Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [334]
Eating
Veg Out ( 575-5320; Ha′iku Town Center, 810 Kokomo Rd; mains $5-10; 10:30am-7:30pm Mon-Fri, 11:30am-7:30pm Sat & Sun) Tucked inside a former warehouse, this rasta-casual vegetarian eatery serves up a dynamite burrito with hot tofu, beans and pineapple salsa. Also right on the mark are the taro cheeseburgers and pesto-chevre pizza.
Colleen’s ( 575-9211; Ha′iku Marketplace; 810 Ha′iku Rd; mains $7-14; 6am-9pm) Surfers get their presunrise breakfast fix here and return in the evening to cap things off with a pint of Big Wave Golden Ale. Colleen’s is pure locavore. The burgers are made with hormone-free Maui cattle, the salads with organic Kula greens and the beers Colleen pours are Hawaiian microbrews.
Consuelo’s ( 575-2687; 771 Ha′iku Rd; meals $9-14; 11am-4pm Mon-Fri) Consuelo whips up real home cooking while you watch at this little cottage opposite the post office. Depending upon the inspiration of the moment, the chalkboard menu might feature anything from Thai coconut chicken to savory fish stew – invariably served with rice and fresh salad.
PUKALANI & AROUND
pop 7400
Aptly named, Pukalani, which translates as ‘Heavenly Gate,’ is the gateway to the lush Upcountry. Most visitors just drive through on the way to Kula and Haleakalā, and unless you need to pick up supplies you won’t miss much by sticking to the bypass road. If you need to gas up, this is your last chance before Haleakalā.
Orientation & Information
If you’re coming from Kahului, take the Haleakala Hwy (Hwy 37). To reach the business part of town, get off at the Old Haleakala Hwy exit, which becomes Pukalani’s main street.
Pukalani Terrace Center (cnr Old Haleakala Hwy & Pukalani St) has a coin laundry, a post office ( 572-0019) and a Bank of Hawaii ( 572-7242) with a 24-hour ATM. A couple of gas stations are on the Old Haleakala Hwy.
Sights & Activities
SURFING GOAT DAIRY
‘Feta mo betta’ is the motto at this 42-acre farm ( 878-2870; www.surfinggoatdairy.com; 3651 Oma′opio Rd; admission free, tours $7-12; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 10am-2pm Sun), the source of all that luscious chevre adorning the menus of Maui’s top restaurants. The shop here carries an amazing variety of creamy goat cheeses; for island flavor try the mango chutney. Not everything is geared to the connoisseur – your kids will love meeting the goat kids up close in a fun 20-minute dairy tour. On some of the tours they can even try their hand at milking.
PUKALANI COUNTRY CLUB
A mile west of Pukalani Terrace Center, this golf course ( 572-1314; www.pukalanigolf.com; 360 Pukalani St; green fees $74; 7am-dusk) has 18 holes of smooth greens with sweeping views. Here’s a bargain: come after 2:30pm and golf the rest of the day for just $26.
Eating
Foodland ( 572-0674; Pukalani Terrace Center, cnr Old Haleakala Hwy & Pukalani St; 24hr) This supermarket is a convenient stop for those heading up the mountain for the sunrise, or coming down for supplies – there’s also a Starbucks inside the store.
Serpico’s ( 572-8498; cnr Old Haleakala Hwy & Aewa Pl; meals $7-15; 11am-10pm) In the center of Pukalani, opposite McDonald’s, this family-run eatery makes authentic New York–style pizzas and pasta dishes. If you’re in a hurry, go with one of the hoagie sandwiches.
KULA
pop 9730
The navel of the Upcountry, Kula is Maui’s gardenland. The very name Kula is synonymous with the fresh veggies on any Maui menu worth its salt. So bountiful is Kula’s rich volcanic soil that it produces most of the onions, lettuce and strawberries grown in Hawaii. The key to these bountiful harvests is the elevation. At 3000ft, Kula’s cool nights and sunny days are ideal for growing all sorts of crops.
Kula’s farmers first gained fame during the California gold rush of the 1850s, when they shipped so many potatoes out to West Coast miners that Kula became known as ‘Nu Kaleponi,’ the Hawaiian pronunciation