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We hope you've saved room in your suitcase. With our shopping guide, you can find the top shops for everything "Maui-grown," from lilikoi (passion fruit) jams and fresh pineapples to koa wood bowls and swimwear. Style hunters can get their fill of bohemian-resort chic in Paia, luxury brands in Wailea, and paniolo (cowboy) threads in Upcountry's quiet Makawao town. And before packing up your plunder, conjure up some Zen by soaking in Maui's natural resources at one of the island's top spas.
If you're seeking authentic Hawaiian artistry, check out the handcrafted instruments at Mele Ukulele and Maui Divers' jewelry designs. Splurge on an heirloom Niihau shell lei found in art galleries around the island or score pretty puka charms from the Maui Swap Meet in Kahului. Maxed out on your luggage weight? No problem. There’s Hello Makana (www.hellomakana.com), a subscription service that curates food and gift items from high-quality local artisans and ships to your doorstep. Although the cost of basic goods might be higher on the Islands, keep in mind that the state has a much lower sales tax (4%) than the mainland.
Specialty food products—pineapples, coconuts, or Maui onions—and "Made in Maui" jams and jellies make great, less expensive souvenirs. Cook Kwee's Maui Cookies have gained a following, as have Kitch'n Cook'd The Original Maui Potato Chip Company. Coffee sellers now offer Maui-grown and roasted beans alongside the better-known Kona varieties. Remember that fresh fruit must be inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture before it can leave the state, so it's safest to buy a box that has already passed inspection.
Business hours for individual shops on the island are usually 9–5, seven days a week. Shops on Front Street and in shopping centers tend to stay open later (until 9 or 10 on weekends).
To unwind on your trip, you can rejuvenate in a yoga class and then enter one of the island's world-class spas. Many treatments use ingredients indigenous to Hawaii, like kukui nut and coconut. With coveted beauty lines like Eminence or Epicuren sharing the shelves with locally made Ala Lani Bath and Body, you're bound to find a spa product or two to bring home.
Traditional Swedish massage and European facials anchor most spa menus on the island, though you can also find shiatsu, ayurveda, aromatherapy, and other body treatments drawn from cultures across the globe. It can be fun to try some more local treatments or ingredients, though. Lomilomi, traditional Hawaiian massage involving powerful strokes down the length of the body, is a regional specialty passed down through generations. Many treatments incorporate local plants and flowers. Awapuhi, or Hawaiian ginger, and noni, a pungent-smelling fruit, are regularly used for their therapeutic benefits. Limu, or seaweed, and even coffee are employed in rousing salt scrubs and soaks.
This locally owned shop is a favorite among stylish surfers and landlubbers alike. Stop here immediately after deplaning to stock up on surf trunks, windsurfing gear, bikinis, or sundresses. You can also rent a surfboard or sign up for windsurfing or kiteboarding lessons while you're at it. You'll find additional branches in Kihei and Paia.
Available here are Hawaii's largest selection of original antique maps and prints of Hawaii and the Pacific. You can also buy museum-quality reproductions, plus paintings and photographs, many from local artists. Visit their production gallery at 1013 Limahana Place in Lahaina for an even greater selection.
At this bustling health food store you can stock up on local fish and grass-fed beef for your barbecue. You'll find the best selection of organic produce on the Island, as well as a great bakery and deli. The health and beauty room has a dizzying selection of products that promise to keep you glowing.
One of the Island's only artist cooperatives, Maui Crafts Guild is crammed with treasures. Resident artists produce lead-glazed pottery, basketry, glass and feather art, photography, ceramics, and woodwork pieces. The prices are surprisingly low, making this a great place to find gifts and one-of-a-kind items to take home.
This nonprofit bookstore is run by volunteers who are happy to let you spend a few minutes (or hours) browsing shelves filled with mystery, sci-fi, fiction, military history, and "oddball" volumes. There's a nice section reserved for new Hawaiiana books. If you've finished with your vacation reading, donate it to benefit the Island's public libraries. There are also locations at Queen Kaahumanu Center and behind the former Puunene School in Kahului.
This is the place on Maui for swimwear, cover-ups, beach hats, and sandals. Maui Girl designs its own suits, which have been spotted in Sports Illustrated fashion shoots and on celebrities. Tops and bottoms can be purchased separately, increasing your chances of finding the perfect fit.
This gallery shows work by more than 300 local artists: exquisite woodwork, lovely ceramics, authentic Niihau shell lei, wave metal etchings, and whimsical clay figures. There are locations in Lahaina, Makawao, and at The Shops at Wailea. At each location, the gallery offers a unique Artists in Residence program that connects the public to the artists at local “talk story” sessions each month.
For a professional-quality, authentic ukulele, skip the souvenir shops. Mele's handcrafted beauties are made of koa or mahogany and strung and finished by expert craftsmen on the Island. Owner Michael Rock has consciously observed the cultural significance and importance of the ukulele to the Hawaiian people and their music, by creating instruments for everyone from kupuna to keiki (grandparents to children). There is a location at The Shops at Wailea and in Paia.
This store in the heart of Wailuku champions cultural traditions and craftsmanship. It has curated Hawaiian and Polynesian works of art that include traditional wear, jewelry, weaponry, photography, books, music, hula instruments, and even surfboards.
Sherri Reeve is well-known for her watercolor pastel expressions of Maui's landscapes, flora, and fauna. Her origami-like sculpted works are sublime, and her designs have been applied to houseware goods that make for ideal gifts. The gallery is a family affair, and includes her niece Makana and her daughter Hailey. Stop in and marvel at the large paintings, clothes, matte prints, postcards, luggage tags, and more.
Chic Whalers Village boasts wonderful oceanfront restaurants and shops in the heart of Kaanapali. Upscale haunts include Louis Vuitton and Tourneau, and beautyphiles can get their fix at Sephora. Elegant home accessories at Martin and MacArthur and Totally Hawaiian Gift Gallery are perfect Hawaii-made souvenirs, while the many great surf and swimwear shops will prepare you for a day at the beach. Kids will fall in love with the whimsical two-story climbing structure at the lower courtyard. The outdoor mall also offers free weekly entertainment, lei-making classes, and hula lessons; check their website for a complete schedule.
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