6 New Things To Do on Maui
From feeding alpaca to touring a chocolate farm, these new activities are must-dos on your next trip to the Valley Isle.
Maui is one of the most beloved—and visited—islands in Hawai‘i, and for good reason. Gorgeous beaches, epic hikes, an array of restaurants and boutiques—it’s truly a traveler’s dream. But the island still has surprises, from tucked-away accommodations to secret spots that only locals know about.
Here are six new things to do on Maui.
1. Maui Alpaca, Makawao
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Janet Baldwin bought her first three alpaca on a fluke. “I didn’t know a thing about them,” she says with a laugh. Today, she runs Maui Alpaca on an 8-acre farm—once a healing retreat—with 13 alpaca and a bunch of ultra-fluffy angora rabbits. On an hourlong tour of the farm, you can feed and snuggle with these adorable camelids. The farm raises two fleece types—suri and huacaya—and processes some of their wool on-site. (Most of it is processed on the mainland, but the high-value yarn is returned and sold at the farm’s gift shop.) You’ll learn about the entire process, too, from how the alpaca are fleeced to how the yarn is made, on the Paniolo Picnic tour, which runs 90 minutes and includes a picnic-style lunch. 505 Auli‘i Drive, Makawao, (808) 500-2577, mauialpaca.com
2. Surf with a Service Animal, Lahaina
Maui is home to many surf schools, but few teach you how to ride your first wave with a 70-pound Staffordshire bull terrier onboard. James Pamplin and his K9 partner, Church, offer the unique lessons. Church, a certified service dog and therapy animal, is the ultimate tandem surfer, balancing on the nose of the board while visitors ride their first waves. For more information or to book a lesson, visit beachfreshmaui.com
3. Haleakalā Creamery, Kula
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This family-run micro farm in Upcountry Maui offers 75-minute “farm-to-spoon” tours of its 5-acre goat farm and creamery on the scenic slopes of Halekalā. The tour includes feeding the farm’s two dozen dairy goats and learning how to milk them. (Yes, you get to milk a goat, too!) But the best part is sampling the farm’s specialty products, including its small-batch goat milk caramel sauces and “goatlato,” ice cream made from goat milk. Tours run on Friday mornings only and are limited to 12 guests. (Visits are by reservations only.) 170 Ho‘omaika‘i Place, Kula, (808) 756-3958, haleakalacreamery.com
4. Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate Factory Tour and Tasting, Lahaina
Maui Kuʻia Estate’s award-winning chocolate is made in Lahaina.
Photo: Courtesy of Maui Kuʻia Estate Chocolate
While the Hawaiian Islands are famous for year-round sunshine and warmth, Hawai‘i is actually the coldest place on Earth where cacao can grow. At about 20 degrees north of the equator, the Islands are on the edge of the tree’s cultivation range. At Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate, innovative and sustainable agriculture practices help to grow prosperous cacao trees, from which world-renowned chocolates are crafted. Situated on the island’s west side, Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate invites connoisseurs and those curious about the chocolate process to tour its factory. Here, visitors see how carefully selected cacao beans are crafted into award-winning chocolate in the company’s 100% solar-powered facility. The sweetest part: the samples throughout the tour. 78 Ulupono St., Suite 1, Lahaina. Tours run 90 minutes; $125 per person, mauichocolate.com
5. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Park, Kula
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino
Rolling hills, lavender gardens, the sea of purple jacaranda trees and enchanting views are all trademarks of Upcountry Maui. But those that venture beyond Kula Country Farms and Grandma’s Coffee House will discover Sun Yat-sen Memorial Park in Kēōkea. Here, all the grandeur of Upcountry can be enjoyed. And with so few visitors, the park is an idyllic place to set up a picnic or just delight in the views of Kīhei, Wailea and neighboring islands. The park also marks the connection between the Valley Isle and the Chinese Revolution of 1911. Like the park itself, the story is a little-known slice of the island’s history. Named after Dr. Sun Yat-sen, plaques throughout the park illuminate his influential role in overthrowing the Qing dynasty and establishing the Chinese Republic in 1912. But before Sun became a revolutionary leader, he was a schoolchild in Honolulu, where he was exposed to cultures, constitutions and philosophies from around the world. Sun Yat-sen Park, 13434 Kula Highway, Kula; gates to the parking lot are open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and there are no restrooms at the park.
6. Maui Bees, Kula
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino
With flavors reminiscent of caramel and butterscotch, the locally harvested honey from Maui Bees can be eaten by the spoonful. But there’s more to Maui Bees than just honey. The apiary opened a farm stand on the slopes of Haleakalā, just up the road from Kula Highway. In addition to its raw honey, the stand is stocked with artisan breads, gluten-free brownies, kombucha, jams and soups all made either on the farm or by local vendors. For a quiet and sweet spot, swing by Maui Bees, sample some honey and breathe in the refreshing Upcountry air. 150 Pulehunui Road, Kula, mauibees.com
This story was originally published in our Winter 2024 issue. Buy a copy here.
