The word “bamboo” may conjure images of tropical rainforests or tiki bars, but in fact this natural resource is finding a second home as an alternative to hardwood flooring and other products. As an incredibly fast growing plant, bamboo can yield a greater amount of resource material in a shorter amount of time. Many commonly […]

Every tiki aficionado knows of Don the Beachcomber’s, the original tiki restaurant. Founded in 1934 in California, this restaurant chain owned by Donn Beach became known as the birthplace of the mai tai and dozens of other fruity tropical drinks. Though the restaurant is closely associated with its founder, its success depended on the bartenders […]

Though many of the Polynesian islands are known for a long and fascinating history, the origin of life on the islands is not well known. As a result, theories abound about this period of Polynesian history. Who were the first settlers to reach the islands? Where did they come from? In 1947, a Norwegian explorer, […]

The origins of the tiki bar on the mainland date back to the 1930s. As vacationing in the “South Seas” became more popular, so too did this exotic island culture. Soon, bars and nightclubs began to open, especially in southern California, in order to capitalize on this rising trend. It is said that the first […]

Choosing a cruise destination can be hard – how will you ever choose between Hawaii, Bora-Bora, Jamaica, and all of the other tropical destinations around the globe? The world is filled with so many beautiful and exotic places, and you’ll never be able to visit them all, even on an unlimited budget. The tropical islands […]

Does your basement serve no other purpose than to hold your neglected treadmill, the bedroom furniture you replaced three years ago, and the kids’ old toys? Basements tend to be some of the most neglected and underused spaces of the home. Why not change things up by building a basement bar? This is one of […]

Have you ever wanted a tribal tattoo? Polynesian tattoo designs, inspired by and taken from the various cultures in Polynesians, are extremely popular today. These beautiful styles have been inked for centuries on the bodies of Polynesians, and often held symbolic significance. Today, tribal tattoos are popular on the mainland for stylistic reasons. Ranging from […]

The famous tiki musician Don Ho was born in Honolulu in 1930. With Chinese, Hawaiian, Portuguese, Dutch, and German ancestors, Don Ho was born Donald Tai Loy Ho, and would become a Hawaiian pop musician and entertainer at the height of the tiki craze in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Even today, his songs stand out […]

When you think of Hawaiian musical instruments, you probably think of the ukulele – but this is certainly not Hawaii’s only contribution to Western music! Another instrument to come from Hawaii, the lap steel or “Hawaiian” guitar, has had an immense impact on musical styles of the last century. According to legend, the lap steel […]

Although many people on the mainland know of Liliuokalani, the last Queen of Hawaii, few realize that Hawaii was not always united under one ruler. In fact, for much of the islands’ history opposing chiefs warred over the islands. This system has been called both tribal and feudal, and compared to similar systems in India […]