Shopping in Maui, Hawaii
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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.
