous beaches and landscapes, for starters. The Caribbean boasts those, too, but these islands are also much cleaner, less poverty-stricken, and more orderly (great roads, not strewn with trash). Not to mention friendlier and safer, at least than much of the English-speaking Caribbean. I spent much of my time roaming the fetching isle of Maui — the most popular vaycay destination, it’s got touism/resort enclaves like Wailea and Ka’anapali on the west coast and small but bustling towns like touristy but historic Lahaina, mallish but fun Kihei, and crunchy/boho Paia. But there’s also plenty of farmland, rainforest, nature reserves, and sleepy spots like Hana on the northeast coast, home to lots of native Hawaiians and unspoiled nature, at the end of a famously twisty coast road called the Hana Highway. I capped it off with several days on Oahu, site of big city Honolulu and its legendary Waikiki tourist district, but also fab beaches and surfing all around the coasts, especially up north. Here you’ll also find lots of pan-Asian (Japanese, Korean, Chinese, etc.) flavor — sometimes it can almost feel like Japan. And BTW, for a very quick rundown of the other islands, the “Big Island” of Hawaii is where all the volcanoes are, and less developed/more “local” Hawaiian-flavored than Oahu and Maui. Kauai is even more unspoiled, while still having a bit of a tourism infrastructure (including a gay B&B, the clothing-optional Kalanikai). Molokai and Lanai are the most unspoiled of all — very Hawaiian and rural.
OK, now to the faggotry angle. Old Hawaiian culture was pretty much bisexual and made no big deal over upi laho (gay sex), but as usual the Christian missionaries fucked that up but good. Nonetheless, today Hawaii’s a tremendous gay travel destination — still more tolerant than most places in America, a mix of on the surface (in Honolulu) and underneath (practically everywhere else). That includes the governor’s office; folks in the tourism industry told me that twice-divorced “moderate” Republican Linda Lingle is a closeted dyke, which makes her kissing up to John McCain and Sarah Palin (especially all that gushing over Moose Mommy at last month’s GOP convention) particularly repulsive. Great, yet another enabling hypocrite à la Charlie Crist, Larry Craig, and Mark Foley. Oh, well, maybe she’s just got a crush on Alaska’s bonkers but babelicious biyatch).
Politics aside, there’s a pretty considerable gay presence here (though not always immediately obvious outside Honolulu), and the local tourism industry is in the midst of a bit of a push to attract more GL visitors. [Note: just a week after I posted this, the Honolulu Advertiser ran a piece called “Waikiki Warms to Gay, Lesbian Tourists to Tap Sector’s Growth”] Anyway, you can find guys all over the islands at the usual online sites (do give my regards to HapaDude08). On Maui, I found the Maui Sunseeker, a sweet little rainbow-flagged inn right on the beach outside Kihei; there are special events and gay nights at some local bars; and one section of Big Beach/Little Makena Beach, south of Wailea/Kihei, is homo-popular and clothing optional (plus, for more ogling of hot hapas (native Hawaiians) as well as a great show, I highly recommend the excellent and gay-owned Old Lahaina Luau).But you’ll also want at least a couple of nights in Honolulu, especially if you really need a “scene.” Try for a weekend, when the locals come out. For gay-friendliness and proximity to said scene, I’ve got four main bunking recommendations, all at the east end of Waikiki a coconut’s throw from the gay nightlife and the gay-popular Queen’s Surf Beach (in front of Paniolo Beach Bar and the zoo): the nine-story Waikiki Grand, with the shop 80% Straight and Hula’s, one of the city’s oldest and still best gay bars, right on premises; the boutique Hotel Renew, a new 72-roomer with a Zen-minimalist vibe and especially attractive staff; the 226-room Park Shore next door; and the Cabana at Waikiki, a more modest 15-room place but the only one catering specifically to queers. Another convenient and very gay-friendly chain to keep in mind is Aqua Resorts, an IGLTA member which besides the Park Shore has the Aqua Waikiki Beachside, the Aloha Surf and Spa, the Aqua Bamboo & Spa, the Aqua Palms & Spa, the Aqua Waikiki Wave, and the Equus; most recently, the group even announced a GL “honeymoon special.” Nightlife-wise, apart from Hula’s you can head to central Waikiki for a cluster of clubs including Angles, Fusion, Tapa’s, and In Between. And to get right to the aloha spear-it, Max’s Gym in Eaton Square just west of Waikiki makes for a nice little bath house. And check out Hula’s web site re its gay catamaran cruises on weekends!
You can get the latest from several local freebie rags like Odyssey, DaKine, and Expression!. Before coming, for general info check out GoHawaii.com and VisitMaui.com; for travel deals HawaiiGayTravel.com; and for the local sodomitic skinny, GayHawaii.com, MauiPride.com, and MauiGayInfo.com.
yours truly,
Dave