Maui’s Best Local Businesses & Places to Visit

I was just reading the 2014 HAWAII magazine, the readers’ choice issue, and I wanted to share some of Maui’s top picks from the magazine. This is an informative magazine that you can pick up at your local newsstand as it covers a lot of topics, and of course, the best of the best of just about everything from lodging, food, beaches, shopping, and points of interest in all of Hawaii.

The Andaz Hotel and Residences, Wailea, Maui. The Andaz consists of a hotel and 12 private residences (Villas) available for sale. Wailea condos for sale

Since I live on Maui, I’m a bit partial and decided to see how we fared with the readers’ choices. I was very impressed to see that we were #1 in many categories. Below, I listed only the Maui-specific first place winners. There were several winners that included Maui (chain stores), but were also located on other islands, that I did not list. 

For example, Foodland (a grocery store) won for best poke. Who would think that you should go to a grocery store for poke? But I go often myself, and agree, it is very good – maybe not as good as when we go out and catch fresh yellowfin tuna and make it ourselves, but good.

Maybe you are wondering, “what is poke?” Well, poke is usually served as an appetizer (pupu), but I often eat it as a main dish; it is normally made with yelowfin tuna, but other seafood is also used. It is marinated (not cooked) in soy sauce, salt, onions, and a variety of other ingredients. A must-try here in Hawaii.

Kaanapali Beach taken from the Whaler condominiums – Kaanapali condos for sale

Maui’s Best – Readers’ Choice Awards from Hawaii Magazine

• Budget hotel: Kaanapali Beach Hotel
• Boutique hotel: Travaasa Hana
• Hotel for a romantic getaway: Travaasa Hana
• Bed & breakfast or Inn: The Plantation Inn, Lahaina
• New hotel/resort/inn: Andaz Maui at Wailea  (see above picture – private residences also available for sale)
• Hotel/resort spa: Spa Grande at Grand Wailea
• Hotel/resort pool: Grand Wailea
• Hotel/resort with Aloha spirit: Kaanapali Beach Hotel
• Golf course: Kapalua Resort, Plantation and Bay course
• Land activity/adventure tour company: Skyline Eco-Adventures
• Lu’au: Old Lahaina Lu’au
• Zipline: Skyline Eco-Adventures Kaanapali
• Zoo or Aquarium: Maui Ocean Center
• Beach for stretching out on the sand: Kaanapali Beach
• General store: Hasegawa General Store, Hana
• City or town: Lahaina
• Scenic roadway: Hana Highway, Pa’ia to Hana
• Fine dining: Mama’s Fish House, Pa’ia
• Plate lunch: Aloha Mixed Plate, Lahaina
• New restaurant: Alan Wong’s Amasia, Grand Wailea
• Seafood restaurant: Mama’s Fish House, Pa’ia
• Restaurant for breakfast: The Gazebo Restaurant, Napili
• Romantic restaurant: Mama’s Fish House, Pa’ia

South Maui sunset

Special Mentions

Special mentions in the magazine that are also local Maui businesses include:

1. Sweet Paradise Chocolatier is an award-winning business in Wailea, Maui. They not only have a walk-in store in Wailea, but their farm that supplies the chocolate and fruits that are used in their confections is located on Maui as well. Yes, they actually grow the cacao (chocolate) here on Maui.

The 7 acre farm is located on the Hana Hwy, 15 miles from the airport. So, yes, if you have ever been interested in what can you grow on Maui, this is another example of the vast variety of choices, in case you ever want to start some type of agriculture business.

2. Maui Preserved is another local business here on Maui that delivers farm fresh produce from Maui farmers to your cupboards to be enjoyed year-round. Pickles, hot sauce, jam, syrup, whole vanilla beans, vanilla bean powder. Did you know that vanilla bean comes from orchids? Yes, we have lots of orchids here in Hawaii too.

Want to Know More About Maui?

If you have any questions about buying or selling property on Maui, looking for information on agriculture businesses here on Maui, or just any questions you may have, give me a call and I will either answer your questions or point you in the right direction.

Aloha from Maui, Hawaii.