BrendanMBrogan

Wholesome Hula's

No matter how hard Hula's might try to be sleazy, it ends up being the friendliest, most wholesome gay bar in Honolulu. If the Regal Beagle (3s Company) were gay, it would be Hula's. And it has the best view - so be sure to check it out during the daytime. Oh, and the Mediterranean platter from the café? One of Waikiki's best deals ($14) for a lunch-sized snack.

Maison de campagne: Puna, Hawaii gay bed and breakfast

The five-star rating is easily attributed to the value, friendliness and seclusion offered by the gay owned-and-operated Gay Hawaii B&B guesthouse on Ala Iki Road in Kalapana, HI. After a few years in Honolulu, you get the impression that 'getting away from it all' is not so easily done in a state that is a 5-hour flight from the mainland. The Puna region of the Big Island of Hawai'i, however, provides an antidote to the harried hordes of cities like Honolulu, LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, or Portland. If it were in France, Puna would be the place for your "maison de campagne" (country home) as it has all the qualities required: relatively easy access from city life, a totally bucolic setting, and locals with an unusual accent. For the Island-based, Hilo is a quick flight from anywhere; roughly 40 minutes from Honolulu. For those on the mainland, the non-stops from LA and San Francisco are ideal, and Kalapana is 40 minutes away form the Hilo airport. You'll find a clean guesthouse with all the amenities you need for a great getaway. Four rooms, all seemingly underpriced ($75-$125—in Hawaii), make for a space that never feels overcrowded—there's more room here than you'd expect to find in Fire Island or Provincetown. Indeed, Puna is rural and unlike most gay meccas, has no huge nearby metropolis with an overwhelming stream of partiers. The Hale Lalala Gay Hawaii Guest House is a refuge for those who want to be submerged in nature or are seeking a more serene setting for fun in the sun. Another delightful bonus: the guesthouse, the neighborhood, the ocean front property that leads from the guesthouse to the (moonscape) lava flows, and the nearby black-sand beach are all clothing optional. This is not your average rural community. Showers seem to be mostly outdoors in Puna - and the guesthouse has several amazing outdoor showers, (one of which comes out of a huge mango tree!). Of course the B&B has indoor showers, if for some unknown reason, you’d rather shower indoors. The kitchen is well stocked with healthy breakfast foods: organic, free-range eggs are delivered fresh weekly by a local gay farmer, the "Egg Man," bread is locally made, and almost all of the organic fruit is grown on guesthouse property. There's coffee and tea for the caffeinated and decaffeinated among us, and a huge lanai off the kitchen for al fresco dining, sunbathing, and stargazing. The kitchen has abundant cookware if you like to prepare homemade meals. Nearby farmers’ markets have an abundance of locally grown organic vegetables and exotic fruits. And there are a variety of very good restaurants in nearby historic Pahoa town. For the weary traveler, for those who want to see what Hawaii is like beyond the beaches of Oahu and Maui, and for those who want to experience something akin to a gay (or at least straight-friendly) countryside, Puna is the perfect answer. Most of the homes in Kalapana/Puna community are gay owned. The local gay community is active with many events and parties to which visitors are invited and welcomed. And the guesthouses on Ala Iki Road make a great home base for exploring a unique country gayborhood.