Maui: Island Girl Eats and Places to Visit
I'm so lucky to have family who live on the beautiful island of Maui, on average I visit once every three years but this time I decided it was time to document some of my favorite places and eats along the way. Check out my vlog down below and keep reading for more tips for where to visit on this island!
Maui's Best Luau:
I'm aware that this isn't accessible to everyone visiting Maui but I had to include it because it's a huge part of every trip I make. My island family are some of the greatest cooks I've ever had the pleasure of knowing and their passion and dedication to cooking is one trait I wish to inherit! We always enjoy a daily feast of Hawaiian and Japanese flavors. Check out some of my favorites below and watch my Maui Vlog: Family Luau HERE!
Maui Swap Meat:
Considered a family tradition at this point, my family and I visit the Maui Swap Meat at least once every time we make a trip to the island. Located on Maui's University Campus the swap meat is open every Saturday from 7AM-1PM. There's a small admission fee which costs 50¢ and will grant you access to dozens of small shops, food trucks and farmers markets. It's a small place, easily covered within 40 mins but there's lots of great shops to pick up souvenirs, food to try and fresh fruits to take home.
Ho'okipa Beach Park:
One of the many beaches locals and tourists like to hang out and surf at, the best part of this place is the dozens of turtles who also like to relax on shore. On any given day, at least 15 or more turtles will be lounging beachside for everyone to see. Turtles in Hawaii are considered an endangered species so you can only look but feel free to take as many pictures as you want. It is quite a sight to see and the area is perfect for taking a leisurely stroll.
Ukumehame Beach Park:
This is a locals hangout which offers fewer crowds, small waves perfect for beginner surfers and a laid back beach vibe for picnicking or tanning. Located at the southern end of the West Maui mountains off Highway 30, don't blink or you'll miss it. If you come here during the evening, Ukumehame Beach offers spectacular views of the sunset and the perfect shoreline tree for taking all your pictures on.
Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice:
I think everyone in my family agrees that Ululani's is the BEST shave ice in Maui! Its menu is a Maui-inspired selection of flavors including combinations like Broke Da Mouth (Pickled Mango, Li Hing Mui, No Ka Oi (Mango Coconut, Passion Fruit) and my personal favorite Party in my Mouth (Tamarind, Passion fruit Calamansi). I suggest getting a scoop of ice-cream at the bottom to sweeten up the dessert.
Tamura's Express for Poke:
Where can you get the best poke on Maui? That's a hard question to answer because there's so many options, I even love the Costco poke but this time I have to go with the locals favorite. Tamura's poke is made fresh every day using ono sashimi grade ahi and the majority of the fish comes straight from local fisherman. There's dozens of poke combinations to try and they'll even let you sample as many as you'd like. You can also grab a fresh made bento from the deli section and stock up on all the li hing mui candies you can handle!
Maui Mcdonald's:
It wouldn't be a HeyKatBabe guide without a Mcdonald's to get item! When my family and I are in need of a quick breakfast we always drive by the nearest Mcdonald's for an early morning fix. We love getting the Local Deluxe Breakfast platter which comes with rice, scrambled eggs, spam and Portuguese sausage. They also have a new Kona Iced blended coffee which I highly recommend adding to your meal.
Poke Hale Grindz:
Not a must visit on the Maui list but this corner store right down the street from my aunt and uncle's house was so cute and colorful I couldn't resist posting these pics. Enjoy!
