Maui is a surfer paradise, with waves for beginners and waves for those that are better ;). There are beaches, shopping and beautiful scenery. I have celiac and I was able to eat at lots of places and have a great holiday.
Maui Gluten Free
I was in heaven when I got to Safeway in Maui where I found so many options for specific gluten free items and I like to eat wholesome natural food, which they had plenty of as well. We as usual stocked up on our favourite gluten free items. The other benefit of grocery shopping versus eating out is that you save a ton of money. Cooking may not entice everyone while on vacation, but I don’t mind at all, to each their own.
Gluten Free Dining in Maui
Brick Oven
We found a wonderful place, Brick Oven, in Kihei which is completely gluten free. The owner told us that she was the first dedicated gluten free place in Maui and she is looking to start franchising. If anyone is interested in a gluten free franchise, check it out. We ordered take-out a few times and I loved it.
Sugar Shop
This is another 100% gluten free place that you can pre-order for deserts and treats on your holiday.
Mama’s Fish House
We also ate at Mama’s Fish House where we had to make reservations for lunch and couldn’t get in for supper because it was so popular. Warning for budget conscience people out there, this is not the place for you. We had lovely freshly caught fish with vegetables and sweet potatoes mash. I tried using my NIMA gluten sensor to double check whether the meal was gluten free but it had a test error. I felt confident in the chef’s ability to cook for me, so I went ahead and it was delicious. Check out my video of using NIMA at Mama’s Fish House – click here to see the video.
While this restaurant was great, I have an amazing summary of all of the gluten free places in Maui for you. See this for the Gluten Free Island Guide for Maui.
Getting to Maui
Our flight from the Big Island to Maui was super fun on a small plane. Not to mention that my husband has a slight obsession with planes, so he was all over it (check out the video link at the bottom to see how awesome it was).
Beaches
The Big Beach (Makena Beach) doesn’t disappoint as it is just as the name sounds, big. We spent a morning on the Big Beach one sunny day. It is a shore break beach and had a red flag and one of the life-guards was on the speaker letting everyone know the dangers of the ocean. He was pretty entertaining and we thought that he could be a radio host. After the beach we decided to walk along Kihei road we got an iced coffee and did some window shopping.
In Kihei there were countless little beaches along the waterfront, so you can find one near you where ever you are.
Towns to visit or stay
- We stopped in Paia for a little visit and I would characterise this place as surfer, yogi paradise, with lots of shops and restaurants. It is a colourful place that is worth a stop on your way back from Hana if you have time.
- Lahaina was also very picturesque with cute shops and restaurants lining the waterfront.
- Maalaea has a wonderful aquarium if you are interested, need a break from the sun or have a few rainy hours that you want to spend some time in doors.
Other Fun Things To Do
Road to Hana
My favourite thing that we did was the road to Hana. You can literally stop and spend the whole day getting to Hana if you wanted to. We on the other hand stopped where we wanted to and did it a bit faster. The lush greenery is breathtaking, and the windy roads are so interesting. My husband drove the whole way and did an amazing job of handling the narrow roads in the rainforest and around the mountains. My favourite stops were Garden of Eden, where they have lots of different species of trees and flowers and the Three Bears waterfalls.
Surfing
There is also a perfect beginner surfer area where my husband tried a lesson at Maui Waveriders. I did some yoga, laid on the beach with my book and camera taking photos and videos. He had an awesome experience with this company and took the surf board out for a few more hours after the lesson which was included in the fee.
If you are deciding between the awesome Hawaiian Islands, see this article on the Best Gluten Free Island to help you out.
Cheers and hope you enjoy this lovely trek,
Brett
