Makawao and Kula, Maui
For many travelers, Upcountry Maui is just the scenery en route to Haleakala National Park, or an obligatory stop at Tedeschi Winery on a Hana tour bus. Artisan farm tours at lower elevations — Surfing Goat Dairy, Ocean Organic Vodka, Alii Kula Lavender — have also become popular tourist attractions. A longer stay in the Upcountry towns of Makawao or Kula, however, provides a better chance to savor Maui’s multicultural history, abundant flora and home-style treats — and a later wake-up call to witness sunrise atop Haleakala.
In 1845, Makawao became the first place in Hawaii where commoners could own land, quickly leading to vast sugarcane plantations and ranches, served by shops in rustic storefronts on Baldwin Avenue. While suburban homes have replaced many former sugarcane fields, and more and more boutiques take over quaint shops, Makawao’s proud paniolo (cowboy) legacy remains evident in its hitching posts and annual Fourth of July rodeo and parade.
Eight or 9 miles up the road (depending on which highway you take), Kula shares Makawao’s heritage of ranches and plantations, which brought many Chinese workers to the area. Today their descendants are likely to grow strawberries, protea, coffee and other higher-elevation produce.
Day-tripper draws: A tranquil counterpart to the busy farms listed above, Kula Botanical Garden has 8 acres of lush native and exotic plants, plus waterfalls, koi pond, aviary and tall tiki carvings; www.kulabotanicalgarden. com. February through July, the Shim Farm Tour provides insights into the area’s Chinese history as well as a look at growing coffee and protea; www.shimfarmtour.com.
In Makawao, the 100-year-old Baldwin family home on the Kaluanui Estate now hosts the galleries and studios of Hui Noeau Visual Arts, while its leafy grounds claim two of the island’s largest Norfolk pines among 70-plus specimens of plants and trees. The estate is open for self-guided tours daily, and guided tours twice a week; www.huinoeau.com.
Local flavor: Islanders and visitors alike line up for doughnuts on a stick, malasadas and other pastries at Makawao’s T. Komoda Store and Bakery, founded in 1916. Between Makawao and Kula lies Pukalani Superette, a mom-and-pop market that also prepares a smorgasbord of fresh poke, chili chicken, roast pork and other plate lunch and bento box staples. Kula Bistro serves somewhat fancier breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with bakery items, across from all-purpose Morihara Store.
Where to stay: A few miles downslope from the center of Makawao, Lumeria Maui offers 24 rooms in a lovely renovated wooden structure built in 1910; www.lumeriamaui.com. Kula Lodge & Restaurant, close to the final, 20-mile winding ascent to Haleakala, has five woodsy, farm-style chalets that sleep up to four people; www.kulalodge.com.