Satisfy your Neighbor Island cravings with a Huaka‘i by Hawaiian day trip

Summary

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Hawaiʻi-based food blogger and Huakaʻi by Hawaiian member Melissa Chang took a day-trip to Maui on Hawaiian Airlines to explore the island’s local flavors, including her go-to plate lunch and a popular spot for shave ice.

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Huaka‘i, which refers to a journey with purpose, is our way of saying mahalo for making us Hawaiʻi’s airline for over 95 years. Membership is free and offers kamaʻāina (residents) exclusive travel perks, including a free checked bag between the islands.

Kamaʻāina (Hawaiʻi residents) love taking day trips to the Neighbor Islands to visit friends and eat at places they don’t always get to enjoy. Now, with Huakaʻi by Hawaiian, traveling to your favorite local destination is easier than ever.

Huakaʻi by Hawaiian is a free program for Hawaiʻi residents that offers exclusive travel deals and perks. Every three months, members like me are emailed a code for 10% off one Neighbor Island booking, on top of network-wide discounts. (Even better, Hawaiian Airlines^® World Elite Mastercard^® cardmembers receive 20% off one booking per quarter.) If all your travel buddies and ʻohana (family) are members, you can save money and invest in making memories by taking fun island getaways throughout the year.

Huakaʻi by Hawaiian members also get one free checked bag on Neighbor Island trips. You can use that benefit to check surfboards of golf equipment, or, in my case, bring home some omiyage.

Using my membership, I took a foodie trip to Maui earlier this summer to meet with friends and get my fill of some of my favorite spots. Especially since the fires, I always try to support Maui businesses and spotlight some of the best local spots (especially hidden gems many people may not know of) on my social media channels. I also needed to bring gifts home to Oʻahu for my friends, who had no problem handing me their Maui wish lists.

Here’s a look at a delicious day on the Valley Isle that you can try on your own.

Start your day with breakfast or brunch at SixtyTwo Marcket in Wailuku, just 10 minutes from Kahului airport. It’s easy to get in on weekdays, but reservations are essential for the weekends.

Be sure to get their signature short rib benedict or loco moco, using Maui Cattle beef.

Just around the corner, you can walk to Four Sisters Bakery for an assorted box of their famous butter rolls, cinnamon rolls, malasadas and other pastries so you can have delicious snacks while you drive around.

As you head out to explore, stop at Sam Sato’s, the famous Wailuku saimin shop. You may be too full for noodles, but you can still get some of their flaky manju or buttery turnovers to take home.

Another favorite omiyage store is Maui Specialty Chocolates. They have a vast array of chocolate and chocolate-dipped items, but the hands-down favorite is their pillowy soft mochi filled with chocolate truffles, peanut butter and chocolate, or azuki. They regularly sell out, so order at least a day ahead to guarantee you get some.

By this time, you’ll be ready for a plate lunch.

Order ahead at Tin Roof Maui, owned by “Top Chef” contender Sheldon Simeon; they are take-out only and now have an area with benches and tables out front. Their most popular items include the lunch bowls, fat chow fun (which aren’t fatty, but feature extra-wide, extra-thick noodles), and a spicy mochiko chicken sandwich that will require several napkins upon eating.

If you prefer a shady spot to eat, Da Tambayan Corner is a super local food truck park tucked away in Kahului with several vendors serving everything from burgers and shakes to plate lunches to roast duck to desserts.

All this fun in the sun will leave you wanting something cold, so get your favorite flavor of the finest, fluffiest shave ice at Ululani’s, which has three locations on Maui (with a fourth coming to Maui Ocean Center).

Maui Ocean Center is also a great break on the way to West Maui, and I often get a drink with a salad or dessert at their Seascape restaurant while enjoying the Mā’alaea harbor view.

Pro tip: Before you head out to West Maui, check in online with your Hawaiian Airlines app and save some time. Don’t forget to check in your free bag!

If you visit West Maui, stop at the newly opened Kalei’s in Lahaina Cannery Mall. Their classic local fare has made them a popular spot around the island with Maui locals for years, from breakfast to dessert. You may even want to take their chocolate-filled croissants with you on the road. This has also become a place to get omiyage, like their welina (welcome) bags and hats, and jars of Jeff’s Jams & Jellies, which are made on Maui with local tropical fruits. If you’re lucky, they may have some containers of Kalei’s bagel chips.

You can then check out Maui Kuiʻa Estate Chocolate to try a chocolate tasting flight or shop their locally made confections. If you book ahead of time, you can even get a factory tour.

Get a quick bite at Lahaina mainstay Sal e Pepe. The restaurant is extremely busy, even on weeknights, so I recommend getting in right at 5 p.m. when they open. You can watch their staff in the pasta lab if you get a seat on the second floor. Get a pizza and their gnocchi, if you have room.

Another option for a last local meal is at Tiffany’s in Wailuku. This is a former dive bar, also owned by Simeon, and although it still has that nostalgic charm, he added some of his own touches to the menu to expand the available flavors. Free parking is in the adjacent lot (where you can often hear the kitchen staff singing) or across the street.

On your way to the airport, grab a dozen (or two) frozen Stillwell’s Bakery mini cream horns. Be sure to leave some time to pack your cooler or rolling suitcase for check-in.

There’s never enough time to eat everything I want on Maui, which means I need to go back when I can! It’s great to have discounts and a free bag from Huakaʻi by Hawaiian so I can plan my next trip to visit my other local favorites that I couldn’t fit into just one day.

Planning a foodie trip for your next Huakaʻi by Hawaiian getaway? Here are some of my tips to consider before you go:

- Bring an empty rolling carry-on. You can use this to fill with omiyage as well as any leftovers, and check it for free on the way home.
- Alternatively, you may want to bring an empty cooler and buy some ice at a store when you land to keep your purchases and leftovers cool. I brought a small, foldable cooler and emptied the ice before going to the airport. Then I put my items in my rolling carry-on to check in.
- You may want to bring large ziplock bags and/or sealable containers to keep yourself organized as you go through your day, especially if there are leftovers after each meal.
- Many rental car companies offer an option to use an electric vehicle (when available). With this option, you don’t have to worry about filling gas before returning to the airport.

About Huakaʻi by Hawaiian

This program is exclusively for Hawaiʻi residents, created as a heartfelt mahalo to the community that has supported Hawaiian Airlines for almost a century. It’s free to join, and benefits include: