When you drive from Lahaina to Wailuku around Maui’s head, you can easily disappear from civilization. Most times, there is nothing around for miles—just luscious ocean views, rolling landscapes, cliff hugging roads. And if you didn’t pack sustenance for the long drive, you may find yourself starving.
You’re in luck. Midway through the drive, you’ll come across the village of Kahakuloa. Tucked in an enclave near towering Pu’u Ko’ae, Kahakuloa head, the cliff hugging road descends into the village, and soon the mountains and greenery will tower above you. Stop at the pink roadstand for the best shave ice on the island ($3 a cone with 1 flavor; 25 cents additional flavor). The ice is so soft it melts in your mouth—bad shave ice is too icy, and hard. The trick is in how the ice is shaved, and at this stand they use the large old-fashioned machine where you fasten a big ice block near a blade and turn the hand-crank. Syrup flavors include strawberry, banana, pineapple, passion fruit, vanilla and a few other classics. Even better, get your shave ice with a scoop of ice cream on the bottom.
The proprietor of the stand is Ululani, the wife of Richard Ho'opi'i of the Ho'opi'i Brothers, an award-winning Hawaiian music group. Talk story over shave ice and learn more about the village. If you’re lucky, you can listen to one of the Ho'opi'i Brothers' recordings, and delight in their beautiful falsetto voices.
Nearby is "Julia's Best Banana Bread," a tiny green stand right by the taro patches. Authors of the controversial Maui Revealed guidebook have touted this bread as the "best on the planet." I haven't had all the banana bread in the world but the loaf here is pretty good. Julia offers samples of her famous bread, freshly baked. The bread is very moist and flavorful—perfect for an island breakfast or road trip snack. She sometimes runs out of the bread ($5 for a small loaf), so get there early if you can. If banana bread isn't your thing, she also sells Coconut Candy ($5 a bag), a tasty treat. Coconut strips are dried and lightly sweetened—so ono, and the only places to really get this is at road side stands or farmers markets. Julia also sells delicious homemade Dried Mango ($3)—a bargain compared to other stands.
Enjoy your treats at one of the nearby lookouts. Take a deep breath and enjoy the pristine view, the ocean stretching for miles. Take your time before returning to civilization. The next bustling town, Wailuku, is less than 15 miles away—down more curving, winding, cliff-hugging roads. But in Kahakuloa, you’ll feel like you're in another time, another world.
Getting there: From Lahaina, take Highway 30 towards Kapalua and keep going. The road will become one-lane and cliff-hugging until you get to the other side. Roads are paved, but not for the faint at heart. Beware of fast-driving locals—as a courtesy, let them pass. While this may be the middle of nowhere, there are a handful of residents who make this area their home.
Sometimes I just cannot believe that I still haven't been to Maui. I only live in Honolulu, but I am more likely to get on a plane headed for Europe than a neighbor island. But what you've written here about Kahakuloa push me that one tiny step closer to a little trip on Aloha or Hawaiian.
Posted by: emily b. hunt | January 25, 2004 at 02:54 PM
I just got back from my trip to Maui... I went to see Julia several times, not only is the banana bread excellent, but Julia is one of the sweetest people i've ever met! The road to get there is so much fun. It is narrow and has a lot of turns and the views are amazing... I recommend that if you go to Maui any time soon, you should stop by Julia's stand and get some banana bread! -courtney - NH
Posted by: Courtney | March 02, 2004 at 03:23 PM
I was wondering if anyone knew how to make coconut candy? I found several recipes online but none like Julia's. One was close but it ended up being like a coconut brittle.
Posted by: tim | September 29, 2004 at 10:09 PM
I stumbled upon the Banana Bread lady a few weeks ago. Hey, at her current capacity of 70 loaves per day, that's $127,650 a year, probably tax free! Wish I'd thought of that!
Posted by: Richard | October 15, 2004 at 05:55 AM
My wife and I just back from our annual trip to the Islands and as always the trip to Kahakuloa for Priscilla's (Ululani) shave ice and Julia's banana bread was the best part. We've been making that drive since long before the road was paved and it never gets old. We were there for over two weeks and we made the trip every other day just to get the shave ice (my favorite is coconut and pineaple with vanilla ice cream at the bottom) and to get Julia's banana bread to have with our coffee in the morning. It's always a beautiful drive, the aloha spirit that you get from both those lovely ladies is da bes', and I would recommend the trip to everyone who visits Maui.
By the way, Julia is up to 72 loaves a day now and she's usually sold out by noon or 1 PM.
Posted by: Steve & Sandy | October 27, 2004 at 09:48 AM
Just got home from Maui -- where we made the trip to Kahakuloa from Napili. Great adventure! The banana bread was great and the coconut candy excellent. The coconut candy at the fruit stand just south of Julia's stand was even better! He adds a Thai spice to it that was simply scrumptious. If anyone is going, and is willing, I'd love to have you buy me more of the special treat and send it! A long shot? Yes ... but you never know! Maybe someone has an excess of the Aloha Spirit!
Mahalo,
Julie
Posted by: Julie | May 02, 2005 at 02:44 PM
I would like to buy some of the coconut candy. How may I do this?
Posted by: Sandra Schimpf | August 14, 2005 at 04:55 PM
I stopped by Julias. Where can I get more cocnut candy? I will pay top dollar!
Posted by: Brent | October 13, 2005 at 11:33 AM
Thankyou for your Kokua.
This sounds great.
We've been going Kaua'i last several years and enjoyed funky shave ice place in Waimea town and Fruit and smoothie stand up by Anahola with accompanying backroads adventure.
With Mau'i this year planned this is the first place we will go. Coconut candy looks awesome!
Shave ice too. See you soon,
Mahalo, a bro' living in northern california, Ken
Posted by: Ken Kaumuali'i Hodges | January 16, 2006 at 06:03 PM
I just returned from Kahakuloa after an unplanned drive and the scenery was a refreshing treat after a few days in arid Kihei and Wailea! Julia's shack was a delighful break from the cliff huggin' drive! Warm banana bread smelled up the car all the way home; and after realizing that her Coconut Candy was very similar to my native country's 'Sugar Cake', I wished I had bought 10 more!!! I will try to simulate her method and if successful, will post my recipe; however you may try the Guyanese version - note: much more sugary!
Ingredients
1 dry coconut
1 lb brown sugar
2 cups water
Flavouring Optional: vanilla essence, ground ginger or dried orange peel
Preparation
Break the dry coconut open with a heavy utensil (or a hammer!), and yet again into smaller, more manageable pieces; discard water from within the nut; separate white flesh from nut shell using a small peeling knife.
Grate coconut using largest holes. Or use a vegegable slicer (mandolin) to shave into little chips like Julia's!
Boil sugar and water together, until thick and syrupy.
Add grated coconut (and Optional, orange peel and/or ginger) to syrup and cook until mixture thickens.
Reduce heat to medium and Stir constantly until all is combined and a little stiff.
Moisten a pastry board with a little water. Drop the mixture from a spoon on to it and form into cakes or little bite sized pieces.
Leave to air dry.
When the cakes are dry on the one side, turn them over for further drying.
Eat when completely cooled and dry to the touch.
Sugar will be fine and crumbly because there is no oil or butter in the recipe to make it brittle (do not want it to be brittle texture).
Enjoy.
Posted by: Carlyn Morse | January 25, 2006 at 03:07 PM
Just last week we stopped in for some BB at Julia’s. Julia was not there but her nieces from Molokai were. What a lovely moment in my life n the BB was great toooooooo. The wife n I ate 1 ½ loafs on the spot…………..
However,
My wife hated the road. I hated to hear her winning about the road n my driving.
Glennnnnnnnnn
Posted by: Glenn | January 25, 2006 at 04:20 PM
OOOoooh, I travel to Maui every year with my parents and eat my weight in coconut candy each time. THANK YOU for the recipe posted. I will try it and let you know if it's like the stuff we get on Maui.
Posted by: Kelly | February 23, 2006 at 11:59 AM
hi
i also had some coconut candy on the roadside in hawaii. can some1 pls give me recipe or tell me wher i can buy some.
Posted by: meena | June 20, 2006 at 12:15 PM
I too had several different "brandos" f th ewonderful coconut candy in Hawaii, on Maui, also up in Hana. It was all wonderful. Each was a bit different, bt the best was that purchased at the Hasegawa Genreral Store in Hana. I saved the packages with the company name, address and website to order more. In fact I saved them all. Unfortunately some were homemade and sold by the side of the road. Call me at 813-383-5010 in a few days when I have unpacked and I will have the info. I will be ordering plenty. We tried to make some today and it turned out pretty good, but just nt the same.
Posted by: Beth Nobles | July 03, 2006 at 06:50 PM
I just saw the comment from Beth on July 3rd & was wondering if it was possible to get the ordering info or website info to order coconut candy. I too saved my labels from several I purchased at roadside stands... my favorite being made by Bananas & Coconuts Co in Haiku, HI however there is no listing for them on 411.com & I can't find a website. If anyone could help me, I'd truly appreciate it!
Posted by: Mary G | September 21, 2006 at 05:52 AM
hi,
i was on kona highway on our way to c the water fall from the private property.a lady was sellin coconut candy n also guy sellin coconut water. ne1 has ne idea. how they made that candy. she said it was homemade, no name on pkg, n it was brown sugar n coconut pieces.
Posted by: meena | October 06, 2006 at 09:06 AM
How can we order the coconut candy?? My fiance and I went to Maui last year for the first time and we fell in love with this treat! mmmmmmmmm....
Posted by: J&D | January 16, 2007 at 02:15 PM
Kahakuloa is the only thing that made my trip to Maui worthwhile. I grew up on Oahu, and coming back to Maui all these years later, I was dismayed by the resorts on the other side of the island. Visitng Kahakuloa was magic.
Posted by: Lopaka Haber | January 17, 2007 at 08:20 AM
Do you know how I can buy some of the coconut candy? I have been searching the web, but can not seem to locate it?
Posted by: Jennifer Harm | February 06, 2007 at 01:45 PM
We justgot back from Maui... and the road to Hana... Man, what a beautiful place. Anyway, the coconut candy I bought has an e-mail address on it, from which I assume you can order. Here is that most-priced address: cocunutcandy@msn.com (bet you could have guessed that!). Enjoy all!
Posted by: A I C | March 15, 2007 at 05:04 AM
Hi, Is there any way to obtain Julia's Banana Bread recipe. When in Hawaii recently we sampled that incrediable bread: superb! Anyway, if you can help, that would be great. THANKS, Alice Liska, DnA824@MSM.com
Posted by: Alice Liska | March 24, 2007 at 01:23 PM
Hi, Is there any way to obtain Julia's Banana Bread recipe. When in Hawaii recently we sampled that incrediable bread: superb! Anyway, if you can help, that would be great. THANKS, Alice Liska, DnA824@MSM.com
Posted by: Alice Liska | March 24, 2007 at 01:23 PM
The last time we were in Maui my husband and I thought we would take a ride and found this little town by accident. It was a far drive from Lahaina but totally worth it. We are going back again in June and I plan on going back for some more banana bread! YUM!!!
Posted by: Jessica Miller | March 27, 2007 at 07:06 PM
I would actually like to know how to get some more of the coconut candy. We bought some while we were there but it obviously isn't available in Illinois.
Posted by: Karl Kunkel | April 01, 2007 at 08:34 AM
There are a couple coconut spot on Rd to Hana. My favorite being Coconut Willy's. I read an article by Wanda Adams, a food editor for Honolulu Advertiser, years ago about how to make. It's work! Use fresh coconut and peel shavings with peeler. Dont worry about brown rind, leave it on. "Spread a shallow layer of the coconut in a rimmed baking sheet and generously sprinkle it with Maui turbinado sugar (which I believe to be a key ingrediant, its a raw crystal sugar) and bake at the lowest temp in your oven for 8 to 10 hours, stirring occasionally to spread syrup or sugar. The sugar will be soaked up by the coconut". She states old Willy bakes his for 18 hours and at some point he turns the temp up to 350 to get it really crisp and golden brown before bringing out the oven... but watch not to burn it. Candy does not stay fresh and crisp long, but if you need to refresh it, just put in 325 degree oven. I was there in 2003.
Posted by: J&A | May 22, 2007 at 09:12 AM