Party safe and hearty Residents are just beginning to learn about one Waikiki attraction visitors have known about for 10 years -- the Pub Crawl, a way to take in bars and clubs without paying cover charges, standing in line, driving or parking. It all starts with a bus ride.
by Pub Crawl
Guests hit Waikiki night spots
When & where, dos & don'ts
by bus without worrying about DUI
By Nancy Arcayna
Special to the Star-BulletinWaiting inside the party bus at All-Star Hawaii on a Saturday night was tour guide Darryl, who rounded up 51 troops and herded them onto the party machine on wheels. Some were looking for places to drink, others looking for dancing or other action, but most were tourists seeking the grand tour of Hawaii's night scene. The crowd ranged from young military guys newly stationed here to married couples, young women, and groups of friends just looking to party.
"The only sober person on the bus is the driver," said VIP Pub Crawl coordinator Shay Maae. "The tourists get a chance to see the night life of Hawaii and promote some of the local clubs and restaurants. They feel comfortable and secure. And, they won't be driving drunk in an unfamiliar area," he said.
"The whole point of establishing the pub crawl was to prevent DUI (drinking under the influence) because so many people are getting killed," said Maae. "I'm providing a safe means for everyone to enjoy themselves. No one is getting hurt and that's the aloha spirit to me. This is my contribution to public safety."While visitors can retire to their hotel rooms, local participants can arrange for a sober friend to drive them home at the end of the evening.
"We are working on getting buses that run from the Leeward and Windward sides of the island to promote more local and military participation," said Maae. "We need to make people more aware that its not OK to drink and drive."
About 50 to 60 people participate in the pub crawl nightly. Typically, those numbers dwindle during the evening as people "get lost" along the way. Maae said they might decide they like one club in particular, meet a friend who promised to drive them home, or hook up with someone they met en route.
"Hey, they should be thanking me," said Maae. "I hooked them up and I'm not even charging them for it."
Maae started out hosting booze cruises about 10 years ago. But his success then depended on the weather. "If it rained, the waters would be choppy."
One day after a cruise was canceled due to choppy waters, a woman from Australia walked by Maae wearing a T-shirt that said "I survived the pub crawl." She explained that in Australia buses are used to take groups out bar-hopping.
A new venture was born.
"I've been doing it on and off for about 10 years," Maae said. "Hawaii is too stale ... there are too many rules and regulations. People need to enjoy themselves and just hang loose. We need to be creative to get the tourists going. There are the luaus and trips around the island, but those have been here for years. Some people have done those things several times already and they become bored."
Our first stop was at the Irish Rose Saloon, where the Piranha Brothers were performing. According to Maae, the clubs visited vary from week to week depending on the crowd.
"We wanted to see the party life of Waikiki. We're tourists and didn't know which clubs to go to. So, when we found out about the party bus, we thought it would be the best thing we could do," said 25-year old Jason Greene of Colorado. Chandra Dudley, a 25-year old from Colorado added, "I've heard wonderful things about the night life in Hawaii and wanted to be sure to check it out."
Four twentysomething women from L.A. were touring the island to celebrate a friend's birthday. They complained, "There's just too much testosterone. We wish there were more women on the bus."
One voluptuous young woman got on the bus and asked if she could drive. Her request prompted jeering from a rowdy crowd from Michigan.
"We were scared when we stopped at the first pub (Irish Rose), but this place (Scruples) is much nicer," said SookHee Hensiek who was on her honeymoon with husband Tom. "They were getting a little crazy on the bus, kinda radical and loud," added Tom. But the lovey dovey couple, for the most part, seemed oblivious to the rowdy goings on.
Others loved the noise and raucous behavior. "All of the Navy guys love it," said 24-year old Carlos Burch who is from Texas but was recently stationed in Hawaii.
A foursome from Traverse City, Mich., was among the most enthusiastic in the crowd. Dan Ollar, a 36-year old member of the group said they got on the bus to meet people and get to know the area. He had lost track of his buddies by the time we reached our third stop at a crowded Zanzabar. His 25-year old friend Ryan Ascione was eyeing women while brother Michael Ascione, 24, wandered about the room. The fourth buddy Julio Vozza, 24, was content to hang out with a drink in hand.
By the end of the night, the drinks caught up to him. We found him passed out in front of Zanzabar on a small patch of grass, but with the help of his buddies, he managed to make it back on the bus only to move to his next resting stop, a bus stop bench across from Blue Tropix. Once we boarded the bus and headed to The Wave, he slept for the remainder of the tour until Michael took him back to his hotel.
About seven people were not allowed into Zanzabar because they were wearing shorts or didn't meet the dress code requirements. Instead, they were shuttled over to Moose McGuillicuddy's. Still, there was grumbling.
The 90 minutes at Zanzabar may have been a little too long. Several people left the club to wander around Waikiki or just to hang outside and wait for the bus. This time, 26 pub crawlers didn't crawl back to the bus.
Robert Beckwith, 28, from Dallas said, "It was like being on spring break because it was wild and crazy.
"We found out about the bus at the Cinco de Mayo celebration. We noticed a group of crazy people and ended up sneaking on the bus with them. It was more fun the first time because we knew we weren't supposed to be there. When we got on the bus, we started chanting and screaming to blend in with the crowd."
Hugo Zalo, 27, from Mexico, said, "The party bus is really nice because you meet lots of people from different places around the world. They all have the same goal to go out drinking and have a fun time."
Loretta Cathcart, a resident of Hawaii Kai said, "If you're like me, and don't go out clubbing very often, you don't know where the hot spots are. It's fun to hang out with friends and meet new people at the same time. And, all the clubs play different types of music."
Empty beer cans rolled down the aisles of the bus as we ventured off to our final destination. By the end of the evening, we were left with only 15 people. The others may have hooked up with someone, missed the bus or simply partied themselves out. Claire Wirkius, 42, a flight attendant from Seattle, was one of the few survivors. "I'm old and wise," she said. "I know how to pace myself."
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturdays (bus departs at approximately 8:45 p.m. for first destination) The VIP Pub Crawl
Where: Meet at All Star Hawaii, 2080 Kalakaua Ave.
Cost: $20 to $35 per person
Call: 285-2313
>> Dress appropriately to make sure you won't be excluded from clubs (no sandals or shorts; guys should wear collar shirts). Tips for pub crawlers
>> Don't sneak beer or drinks on the party bus.
>> If you leave with someone new, tell your friends who you are leaving with and where you plan to go.
>> Don't be late for the bus. Most club stops range from a 45-minute to 1-hour span. The bus won't wait for stragglers. The general slogan is "If you are not on the bus ... you're not with us."
Click for online
calendars and events.
