Hawaii proves to be a great holiday spot, boasting culture, gorgeous scenery and plenty of activities.
She is just 20 years old but Kylie Lokahi Mattos has already clocked 16 years in hula dancing.
“I started learning the dance when I was four. These days, I love that I can play a part in keeping the culture alive,” says the pretty Hawaiian-born lass.
Mattos is part of a troupe that offers free performances on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday evenings in Hawaii’s Kuhio Beach Park, which is part of the famed Waikiki Beach in Honolulu.
Their shows start in late evenings, enabling spectators a view of the sunset while seated under an ancient banyan tree to enjoy the dance and music. Hula dancing, according to Mattos, involves a great deal of coordination and synchronisation as the dancer needs to be mindful of the way they move their hands and hips, and even their eyes.
“Most people have a great interest in watching the dance. I am glad that they can be a part of our culture,” says Mattos, a cosmetology students who dances part-time.
Hula dances aside, Honolulu offers a thrilling time for beach lovers. No stretch of any beach is considered private property. The Waikiki beach, for instance, is always crowded, never mind if it’s 2pm when the glare from the sun is considered too much for the average Asian.
Most Malaysians would remember Hawaii Five-O, the iconic American detective TV series which was shot on location in Honolulu. Other Made-in-Hawaii shows are Magnum, P.I. and Lost which was shot on the island of Oahu. But the Aloha State has other intriguing facets, too.
Get a bird’s eye view of Honolulu at the Nu’uanu Pali State Park, where according to a signboard there, even “Mark Twain once called this view the most beautiful in the world.”
Hawaii’s famous local boy is, of course, Barack Obama. The US president is immortalised as dolls in all manners, playing the ukelele on the shelves of gift shops.
One local tour company offers “Obama’s Hawaii presidential tour” at US$5. Its tagline? “Yes, We Can!”
Honolulu also boasts the world’s largest open-air shopping centre called the Ala Moana Centre which has 290 stores and restaurants. Get your fix of designer brands here.
Then there is the International Market Place which is also an open-air concept for shoppers to browse and buy from at least 100 shops, kiosks and stands selling under the sun. It is located right in the heart of Waikiki, under a magnificent banyan tree.
According to Michael Parke, a researcher who has lived here for three decades, Hawaii is one of the best examples of how different races get along with one another.
“At least 65% of children born here are of mixed parentage,” he says. “How cool is that?”
He notes that at least 35% of homes here still speak a language other than English.
Filipinos are the fastest growing ethnic group here, which probably explains why adobo sauce is so readily available at the shelves of Walmart.
Aishah Osman, a Malaysian who has lived in Hawaii for almost three years, loves being in Honolulu.
“Every day is like a vacation to me. The ocean and mountain are in my backyard. Everything is so beautiful,” she says.
Aishah, who completed a Master of Arts in Communication from Hawaii Pacific University in January, is now taking time to enjoy the place. “I’m not going home any time soon. Not until I am done with Hawaii!”
A beach person, 30-year-old Aishah says she loves outdoor activities such as swimming and snorkelling and hiking.
“I have met cool, interesting people from all over the world since I got here in 2007. It’s like a melting pot.”
It is common in Hawaii to make friends instantly, she says.
“No matter what, I feel that Hawaii has the welcoming and loving spirit like no other places. It is the Aloha spirit. I have so much love and respect for the island.”
