Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
You know where most of the local people go to get their fix of nightlife? Las Vegas. After
that it's Honolulu, then Maui. Most of the entertainment on Moloka'i is of the live music
variety, and that usually means that it's going to be traditional island music played in a
kanikapila
style (island jam session, get-together, talk story, etc.). Witnessing a live jam
session can be captivating and a true island experience.
While there can often be impromptu ukulele sessions which pop up during the weekdays
on the porch outside of the
Coffees of Hawaii Espresso Bar
(1630 Farrington Ave.,
6am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-8pm Sat., 8am-5pm Sun.), Sunday afternoons are when things
on this laid-back wooden deck get hopping. Hawaiian and contemporary music is played
live 3pm-5pm, so this is the de facto social gathering for a late Sunday afternoon.
The
Kualapu'u Cookhouse
(102 Farrington Ave., 808/567-9655, 7am-8pm Mon.-Sat.,
9am-8pm Sun.) also has live music on Thursday afternoons at 5pm to accompany the
weekly dinner specials.
The longest running and most iconic show on the island is the performance of Na Kupuna
4pm-6pm on Friday afternoons at
Hotel Moloka'i
(1300 Kamehameha V Hwy., 808/
660-3397,
www.hotelmolokai.com
).
Kupuna
is a Hawaiian word meaning elder, and chil-
dren are taught that
kupuna
are to be revered and treated with respect—something easy
to do when it comes to the musical capabilities of the island's most well-known band. Sit
out on the well-manicured grounds of the hotel and enjoy a mai tai or a Longboard Lager
while listening to these guys play. They offer more than simply music; the personal anec-
dotes, humorous stories, and island-style banter that accompany the songs all combine to
make a Na Kupuna performance the best evening on Moloka'i.
Even on sleepy Moloka'i there is still “ladies night.” Once the late afternoon ukulele per-
formances are through and you feel like a few more beers,
Paddler's Inn
(10 Mohala St.,
808/553-3300, 11:30am-11pm Mon.-Sun) is the closest thing that you're going to get to
a sports bar or a dance hall on all of Moloka'i. On the side of the highway in downtown
