| Pub Crawl: IT’S THE ‘BULA’ SPIRIT IN HONIARA |
Samisoni Pareti
Nothing near those Times/CNN polls, but a snap and embarrassingly loose survey on the streets of Honiara was unanimous nevertheless: Bula Bar is the best bar in the Solomon Islands.
| Bula Bar... the most happening place in Honiara. |
Of the Honiara-ites polled, well the four close acquaintances I spoke to at different times of the week offered the same answer: Bula Bar ranks amongst the region’s most popular nightspots.
Its not so much that the watering hole is close to Honiara’s international airport, but like those that have featured before in this column, Bula Bar has its own warmth and friendly atmosphere to which patrons are drawn to naturally.
And most importantly, it is safe, something that cannot be said for some of its rivals in this town, or in some other cities of the Pacific.
Bula Bar stocks local as well as imported beer and spirits. Indeed, even its name is not indigenous—imported of course from the original home of the bar owners. The Lee family, owners of Airport Motel that houses the Bula Bar, came from Fiji where ‘bula’ is the common greeting.
The meaning of ‘bula’ can range from a hearty hello to being well and alive, and for regulars at this Honiara tavern, the name aptly mirrors the spirit and character of the bar.
No one is a stranger the moment he or she walks through the two-timber panelled doors. Unless you are a first-timer like me, forget about introducing yourself to the three bar attendants who stand ready to take your orders from behind the counter.
Just heave yourself onto a bar chair, your orders are taken and served in no time. With so many friendly faces around, striking up a conversation takes no real effort. Space though is plenty for those who prefer a table.
Happy hour is every Friday evenings between 6:30 to 7:30pm, where beer and spirits are sold at discount prices. Music comes in full stereo sound and for those looking for any excuse to relax those overworked and stressed joints, Bula Bar organises dances every Saturday evenings. Local bar crawlers say that at any typical evening, weekdays or weekends, Bula Bar attracts Honiara’s who’s who; from top business executives to senior public bureaucrats, as well as the RAMSI crowd.
Its proximity to the international airport also means that you will never know which odd traveller may be occupying the seat next to yours. Being away from Honiara after a long while, I find Bula Bar to be a great way to have fun, put your feet up while catching up with the town’s latest gossip.
The Lees’ entertaining reputation seems to have spread beyond the confines of their small but neat motel.
Under an arrangement with the King Solomon Hotel in downtown Honiara, Airport Motel now manages the hotel’s bar and only restaurant.
I discovered this in a perplexed way when after fronting up at the restaurant desk to sign my bill after dinner, I couldn’t understand why the diner before me was signing a cheque to Airport Motel at the King Solomon!
Come to think of it, Airport Motel and its surrounds have never been affront to hosting strangers in whatever means they came; off a plane or waded ashore from a ship.
The motel is not far from Red Beach, site of the historic landing of the Allied Forces at the height of World War II. Three years ago, Red Beach also hosted gun-bearing Australian troops when RAMSI arrived to restore law and order in Honiara.
That’s why it is hard to be a stranger at Bula Bar because this watering hole is used to welcoming so many of them.
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