Pa'ia has gone through more than one incarnation in its 100-plus year history...and over the years this sleepy plantation town has occasionally even lived up to its name, which translates literally as "noisy." A 10-minute drive east of Kahului on the Hana Highway (a.k.a. Highway 36), the town began life as the main entrance into east Maui's sugar plantations. At the turn of the 20th century, the town had the largest population on the island — a multi-ethnic group of canefield workers that peaked at 10,000 in the 1930s.
Pa'ia's next growth spurt came in the 1970s, thanks to an influx of refugees from the hippie movement in the continental United States. A decade later, the town became the focal point of an ongoing windsurfing boom, drawing board sailors from around the planet to the perfect conditions of Ho'okipa Beach, located just east of town.
Which is pretty much where things stand today: Take a walk down Pa'ia town's two main blocks — one that runs up Baldwin Avenue toward Makawao; the other that runs west on the Hana Highway beginning at its intersection with Baldwin — and you'll find a vast array of antique and souvenir shops, fine art galleries, casual clothing stores and low-key eateries (with lots of vegetarian fare), all housed in turn-of-the-century plantation storefronts painted with a color palate that would make the brightest reef fish go green with envy
One could spend the better part of a day nosing around the town's various shops, but a couple good places to start are: The Pa'ia Trading Company (106 Hana Highway) for all sorts of antiques and memorabilia; and the Hemp House (16 Baldwin Ave.) for its fine selection of natural-fiber clothes.
While you can find an occasional fruit stand farther down Highway 36, Pa'ia also remains the gateway to Maui's Hana Highway and is the last dependable spot to get food and gas before setting out on that famed stretch of road. To fuel up with a hearty breakfast before your drive, try Charlie's, which offers a variety of breakfast options — from an excellent eggs benedict to a breakfast burrito the size of a small baseball bat.
For lighter fare walk a block west on Hana Highway to Anthony's Coffee Co. (90 Hana Highway), where you'll find a vast array of fresh coffee drinks (they roast their beans onsite) and a healthy to-go menu, all running in the $4 to $6 range.
And if you're NOT heading for the Hana Highway, you have finished with Pa'ia and still have time to spare, head up Baldwin Avenue: 20 minutes up the hill lies the Upcountry artists' haven of Makawao.
