Header photo credit Scott Hess; original photo cut and enlarged. Deep in the forests of the Big Island lies Pahoa Town – a sleepy little town, its sidewalks made of hundred-year-old planks of wood left over from a bygone time. A few old hippies wander around the streets, also left over from a bygone era. Pahoa Town’s rustic colorful buildings look like fake storefronts for a western movie, but they are real and still used as homes and businesses. This…
Look through our list of Recurring Events on Maui and select ones that will add enjoyment to your visit of the Valley Isle. We divided Annual Festivals & Events by seasons, but the dates can change from year to year, so make sure to check the provided websites for current dates and programming. Weekly Events Maui Friday Town PartiesFree Weekly Group RunsSaturday Maui Chef’s TableTuesday Magic ShowWednesday Slack Key Show Monthly Events Free Last Thursday Hawaiian Music SeriesFree First Sunday…
Like any Hollywood actor, Hawaii has played many different characters onscreen. We’ve seen it play a prehistoric world in Kong: Skull Island (2017), alien jungle planets in Avatar (2009) and Predators (2010), and even itself in The Descendants (2011). And in 2017, it was chosen to play the world of “Jumanji”. In Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, the titular fictional jungle – which isn’t even seen in the original 1995 film – is finally realized, so now there are many…
Few bands command attention. Even fewer command respect. Oahu’s reggae supergroup Ooklah The Moc grabs both in a way that makes them bona fide legends in the local music scene, their name a key marker for Hawaii’s roots reggae obsession. Ooklah The Moc revitalized the reggae subgenre with dynamic albums doubled down by commanding live performances across the Pacific. Their authoritative lyrics and bumping island rhythms spoke to the underdogs, the downtrodden, and the benevolent believer. Ooklah The Moc’s latest…
Based on the bestselling novel of the same name, director Alexander Payne’s The Descendants (2011) was filmed in Hawaii. And much like 1999’s Molokai: The Story of Father Damien, or more recently, 2011’s Soul Surfer, The Descendants is both filmed and set in Hawaii. As it shares its storytelling between the islands of Oahu and Kauai, as you can imagine, there are plenty of The Descendants filming locations waiting to be discovered. George Clooney plays Matt King, a native Hawaiian…
Few reggae bands are as nostalgic and modern as Maui’s own Malino. This four-piece outfit rose during the early 2000’s, a time when Hawaii’s music scene was dominated by the superstars of the ‘90s and thus, wide open for a generational takeover. Malino’s debut in 2004 put them on the map in a big way, playing gigs and headlining shows state-wide, their debut album making them an overnight sensation. Their sophomore effort, From the Start, though released in 2015, feels…
Congratulations on getting married! Are you dreaming about dipping your toes in the sand while you say “I do”? Hawaii destination wedding is a popular choice or many couples, and the island of Maui offers incredibly beautiful locations for beach weddings and vow renewal ceremonies. Not as crowded as Oahu and less rural than Kauai, Maui has a good number of hot spots to spend a night out and celebrate some more. In this guide I will introduce you to…
The 60s, 70s and 80s saw a plethora of popular cop shows, from 1968’s Hawaii Five-O to 1980’s Magnum P.I. And now, thanks to the reboot trend, you needn’t look in your rear view to relive them. Among the most popular is the Hawaii Five-0 reboot, the long-running CBS show that has left countless Hawaii Five-0 Filming Locations in its wake. Based on the original show of the same name (well, almost the same – check out Hawaii Five-0 Facts to find…
Over the years, many pictures have been filmed in Hawaii. But one you might not be all too familiar with is 1999’s Molokai: The Story of Father Damien, directed by Paul Cox and based on Hilde Eyrikel’s biographical book. Combined with a soulful score, this beautifully-directed film is a poignant retelling of the story of the devout Roman Catholic priest. Set on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, the film sees the titular Father Damien (played by David Wenham) commit himself…
Leprosy in Hawaii may have started with the arrival of immigrant workers in mid-1800’s. The native population didn’t have any immunity and easily contracted the disease, which was incurable at the time. In 1866 a colony was established on Molokai, on it’s northern side, on Kalaupapa peninsula, completely isolated by towering cliffs. A Belgian missionary priest Father Damien devoted last 16 years of his life to the lepers of Molokai, working every day to improve the despicable living conditions in…