Your guide to the local's favourite places on Maui
You local Maui guide. (Credit: Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority)
| THIS ARTICLE WAS CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority |
Maui’s farm-to-table restaurants, colourful plantation towns and eco-friendly ocean adventures reveal an island that thrives on resilience and community. Spend a day exploring like local – and education director of Maui Ocean Center – Tiara Fernandez.
Maui’s rhythm flows with the ocean. From the gentle swells of Wailea to the legendary surf breaks of Honolua Bay, the waters invite both seasoned surfers and curious beginners. Sunset here is a daily spectacle, with fiery reds and molten golds melting into the horizon best savoured from Lahaina’s waterfront or the quieter shores of Makena.
Beyond the beaches, upcountry towns like Makawao and Kula evoke old plantation days, with art galleries, boutique farms and fragrant orchards tucked between rolling hills offering a striking contrast to the thriving surf culture along the coast.
Maui is a sensory feast, and on her downtime from working with Hawaiʻi’s marine life, Tiara loves to take it all in.
Maui restaurants and bites
1. SixtyTwo MarKet
Try the Signature Eggs Benedict at SixtyTwo MarKet.
This Wailuka eatery is a real treat for anyone who loves fresh, local eats. As its name suggests, the menu rotates every 62 days according to what’s in harvest. Chef Marc McDowell, who honed his skills at New York’s prestigious Culinary Institute of America, crafts thoughtful dishes presented in a light and airy space adorned with natural timber accents and greenery.
2. Flatbread Company
Founded by avid surfer Jay Gould, this pizzeria in the charming surf town of Pā‘ia serves thin and crispy woodfired pizzas crafted with ingredients, free from unwanted chemicals and pesticides. Guests can watch the magic unfold in an open kitchen, where each pizza emerges perfectly blistered from the flames. As well as supporting local organic farmers, Flatbread gives back with benefit nights for local non-profits.
3. Kalei’s Lunchbox
Try tasty Hawaiin plate lunches, like garlic shrimp.
From its humble beginnings as a food truck in 2016, Kalei’s Lunchbox has blossomed into a bricks-and-mortar spot in the heart of Lahaina, serving fresh, affordable meals with a side of aloha. The family-owned restaurant is the perfect place to dive into classic local comfort food such as loco moco (a hearty hamburger patty smothered in brown gravy atop steaming white rice, crowned with a sunny-side-up egg), garlic shrimp, saimin (noodle soup), seared ahi burgers and generous smoked meat plates.
Maui guide
Morning
Take a tour out to Molokini Crater. (Credit: Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority)
Fuel up with a take-away coffee from Luxe Latte in Wailuku before boarding one of Pacwhale Eco-Adventures’ low impact catamarans for a snorkelling tour to the crescent-shaped Molokini Crater and Turtle Arches, along South Maui’s coast. Here the snorkelling reveals dramatic underwater lava formations, colourful coral, an array of fish and docile green sea turtles. If luck’s on your side, you might also catch a glimpse of majestic manta rays or sleek white-tip reef sharks.
Afternoon
Get a behind-the-scenes tour of Maui Ocean Center.
After disembarking head to Maui Ocean Center for a behind-the-scenes tour to see the aquarium’s conservation work in action and gain fresh insights into the marine life you may have just snorkelled with. Exhibits like Hawaiians and the Sea explore the strong cultural ties between islanders and the ocean, from traditional fishing practices and ancient navigation techniques to the legends that have shaped Maui’s seafaring heritage.
Evening
Watch the sunset from Haleakalā. (Credit: Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority)
Catch one of Maui’s legendary sunsets, either from a sandy beach or by winding your way up to the dormant shield volcano Haleakalā, which means ‘House of the Sun’ in ‘ōlelo Hawaiʻi, in Upcountry Maui. On your descent, stop by Kula Bistro, perched on the slopes of the volcano, where the menu ranges from coconut shrimp and homemade crab cakes to hearty prime rib sandwiches.
If your timing aligns, don’t miss the First Friday celebration, a lively showcase of music, art, food and community spirit, lighting up Maui’s towns on a different Friday night each month.
Maui accommodation
1. Maui Eco Retreat
Relax at Maui Eco Retreat.
Maui Eco Retreat is a sustainably-focused hideaway set on land blessed by a kahuna (Hawaiian priest) in Haiku, a verdant pocket of Maui’s North Shore, around 30 minutes’ drive from Pā‘ia. Accommodation includes a bamboo cottage complete with an open-air shower and hand-crafted furniture.
2. Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows
Closer to the ocean, Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows is set on the powdery white sands of North Kāʻanapali Beach, with pools, restaurants and the island’s longest-running lū‘au.
Shopping on Maui
Peruse local homewares and jewellery. (Credit: Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority)
Maui’s plantation towns brim with independently owned boutiques that celebrate the island’s creative spirit. Seek out distinctive homewares and jewellery at Maui Ocean Arts. House of Mana Up champions Maui’s makers and emerging entrepreneurs, stocking island-crafted treats from lip balm to hot sauce.
More ways to explore
Keep an eye out for whales. (Credit: Getty/ Kon Art)
Stroll the paved walkways to scenic lookouts and discover the Polynesian plants brought by early Hawaiians in the lush botanical garden of ʻĪau Valley State Monument. Experience traditional Hawaiian music and dance paired with Hawaiian dishes such as taro, roast pork and fresh poke at the Old Lāhainā Lūʻau.
Take to the water with locally-owned and operated Ultimate Whale Watch & Snorkel, whose small-group tours also support marine researchers through the donation of their vessels and time.
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