Browse the Shops of West Maui

With the high rises of Ka'anapali, the understated elegance of Kapalua and the time-burnished draw of Lahaina has come some of Maui's best shopping. Hundreds of shops filled with hard-to-resist merchandise vie for your attention wherever you go.

Whalers Village, on Ka'anapali Beach, features more than 50 shops ranging from local favorites to designer boutiques, as well as fine restaurants, free entertainment and a whale museum. The museum recounts the history of Lahaina's whaling era from 1825 through 1860. A recently refurbished theater features continuously playing whale and ocean-themed movies. One of the movies follows whales as they migrate from Alaska to the Hawaiian Islands and contains some spectacular footage from birthing to adulthood. Admission is free.

Lahaina is wall-to-wall shopping, galleries, restaurants and entertainment in a colorful oceanfront setting that is reminiscent of its days as a rowdy whaling port.

A popular stop in the Lahaina Center is Hilo Hattie, a store known throughout the Islands. You'll be greeted with a free shell lei and refreshments as you set out to browse through a huge collection—the world's largest—of Hawaiian and resort fashions.

The Lahaina Cannery Mall, open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., is Maui's only fully enclosed, air-conditioned shopping complex. There are more than 50 shops, an international food court and ample free parking in the mall. Keiki hula shows are featured Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. and Polynesian dancers appear Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. Hawaiian entertainment, cultural events and festivals are featured monthly throughout the year. Free pineapple juice is available daily at the malls' Customer Service Booth and the West Maui Shopping Shuttle provides transportation from major West Maui hotels, resorts and condominiums.

Wherever you go, watch for the T-Shirt Factory sign. A Maui institution, the mega t-shirt company has been in business for more than 30 years and operates eight retail stores on the island. The designs are Hawaii classic and the prices are reasonable.

Island Soap & Candle Works is another Island institution. Located next to the Maui Ocean Center at Ma'alaea Harbor, the shop features a resident soap and candle maker. Watch how it's done and then choose from racks of sweet-smelling, hand-poured soaps and candles.