"Must buys" in Hawaii

[puablo]

My wife got a lei from Chinatown, it was beautiful and the smell was both strong and amazing. It didn't survive long after her wearing it all day in the sun for a couple days, but the smell made her buy up a ton of Pikake Jasmine bath products (found anywhere, like ABC or Hilo Hatties) and also the harder to find tuberose bath products, as her lei was made with both. The tuberose we found at Hilo Hatties in Kona, and also as a perfume in Macy's in Waikiki.

 

Also of course Macadamia Nut products, it is cheaper to buy chocolate covered madadamia pieces than whole nuts. We got a 6-pack for gifts at a price of $1.99 per box, courtesy of any of the ABC stores. I also bought my mom a plumeria flower bud, which they claim is a hardy and easy to grow Hawaiian flower (often used in leis).

 

As for coffee, I normally hate it, but we found that we surprisingly loved the Surfin' Ass brand of 100% Kona coffee, especially the Mauka (Medium) roast. Their store is down the main street in Kona, we are now enjoying it daily.

 

But really for me the single best must-buy item in all of Hawaii is the Dole pineapple ice cream at their plantation on Oahu. I WISH I could take that home!

[RachieLnnn]

I always purchase a Christmas ornament that depicts the place that I visit. When I decorate my tree, it always reminds me of the great times I have had when traveling. I have a few Crusie ship ornaments as well.

 

Me too - I love pulling all my ornaments out every year! What sort of ornaments can you find in Hawaii?

[dcikon2]

We like to collect Christmas ornaments and authentic wood carved items while on vacation. Does anyone have any recommendations on where to purchase ornaments and wood carved items?

[travel girl23]

dcikon2, if you go to Lahaina, be sure to go in Whaler's General Store on Front Street. They have a little bit of everything. I feel certain they have Christmas ornaments there and also wood carved items. All those little souvenir shops on Front Street in Lahaina have lots of gift items. I have found so many neat things in that store. Have a great trip. Travelgirl

[Bob-A-Loo]

Mac nut cookies from Tip Top Bakery - Lihue, Kauai - they are a MUST every time I go.

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

Has anyone purchased the "key chains" with the English name on one side the Hawaiian name on the other. I lost the ones we purchased a few years ago (they make great gifts) and can't remember where I bought them. I went on line to ABC Stores and Hili Hatties, but ddidn't see them on their sites.

If anyone knows where to purchase these, I would appreciate it if you would share that info with me.

Thanks,

Nancy

I bought a gold keychain for my niece at ABC store in Kauai (Kapaa I think). It was $2.99 and said Aloha - Hawaii I think on one side and her name - hawaiian name.

 

I bought lots of souvenirs while I was there. I only bought one small can of mac nuts and my son & husband demolished them in seconds so I wish I had bought several.

 

My favorite thing I bought was a pill case for my purse that has a dolphin on it. Not really specifically Hawaiian and I could probably find something similar locally but everytime I reach for an Advil, I'll remember my trip to Hawaii and my headache will go away lol

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

Almost forgot - I bought several hot pads made out of shells (could also be considered coasters or doilies). Got them at Hilo Hatties in Hilo.

[beachchick]

I just thought of another good yummy. Ed & Don's various candy chews are really a nice change of pace from chocolate mac nuts. They're not expensive like Big Island Candies tend to be (for a reason--they are top-notch!), so they're good for bringing a little different and tasty goody for a gift (or for yourself). I really like the coconut chews best, but they have chocolate mac nut (it's a chocolate caramel, not chocolate covered) and Kona coffee caramels too. You can find them in many (most?) stores that carry the regular selection of mac nuts. I've bought them at Foodland and also at Food Pantry in Waikiki. I'm sure they're probably at ABC and Longs too. Just a nice little treat that's not expensive.

 

beachchick

[JohnL1935]

A bring back favorite for us are the Hawaiian POTATO CHIPS. Great for snacking in the plane. Another different food item are their CRACKERS. They are much different than the Nabisco's we're used to and are virtually salt free. My wife opened a pack in the plane and ended up giving a package to one of the attendants.

 

John L.

[Beach4me]

I always get a calendar for the next year. And I really like the hibiscus-dyed t-shirts from Crazy Shirts. Great color!

 

What I won't do anymore is drag back mac nuts. Eveyone wants them...but they are the same ones I can pick up at the Target. So that's exactly what I do. I'll be darned if I'm going to use my luggage limit on something that anyone can go buy at any grocery store, WalMart, or Target here at home. I just grab a few cans of 3 or 4 kinds and take them into the office when I get home.

 

The best things I ever buy are pieces of jewelry. I get everything from really expensive pieces to $5 toe rings.

 

Have a great trip!

[chimerix]

When on Maui - pick up Maui Wowie candy bars. You can find them at the factory or at any Longs Drugs.

 

The coconut dark chocolate are to dye for! :D

[Carolyn R]

you get what you pay for. I once bought a bottle of tuberose perfume in a high-end boutique in Maui for over $100 and it was fabulous, exactly like the flower and nothing like the cheap common version.

 

If you buy coffee make sure you buy 100% Kona and not a blend.

 

One of my favorite places for handcrafted gifts is the Blue Ginger Gallery in Kainaliu on the Kona side of the Big Island.

 

Another tip is if you want macadamia nuts go to the factory. They sell bags of seconds for much cheaper than the cans, perfectly good for both eating and baking.

 

Foodstuffs:

Kona Coffee

Maui or Big Island wine - just for the conversation value - wine's not all that great - (or the winery tee shirts)

Kona chocolate - recently started making from locally grown cacao - very good

Macadamia nuts

Locally grown vanilla

Local white honey

 

Arts & Crafts:

locally made jewelry using volcanic glass

any local art that you like - a popular artist who has prints available is Peggy Hopper, there are lots of photographers doing volcano stuff - Brad Lewis is one of the better known ones, Victoria McCormick does lovely sea and landscape work.

anything made from Koa or Milo wood or bowls made from Norfolk Pine

Lauhala weavings - but make sure it is locally made - lots coming in from Southeast Asia and the Phillipines

Baskets made from coconut sheaths - the long bark type stuff from the trunks - very distinctive

Tapa cloth - this was an art form that had pretty much died out, but there has been a revival and there are some gorgeous pieces out there in some of the higher end shops

There are lots of things - from key chains to wall hangings and bronzes - made using the motifs from the petroglyphs, some are very elegant.

Hawaiian quilts are very distinctive and, if hand made here, very expensive. There are machine made knockoffs available, and there are some hand crafted smaller items using the quilt motifs that are readily available. There is also jewelry made in the quilt patterns, and a variety of small items like book marks, thimbles, pot holders, place mats, etc.

Ukeleles

 

 

Oils, perfumes, etc.

Plumeria is a popular fragrance, as is tuberose (although I find that one pretty overwhelming, personally)

Traditional oils and 'essences', both culinary and medicinal are available - kukui nut, coconut, ginger & noni are traditional - macadamia nut oil, while not traditional, is also available. Thre are a wide variety of products using these - just the straight oil, lotions and salves, soaps and creams, various culinary mixes, etc.

Lavendar is grown on the Big Island and there are a lot of widely available lavendar products from sachets to cooking herb mixes, lotions, bath salts, creams.

 

One of my favorite items to get while traveling is cds featuring local musicians - slack key guitar instrumentals would be a good choice here. The first Hawaiian music Grammy award went to a slack key album called Kohala. Dancing Cat Records has a lot of good slack key music, and one of my favorite artists is a local guy named John Keawe.

 

That should get you started, anyway!

[cruiseman40]

I wish I would have bought more shirts at the Swapmeet because it's cheaper there for T-shirts as gifts. When I went to Kauai bought Tshirts there and they were a little more expensive. I bought several lava lava and sarongs from the Swapmeet and Chinatown. Great prices there. However, Hilo Hattie and ABC stores are almost none existant in all ports if you want to get last minute gifts

 

Pete.

 

P.S. Hilo H. and ABC stores almost comparible to Starbuck in abundance of stores throughout Hawaii.

[Are we there yet?]

What is a "swapmeet"?:)