Hawaii Travel Podcast by Hawaiiâs Best: Hawaii Travel Tips, Things to Do in Hawaii & Vacation Planning
Dreaming of a Hawaii vacation thatâs unforgettable, authentic, and stress-free?
Hawaiiâs Best Travel is the top Hawaii travel podcast helping you plan your Hawaii vacation from start to finish with the best Hawaii travel tips, things to do in Hawaii, and insider advice from local voices.
Whether youâre a first-time visitor or returning traveler, this Hawaii travel and vacation guide helps you uncover the most memorable experiences across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, the Big Island, Lanai, and Molokai. Each episode features practical Hawaii travel planning advice, cultural insights, and expert recommendations so you can explore the islands responsibly and with confidence.
Hosted by Bryan Murphy â Certified Hawaii Travel Expert and founder of Hawaiiâs Best Travel â the show combines real-world experience with official training through the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau. Bryan has visited the islands more than 30 times and remains active in Hawaiiâs visitor industry. His guidance follows the principles of Maâemaâe Hawaiâi, emphasizing authenticity, respect for natural resources, and regenerative tourism practices that care for (mÄlama) the islands.
As one of the leading voices in Hawaii travel, Bryan provides practical Hawaii vacation planning strategies, Hawaii travel hacks, and budget-friendly recommendations that make exploring Hawaii simple and meaningful. Youâll also hear interviews with local residents, business owners, and cultural practitioners who share personal stories and Hawaii travel insights you wonât find in typical guidebooks.
What youâll discover on Hawaiiâs Best Travel:
⢠Top things to do in Hawaii and canât-miss activities on every island
⢠Up-to-date Hawaii travel news and visitor tips
⢠Authentic food, culture, and traditions that define the Hawaiian Islands
⢠Responsible and respectful Hawaii travel guidance aligned with local values
Each week, tune in for concise, value-packed episodes and inspiring guest interviews that help you plan your Hawaii vacation with clarity and aloha. From learning how to visit sacred sites respectfully to finding the best Hawaii travel itineraries, youâll gain insider knowledge that transforms your trip from ordinary to unforgettable.
If youâre planning a trip to Hawaii or dreaming of your next island getaway, this is your trusted Hawaii travel guide to experience the islands authentically and responsibly. Subscribe to Hawaiiâs Best Travel today and start planning your perfect Hawaii vacation.
Tune in each week for concise, value-packed solo episodes and inspiring guest interviews to help your Hawaii travel planning!
Hawaii Travel Podcast by Hawaiiâs Best: Hawaii Travel Tips, Things to Do in Hawaii & Vacation Planning
Before You Go to a Hawaiian Luau, Know This About Hula | Miss Aloha Hula Jaedyn Pavao
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
What is hula really communicating beyond the movements you see on stage?
For many, hula is something they experience at a luau, but there is a deeper story, tradition, and cultural practice behind every movement, song, and detail.
đ Hit play now to hear from Miss Aloha Hula Jaedyn Janae Puahaulani Pavao and discover how to experience hula with a deeper understanding on your next Hawaii trip.
If youâve ever wondered what the meaning behind hula is and how to respectfully experience Hawaiian culture, this episode is for you.
I sit down with Jaedyn Janae Puahaulani Pavao, the 2025 Miss Aloha Hula, to talk about the stories, traditions, and aloha behind one of Hawaiiâs most meaningful cultural practices.
In this episode of Hawaiiâs Best, we explore the deeper meaning of hula so you can appreciate the stories being shared the next time you experience it in Hawaii.
đIn this episode, you will:
- Discover why hula is more than a dance and how every movement, song, and detail has meaning.
- Learn what visitors often miss when watching hula and how to better understand the story being shared.
- Understand how to experience Hawaiian culture with an open heart and respect when visiting Hawaii.
_
Scroll up âŹď¸ and hit play now to better understand hula and carry a deeper appreciation for Hawaiian culture home with you.
đ¤ About today's guest:
- Connect with Jaedyn on Instagram
- Watch Jaedyn's 2025 Miss Aloha Hula performance
_
đ§ Related episodes:
- How to Engage with Hawaiian Culture Responsibly w/ Kamaka Dias
- The Ban and Revitalization of the Hawaiian Language with Kahanuola Solatorio
_
đť Related blog posts:
_
đ¤ Chapters:
- 1:04 Meet Miss Aloha Hula
- 2:00 Reading the Story in Motion
- 4:43 Hula as Second Language
- 05:55 Merrie Monarch Explained
- 06:27 Purposeful Preparation
- 8:35 Who Can Dance Hula
- 10:49 Respectful Hula on Kauai
- 11:20 Tourist vs Visitor
- 13:26 What Aloha Means
- 14:23 Advice for First Timers
- 16:04 Kauai Local Food Picks
- 18:26 Final Takeaways
_
đ´ Plan Your Hawaii Trip With Bryan
About Your Host: Bryan Murphy is the founder of Hawaiiâs Best Travel & a Hawaii Destination Expert through the Hawaii Tourism Authority, since 2020. An HVCB member since 2019, he helps first-time & repeat visitors plan respectful Hawaii vacations w/ clear, practical advice & cultural insight.
- Connect on Instagram
- Hawaii Planning Facebook Group
- Free Hawaii travel tips & guides at hawaiisbesttravel.com
đ¤ To sponsor the show visit hawaiisbesttravel.com/partner
Hawaii travel podcast helps you plan a trip to Hawaii with clarity. Discover practical travel tips, island itineraries, & local insight to help you explore Oahu, Maui, Kauai, the Big Island.
Edge of the Ocean (w/ permission)
Ukulele and Chill (w/ permission)
Talk Story (w/ permission)
252_Before You Go to a Hawaiian Luau, Know This About Hula | Miss Aloha Hula Jaedyn Pavao
[00:00:00] Hula Beyond Performance
[00:00:00] Bryan Murphy: When you go to a luau in Hawaii and you see the hula on stage, there is so much more going on far beyond the movement that you see on stage. And today I'm joined with Jaden Paval, the 2025 Miss Aloha Hula to talk about the stories, traditions, and aloha behind this important part of Hawaiian culture.
[00:00:19] Bryan Murphy: Aloha and welcome to Hawaii's best. I'm Brian Murphy, Hawaii destination expert and your personal guide to planning an unforgettable trip to Hawaii. When visiting Hawaii, it's really easy to get drawn to the beauty of the islands. I think we can all agree on that, the beaches, the landscapes, the food, and the experiences.
[00:00:39] Bryan Murphy: But what really makes Hawaii such a special place is the stories and culture behind all of those things that we love about Hawaii. And hula is one of the most powerful examples of that. And some of the things over the years and with my conversation with Jaden today, I've learned that hula is, it's not just a performance, it's more of a way of sharing stories, connecting to place, and passing knowledge down through generations.
[00:01:04] Meet Miss Aloha Hula
[00:01:04] Bryan Murphy: So today I'm joined by Jaden Jane Puhalani Paval, the 2025 Miss Aloha Hula. And she's gonna talk more about the deeper meaning behind hula that you see at Luau's or any other performances on the islands and what we as visitors may not realize when watching a performance. And she'll also talk about how we can approach Hawaiian culture with more understanding and appreciation.
[00:01:28] Bryan Murphy: I, I really think that this conversation is a great reminder that when we travel to Hawaii, the goal isn't just to see a place, but it's to better understand it. So with that, let's talk story with Jaden from the beautiful island of Kauai.
[00:01:45] Transition: Let's talk star and star.
[00:01:50] Bryan Murphy: Jaden, thank you so much for coming on Hawaii's Best.
[00:01:52] Bryan Murphy: How is the beautiful island of Kauai?
[00:01:55] Jaedyn Pavao: Just as you said it, it's beautiful. We're having some sunny days, so I'm grateful.
[00:01:59] Bryan Murphy: Nice.
[00:02:00] Reading the Story in Motion
[00:02:00] Bryan Murphy: Talking about hula, for someone visiting Hawaii who has only seen maybe hula at a, like a lua or hotel show festival, what do you hope they would understand from watching or taking that experience in?
[00:02:14] Jaedyn Pavao: Well, you know, a lot of times I think when people watch hula, they see it as just, wow, pretty flowers, pretty girls, dressed up in really nice costumes, but there's definitely more to it. Hula is storytelling. There's so much meaning to it and its stories being passed down. So it's a cultural thing. And so I hope that when people watch the hula, they can feel that sense of aloha and the story that's being shared.
[00:02:38] Bryan Murphy: Is there something visitors, and I put my, obviously I put myself in this category too, this bucket, you know, is there something that visitors often miss because they're, you focus mostly on the movement and the pretty things?
[00:02:50] Jaedyn Pavao: I think it would be the story because you're so focused on the pretty and wow, they're all in sync.
[00:02:55] Jaedyn Pavao: But if you listen to the words, watch the expressions of the dancer, their hand movements, everything we do has a purpose. Our hand is slightly to the right for a reason. It's slightly up trying to tell you something. So I think sometimes that may be overlooked, but that is definitely something visitors should try to put together, you know?
[00:03:13] Jaedyn Pavao: Even if you cannot understand the Hawaiian language, through the dancer's emotion and motions of their feet and hands, you may be able to put together the story.
[00:03:22] Bryan Murphy: Right.
[00:03:22] Mele Comes First
[00:03:22] Bryan Murphy: Also, I've kind of heard it say, you know, mele comes first. Can you explain what that means and how the story or song shapes the hula?
[00:03:31] Jaedyn Pavao: Yeah. So for us, we kind of see it as transcending space and time. As the dancer, you become the vessel of the story. So a lot of times you have your melee first or my kumu used to say, like, the melee would find us, that whatever was meant to be shared would somehow come to us. And so sometimes that's in a dream or certain things will keep happening and you're like, "Gosh, we gotta share that story."
[00:03:55] Jaedyn Pavao: But as the dancer, you use that mele. If you don't have much knowledge on it, you're gonna dig deeper. You're gonna look into every word and look into the deeper meaning so that you as a dancer can take that story and successfully transcend the space and time, take the viewer to that place or to that time period even.
[00:04:13] Jaedyn Pavao: 'Cause sometimes you're not dancing about Kalahill right now, how it looks. You're sharing the story of the past. So it's really important. And even for my kumue, she instilled in us to go to these places. If you're gonna share about Ka'u, go to Kawu so that you can better understand, get a better sense of the place, and then you can take the viewer, because that's truly the, you, what you're trying to do, right?
[00:04:37] Jaedyn Pavao: I'm trying to get my viewer to visualize what I'm doing through my emotion and through my motions.
[00:04:43] Hula as Second Language
[00:04:43] Bryan Murphy: As you're talking, obviously, the Hawaiian language is special, beautiful, and has been having this resurgence. And as you're talking, it's like, well, hula, you know, you think of sign language as a language. It feels like Hawaiians have two languages, which is kind of beautiful.
[00:05:00] Bryan Murphy: Is that accurate or is that. How would you -
[00:05:02] Jaedyn Pavao: Honestly, now that you're saying that it's like sign language, it kinda is. Sometimes I'll be watching Instagram stories or whatever, and I'm friends with. A lot of us here in the hula world are friends. You know, we know we all support each other and we all have the same mission.
[00:05:15] Jaedyn Pavao: I can watch their stories and not have sound, and I can be like, "I bet you it's this song." And it's because I share the similar story, right? So if it's a song that I know, like you'll see certain motions that you're like, "Oh, gosh, it's lining up in my head. It's. " There's some songs that are more well-known.
[00:05:34] Jaedyn Pavao: A lot of us dance it. So it's kinda like sign language, I guess, that. And that's kinda the goal. You kinda want someone. If they mute, maybe they can get the story because a lot of times people may not understand the language, but through our emotions and through our emotion, they may be able to catch onto the story, which, like you said, is kinda like a second language, you know?
[00:05:54] Bryan Murphy: Interesting. Okay.
[00:05:55] Merrie Monarch Explained
[00:05:55] Bryan Murphy: So picking on Mary Monarch a little bit, for listeners who don't know what Mary Monarch is, maybe you can just kinda set the stage a little bit, what Mary Monarch is.
[00:06:03] Jaedyn Pavao: Well, Mary Monarch is a festival that takes place in Halo year after year. It is a hula competition, and I like to think of it more as a hula celebration.
[00:06:13] Jaedyn Pavao: The best of the best hula dancers bring forward their stories, and it is a competition, but at the end of the day, we are sharing our stories. I just see it as a huge celebration of hula, and it's so amazing to see our culture live on through this festival.
[00:06:27] Purposeful Preparation
[00:06:27] Bryan Murphy: You kinda alluded to it a little bit, but, you know, some of the details behind hula that visitors may not realize.
[00:06:34] Bryan Murphy: So from the technical side, you know, preparation, dormance, natural dyes, that was something I learned from you when we chatted last time. How would you respond to that in just helping paint a broader picture, deeper picture, really, of Berry Monarch?
[00:06:47] Jaedyn Pavao: It's a cultural practice. It's more than it seems. We can't just decide, "Ooh, I feel like wearing purple today, so we're gonna wear purple."
[00:06:56] Jaedyn Pavao: There has to be, like, meaning to it. So, like, it's so purposeful. If I had to describe, it's just so purposeful. Everything we do has a reason. And so that required dying. And then after that, I stamped. And I mean, like, so much stamping was done on that skirt. But I couldn't just stamp. You don't go to the store and just pick up, like, ooh, triangles.
[00:07:13] Jaedyn Pavao: Like, this is stuff that is drawn out and carved on bamboo. It's attention to detail. Everything we do. Even for the Murray Monarch Festival, you have to be able to take, tell the judges, like, why you're wearing what you're wearing. Why did you pick the flowers you're wearing or the fern that you're wearing?
[00:07:29] Jaedyn Pavao: So everything is very purposeful and intentional.
[00:07:32] Winning and Ohana
[00:07:32] Bryan Murphy: So that moment is 2025. Yeah, Miss Aloha Hula.
[00:07:36] Jaedyn Pavao: Mm-hmm.
[00:07:36] Bryan Murphy: When it was all said and done, what did you wanna, like, just go celebrate? Like -
[00:07:39] Jaedyn Pavao: Well, we actually have been staying down at a beach house in Hilo called Laihala. We've been blessed to stay there. It's so, so pretty.
[00:07:45] Jaedyn Pavao: And after that moment, I don't even think the place matters. I just wanted to be with my family. Because I knew that -
[00:07:52] Transition: For sure.
[00:07:52] Jaedyn Pavao: It wasn't just me. Like, it took so much work. My parents dealing with my attitude. Like, it's so much. So I think after that moment, you really just wanna be surrounded by the people who won with you.
[00:08:04] Jaedyn Pavao: You know, and in a sense, it's not even about winning. Every other girl who competes, they probably just wanna be surrounded by those who help them, because it's an accomplishment in itself just to hit that stage. To be on that stage and be able to share your story, huge accomplishment. Like, I felt I had already won before the awards because I shared my stories to the best of my ability.
[00:08:23] Jaedyn Pavao: And I think a lot of girls can attest to that, that -
[00:08:26] Bryan Murphy: Mm.
[00:08:26] Jaedyn Pavao: They did their best and the awards didn't even matter after because you just wanna be celebrating with the people who helped you. It's a huge, huge accomplishment.
[00:08:34] Bryan Murphy: That's awesome.
[00:08:35] Who Can Dance Hula
[00:08:35] Bryan Murphy: So as you set the stage in just what hula is, I can't help but just thinking about hula and how I've seen it.
[00:08:41] Bryan Murphy: We've all seen it in movies. Is it okay? Or how do you feel about somebody performing hula who hasn't properly been trained or studied?
[00:08:50] Jaedyn Pavao: I definitely have mixed feelings about that because I feel, like we were talking about, hula has such a deeper meaning. It's a cultural practice that is passed down from generation to generation.
[00:09:02] Jaedyn Pavao: And I feel like people who want to dance hula and show that interest, I definitely think they should reach out to get that knowledge. You do not have to be Hawaiian to hula. And so we welcome people into our hula who are not Hawaiian, who have that interest. If you have the, the right intention, everything is, I feel like it all falls down to intention.
[00:09:24] Jaedyn Pavao: If you have good intentions, why not learn?
[00:09:27] Transition: Mm-hmm.
[00:09:27] Jaedyn Pavao: So it's hard for me to say that when people just make up their own, that that's okay. But I hope that they're able to reach out to the right people so that they can learn the proper way. Because, like we said, how do we make people realize that hula's not just entertainment?
[00:09:43] Jaedyn Pavao: How do we make that connection? And so I feel like it's about educating. It comes down to educating so that people know, hey, it's not, we're not just moving our hips and we're not just putting our hands anywhere we want to. So if we can educate more, and I think we as Hawaiians could help with that too, you know, is educating so that those people doing those things can realize, "Hey, I should back up and maybe find the right sources to learn so that I can do it properly."
[00:10:10] Bryan Murphy: Gotcha. It's important and it's part of -
[00:10:12] Jaedyn Pavao: Right.
[00:10:13] Bryan Murphy: Someone's culture.
[00:10:13] Jaedyn Pavao: Yeah, because even when we have parties here, you know, we as hula dancers, we show up to parties prepared to dance. Most times you won't see our girls show up with, like, short shorts and, like, a tube top because you're kind of, as a dancer, it's kinda, it's your kuleana.
[00:10:28] Jaedyn Pavao: It's your responsibility to share those stories. So knowing I'm going to a graduation party, I'm gonna be prepared that somebody will be like, "Oh, come up if you know the hula." If you -
[00:10:37] Bryan Murphy: Just in case some auntie gets up there, like -
[00:10:39] Jaedyn Pavao: Yeah, and that's kind of expected. Like, any graduation party I go to here, I'm gonna be prepared just in case, you know, someone's like, "Oh my gosh, Jaden, come share a hula."
[00:10:48] Jaedyn Pavao: Then I'm prepared.
[00:10:49] Respectful Hula on Kauai
[00:10:49] Bryan Murphy: So for people heading to Kauai, are there events or places maybe like Mokihana Festival where people can experience hula in a respectful way?
[00:11:00] Jaedyn Pavao: Of course, there's a lua that we talk about. And then there is the Mokihana Festival that happens yearly here on Kauai. So I feel like if tursts see those, if visitors see those flyers, definitely take the opportunity to go and learn something new.
[00:11:13] Jaedyn Pavao: Like I know Mokihana Festival has workshops with artists, with kumuhula. Like, those are opportunities that I would definitely take to learn.
[00:11:20] Tourist vs Visitor
[00:11:20] Bryan Murphy: You mentioned something real quick. N- nothing that you were talking about as far as, like, the content, but you said tourists, you caught yourself.
[00:11:27] Jaedyn Pavao: Yeah.
[00:11:27] Bryan Murphy: No, no. I'm, I'm curious.
[00:11:28] Bryan Murphy: Just tourist versus visitor, because this is something I've been curious of the last few years, and just do you think there's a difference there? Or how would you define each of those terms?
[00:11:38] Jaedyn Pavao: For me, I guess when I read, I think about it now, tourists, you're thinking, like, touring, kinda just going around. I see everyone as visitors.
[00:11:45] Jaedyn Pavao: Like, you're here to accept our aloha, because when you come to Hawaii and we talk about Hawaii stays with you -
[00:11:52] Bryan Murphy: Yeah.
[00:11:52] Jaedyn Pavao: It's that aloha that you take with you. No matter what, you're gonna come here, you're gonna feel aloha, and you're taking that with you. People come visit and they're like, "There's just something about this place."
[00:12:00] Jaedyn Pavao: And -
[00:12:00] Bryan Murphy: Right.
[00:12:01] Jaedyn Pavao: I mean, you go to McDonald's and somebody might help you with the door even, or people showing chakas on the road and waving to each other. All those little things are things that visitors take with them. So I would consider anybody who visits Hawaii, you're a visitor because you're gonna take back that sense of aloha that you will feel here no matter what.
[00:12:19] Aloha That Never Tires
[00:12:19] Bryan Murphy: Does it ever get tiring though? Like extending that aloha?
[00:12:23] Jaedyn Pavao: I'm very much a people person, and so I'm always the one, like, I'm a hugger. A hug can change someone's day. For me, offering that aloha never gets old. And it was kind of instilled in me. My kumu always told us, like, "You can never have too much aloha."
[00:12:36] Jaedyn Pavao: And every time somebody come, "Aloha, aloha," like, always reminding us. And we're like, "No, you know," I look back at it and I'm like, "Yeah, it's instilled in us now." I was just part of a mental health panel connecting mind, body, soul to my work and to hula. And one of the random thoughts that came to me is you never know what someone else is going through.
[00:12:55] Transition: Mm.
[00:12:55] Jaedyn Pavao: So even for visitors, when they come here, like, we don't know what they're going through.
[00:13:00] Bryan Murphy: Yeah.
[00:13:00] Jaedyn Pavao: But even that smile that you give them, or aloha just walking past, could change their day. And I think about it often when I drive and I pass all these cars, I'm like, "You have no idea where that person's going, what they're doing with today."
[00:13:13] Jaedyn Pavao: Yeah. And that goes for our visitors, too. So I hope when they come here, they feel that aloha that we have, because we don't know what they're going through. They don't know what we're going through. So at the end of the day, aloha is constant, and that's something that we can freely share.
[00:13:26] Bryan Murphy: I love that. Okay.
[00:13:26] What Aloha Means
[00:13:26] Bryan Murphy: One of the questions I just love asking guests, and I've had many episodes dedicated just to the word aloha, uh, Kumu, Kahana Soletorio on the podcast. Kamakadias, we've done interviews together, and I asked him, because he always asked too, his guests, you know, "What does aloha mean to you?" So I just kinda wanna, like, flip it on, on you too.
[00:13:46] Bryan Murphy: So what does aloha mean to you?
[00:13:49] Jaedyn Pavao: Aloha is everything to me, because for me, aloha is Keokua. It is God for me. He is the reason I am where I am today. He is the reason why I am the way I am, and it just comes back to God for me. He's the center of my life. I turn to him at my darkest times, my happiest times.
[00:14:08] Jaedyn Pavao: And like I just had kinda mentioned, aloha is free. We get to give aloha, give our love, our hospitality for free. And at the end of the day, you remember how people make you feel. So if you can give aloha, then you're winning.
[00:14:22] Bryan Murphy: Yeah.
[00:14:23] Advice for First Timers
[00:14:23] Bryan Murphy: Also, the phrase, you already mentioned it, but Hoi stays with you through the lens of hula and aloha.
[00:14:29] Bryan Murphy: What do you hope visitors carry home with them?
[00:14:32] Jaedyn Pavao: Of course, I hope they carry home aloha, because they got to feel it when they visited here. But I also hope they get to take a piece of our culture with them and a better understanding of Hawaii, because a lot of times within grass huts and, you know, they come here and it's not that way.
[00:14:48] Jaedyn Pavao: Um, but I hope they get to understand, even through watching hula, that it really sticks with them and resonates with them, that there is a deep culture here. And we are cultural practitioners who fight every day to keep it alive. It's not an overnight thing. There's some of us who live, breathe everything hula because that's our way of keeping our story alive of our kupuna and their practices.
[00:15:10] Jaedyn Pavao: If not, who knows where it would be? For those visitors, especially those who get to witness hula, I hope it really resonates with them and they get to take a piece of our home with them, because it's our energy, it's our time and our love that we share with them when they come here.
[00:15:23] Bryan Murphy: 90% of people who listen to this podcast are visitors, people dreaming of Hawaii and planning trips.
[00:15:29] Bryan Murphy: What would you want specifically maybe that first time visitor to know before they get on a plane or de-plane in Hawaii?
[00:15:38] Jaedyn Pavao: Come with an open heart and an open mind, a willingness to learn, because it's. Hai's unlike any other. You're gonna come here and you're gonna learn something new. So just come and keep in mind the culture at the same time, because it's sometimes easy to come here and be like, "Ooh, beaches and snorkeling and boat tours and all these things."
[00:15:56] Jaedyn Pavao: But at the core of all of that is our culture. So come with an open mind and be willing to be receptive of all those things.
[00:16:03] Bryan Murphy: Okay.
[00:16:04] Kauai Local Food Picks
[00:16:04] Bryan Murphy: I already can, like, envision my DMs and emails right now of people who are like, "You have Jayden on Kua'i right now, and I just wanna know where to go eat. Like, I just wanna know, like, the best places to go."
[00:16:16] Bryan Murphy: But I'm just curious because I think it'd be worth maybe shouting out some local businesses on Kuai specifically. You know, what are your, some of your places that you love to go?
[00:16:25] Jaedyn Pavao: I mean, if you're looking for a nice sit-down keyokies, great. Yeah. And they actually recognize my auntie recently. If I'm looking for something refreshing, Aloha always has great Asai bowls.
[00:16:39] Jaedyn Pavao: I'm kind of a picky eater. I'll let you know that. That's really sad box. I love it.But there's all kinds - I love it. If you're looking for a local box lunch, there's Smiley's, Paradise Grinds, Kauai Cookie right down the road from my house, has some good food, bakery items. They have some good stuff to, like, take home too.
[00:16:56] Jaedyn Pavao: There's, like, a bunch of food trucks right here in Callahill. Small local businesses going coffees and all kind. Aloha Craft Cafe, Rainbow Joe's. These are, like, more food quick, like items. Right. Aloha Ina Juice, Kahi Juice Company. Yeah,
[00:17:11] Bryan Murphy: they run the podcast.
[00:17:13] Jaedyn Pavao: And then for sit-downs, there's, like, MCS Grill, Quintaros, Break Oven Pizza.
[00:17:18] Jaedyn Pavao: They are, like, two minutes for me. So dangerous.
[00:17:21] Bryan Murphy: Okay.
[00:17:21] Dreaming of Better Tourism
[00:17:21] Bryan Murphy: So just, I'm just curious from your perspective, this might be too heavy as I'm thinking about it, too heavy of a question to kinda, like, end with, but if you had, like, a magic wand and you're able to s - wave that magic wand, how would you envision tourism in Hawaii?
[00:17:38] Jaedyn Pavao: Well, I guess for me, if I could just wave the wand and make things how we would want it to be, I think there would be more opportunities for our visitors to sit down and learn, spend a lot of time maybe making blei, learning about melei. Mm. 'Cause that's another thing. People are still composing melei to this day to portray what we're seeing in Hawaii.
[00:18:00] Jaedyn Pavao: The beauty visitors would come here and learn, be here to learn about our culture. 'Cause we kinda talk about it how we come here and then it's like, "Ooh, so pretty, like, let's go do all these activities." But then there's, like, the core of us, our language, our music, our dance. So if everybody would immerse themself in that, that'd be great.
[00:18:20] Bryan Murphy: Cool. Well, thank you so much for your time and for coming on Hawaii's Best today.
[00:18:24] Jaedyn Pavao: Thank you.
[00:18:26] Final Takeaways Mahalo
[00:18:26] Bryan Murphy: I really love the idea of immersing yourself in Hawaii beyond just the activities and the places that, you know, we're just checking off the list or what's next, what's on the itinerary, because that's really what this conversation with Jaden really brought to light, is when you experience something like hula, you're not just watching a performance, you're really kind of being invited into a story, a story of a place, of people, and generations of knowledge that have been passed down.
[00:18:55] Bryan Murphy: That's really one of the most meaningful parts about visiting Hawaii. The more you and I, we slow down, learn, and understand the culture behind what we're experiencing, I think really the more meaningful our time in visiting the islands becomes. So a, a huge mahalo to Jaden for sharing her story, her knowledge, and most importantly, her aloha with us today.
[00:19:20] Bryan Murphy: And if you enjoyed this episode and my conversation with Jaden, I really would appreciate you letting both of us know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening to the show. Those reviews really do help other travelers like you and I find Hawaii's best and learn more about how to experience Hawaii with respect and understanding.
[00:19:40] Bryan Murphy: Until next time, as always, live with Aloha.
[00:19:47] Bryan Murphy: Mohala for listening to Hawaii's Best. If you found today's episode helpful, make sure to hit follow on your podcast app so you don't miss future episodes. You can find all links and resources mentioned today in the show notes below.