Take a Slow Stroll Through Pa‘ia TownMaui
There are places beyond the reach of a developer’s imagination. Places like Pa‘ia. Just eight minutes from the Kahului Airport on Hana Highway, Pa‘ia (pah-ee-ah) is a community brimming with small shops and inviting eateries that has been seeded by its past and cultivated by people determined to maintain its unique character.
For more than a century, life in Pa‘ia was dominated by a sugar plantation, which closed in 2000. Over time, another influence added its character to the mix: Surfers who came from all over the world to windsurf at nearby Ho‘okipa Beach. Today, the retail shopsand restaurants in the town’s T-shaped commercial center reflect the influences of the old plantation camp lifestyle, the needs of health-conscious travelers, and the hang-loose, fun-seeking image of the international surfing set.
Shopping in Pa‘ia is a refreshing, off-the-mall experience. Restaurants offer fresh fish and good, healthy food. Flyers advertise yoga and massage. Small boutiques boast hip island-friendly fashion. So while Pa‘ia is often thought of as solely the last stop on the Road to Hana, it is more than a hiccup on the way. It’s a destination unto its own.
• Hemp House (808) 579-8880
