Paʻia Town
The town of Paʻia is a bustling little town that most people only see while driving to Hana. It’s okay, but you’ll be missing out on a historic gem of Maui history if you donʻt plan on exploring this little town. Take some time to read up about our view of the North Shore Community.
History
The town was created in the late 1800ʻs by the sugar plantation company Alexander & Baldwin. For their field workers. During that time a lot of immigrants settled in Paʻia where the little work camp became a booming plantation town. The town grew so much that at one point 20% of the town lived in Paʻia. Things like movie theaters, stores, schools, hotels, and restaurants helped with the growth and development of the town.
A fire in the and tsunami in the 30ʻs and 40ʻs destroyed some of the town, but was quickly rebuilt. By the 1950ʻs rolled by, a lot of the population started moving out towards Kahului and Wailuku. During that time the buildings became empty and unused. In the 60ʻs a wave of hippies and new immigrants settled in and claimed paʻia as an unofficial hippie capital (still to this day, to me at least,).
The 80ʻs and 90ʻs grew more shops, and restaurants, and brought a good balance between tourism and plantation life. That ended in the 2000ʻs with the closing of the sugar plantation. With Windsurfers traveling from all over the world to experience the unofficial capital of windsurfing, tourism has been the biggest economic fuel for the town.
Beaches
There are so many beaches within Paʻia that it’s hard to just choose one of them. So, hereʻs a list of them to pick from:
- Paʻia Bay (bring a picnic)
- Baldwin Cove (this one vanishes!)
- Baldwin Beach Park (long sandy beach)
- Baby Beach (scenic & great for keiki)
A short drive:
- Ku’au Cove (aka Mama’s Fish House Beach)
- Ho’okipa Beach Park (windsurfing capital of the world!)
My Take On Paʻia
I love it! I feel everything in Paʻia gravitates towards Mana Foods. Their parking lot is the greatest, their deli, juice bar, and selection of items in the store is by far one of my favorite places to go to. The employees there are also top tier with their knowledge and customer service.
There’s a cute coffee shop called Paʻia Bay Coffee, they have a great menu, their drinks are some of my favorites in paʻia, and they also have live music. It’s a great place to relax, maybe plan out the rest of your visit, or to just take in the relaxing vibe that is in the cafe.
This is a favorite spot of mine and it’s been a struggle to suggest this or not. If I tell yʻall, the line will be longer for me to eat there. If I donʻt, I would be doing my due diligence in being an honest blogger/writer about great spots in Paʻia. So… If you’re wanting great Mediterranean, French, and Indian food then look no further than Cafe Des Amis. Located across from Mana Foods, it is my go to place for curry and crepes.
Thereʻs good massage spas, tattoo shops, and so much more that you could spend an entire day just discovering things in Paʻia. That includes just walking along the road to see the paʻia community center and the Paia Mantokuji Soto Zen Mission where they have the Bon Dances every year.
Youʻll also never know who youʻll see in Paʻia. Willie Nelson and Owen Willson have been known to just hang out in Paʻia. You’ll also have eccentric personalities, tourists (of course) and local people just hanging out, eating, or simply enjoying a beach day with their family.
In all, Paʻia is a great place to relax, take in some of the mixed cultured atmosphere that has grown in the town. Enjoy some great foods, drinks, and people in this little town that has a lot of history and a bright future ahead.
Five Tips For A Haleakalā Sunrise
Sunrise on Haleakala is one of those things where youʻll have it ingrained in your memories till the day you die. From the whole adventure of leaving your hotel/accommodations at 2am to drive up and witness the stars 10,000 feet above the ocean. Sitting around in darkness, with many strangers, in 30 degree fahrenheit and wind gust going 20 mph. That view though, it was all worth it for the view of the sun rising.
This, is something you need to plan for, so here are our tips for you to plan a sunrise at Haleakala:
Get the Reservations
As of 2017, You NEED to have a reservation to go and see the sunrise up on Haleakalā. This method was implemented to help control the parking, safety, and wildlife of the summit due to overcrowding the prior years before. If youʻre not able to get one, donʻt try to just show up at the gate, you will be asked to pull on the side and wait till the sun rises to head up.
Needless to say, if you’re able to get the reservation, it’s a view worth all the confusion, early morning drive, and running out of hot coffee before you get to park. Youʻll also have some Native Hawaiians (Kanaka Maoli) or the park rangers doing some ʻoli (chants) that welcomes the sun, but itʻs an experience youʻll never forget.
Full Tank Of Gas
This may seem like a “duh” thing to suggest, but its a real thing people take for granted. You really donʻt want to be stuck 9,000 feet up on Haleakalā and run out of gas. Now it doesnʻt take a full take to make the trip, but you donʻt want to be stranded up 9000 because you saw it at a quarter tank and thought “yeah, I think we got this.”
Thereʻs a Safeway gas station, Costco, and a few local gas stations on your way to the park. You’ll also want to pack up some snacks and water at these locations as they also donʻt have stores, vending machines, or food/drink trucks up there too.
Bring Jackets/Blankets
You will be heading up to a high elevation, so be prepared and pack layers. Yes, it’s Hawaiʻi, but you’ll be 10,000 feet above sea level, with a high wind shear that can drop the temperature to a personal low of 31°F (0ºC). Hats, gloves, blankets, jeans, sweatpants, long sleeve shirts, jackets, all of that! Trust me, youʻll be grateful you bought all that with you.
Plan Your Drive Time
If you’re not staying in the Kula, Makawao, Pukalani, or Haiku area, youʻll need to plan out your drive time. Make sure youʻre going to give yourself plenty of time to get there to stretch out and relax, and not miss the sunrise.
Depending on the time of year and where youʻll start driving from, youʻll need to plan for a 2-2.5 hour drive time to reach the summit. To give you a better idea of what to plan for:
Kahului: 2 hours drive time
Wailea/Kihei: 2 hours drive time
Lahaina: 2:15 hours drive time
Kapalua: 2:30 hours drive time
Hana: 3/3:30 hours drive time
Remember that these are just suggested guidelines of travel time. Weather, road conditions, your driving skills, bathroom breaks, etc… are all x-factors in calculating your drive time.
To save you some time and hassle, you could always book one of the tours we have available. One of the tours we would recommend would be the Sunrise Haleakalā Experience. You will experience the sun’s energy, as it rises while you stand 10,023 feet above sea level. You’ll be picked up at your hotel or condo and experience a fully narrated tour by your knowledgeable guide, who will, among other very interesting facts, relate the story of the Demigod Maui. This is by far a “can’t miss” attraction, especially now, with this awesome special offered by MauiActivities.Com.