Paia

The groovy-cool town of Paia is always packed, its two-lane central artery mostly a traffic jam. The trick is to come on the early side and to have a plan: breakfast at Café des Amis (42 Baldwin Ave; 808-579-6323) or the leafy Paia Bay Coffee (115 Hana Hwy; 808-579-3111) followed by a couple of hours of shopping, then picking up sandwiches at Paia Gelato (115 Hana Hwy # D; 808-579-9201) or poke bowls at Kuau Store (slightly out of town; 701 Hana Hwy; 808-579-8844) before continuing on to spend the afternoon at Baldwin Beach or Sprecklesville Beach, or to watch the surfers at Hookipa.

Don't expect upscale boutiques: the many glass pipes and tie-die dresses on display attest to the fact that Paia is Maui's hippie central; but it's also not the made-in-China souvenir fare sold in so many other parts of the island. Shops are independently owned and pride themselves for carrying island-made mementos. Don't miss Wings Hawaii (69 Hana Hwy; 808-579-3110) for handcrafted jewelry and ceramics; Tamara Catz (83 Hana Hwy; 808-579-9184) for chic fashion; Alice in Hulaland (19 Baldwin Ave; 808-579-9922) for a wide array of fashion and accessories, as well as kitschy-fun souvenirs; San Lorenzo Bikinis (115 Hana Hwy Unit C; 808-873-7972) and Maui Girl (12 Baldwin Ave; 808-579-9266) for teeny-tiny beachwear and curated Indigo (149 Hana Hwy; 808-579-9199) for breezy dresses, bathing suits and jewelry and crafts that were gathered during the owners' travels throughout southeast Asia.