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Click on the island
name for more on shopping at that particular location.
l Big
Island l Kauai l
Maui l Oahu
l Best Buys
Shopping
in Kauai varies wildly from very upscale shops like Pretty
Woman, in the generally expensive Princeville Shopping
Center to the more affordably items in Hanalei where the
Hanalei Center has a batch of small shops and the aptly
named, Hanalei Surf company, offers casual duds for casual
dudes and dudesses. A
lot of fine artists and craftspeople live here away from the
tourists on other islands. Many of these sell locally at
lower prices than you find on Maui, Oahu or the mainland.
On
the North Shore Princeville and Hanalei offer the high and
affordable end of the shopping spectrum.
Hotel and Princeville Shopping Center shops offer
upscale resort wear, jewelry, art and more a upscale prices.
Even the grocery store such that a lot of locals and
return condo visitors shop in Lihu'e or Hanalei.
The last has a dandy variety store in Wing Chung
Village where variety includes bait, fishing gear, soft
drinks, snacks, clothing, etc. They also give fishing advice
and put colorful Band-Aids on small children with "ouchies." Great Place!
On
the South Shore around Koloa, there's a Monday noon farmer's
market with some of the best white pineapples in the islands
now and then, and solid produce otherwise. Condo cooks
should pay particular attention to the oriental produce and
local items that go way past Pak Choy and Bak Choy.
Just about everything can come with directions for a
special dish so bring pen and paper.
New and then home-made jams and jellies from guava,
lychee and more exotic Hawaiian fruits turn up and there's
no better way to take home the taste of the island.
Several small shops sell surf gear, clothing, jewelry
and gifts at bargain rates.
A bit of casual Hawaiian dickering is in order when,
for example, you want to buy several items at a time.
If
you get around to the very dry Waimea side, as is a good
idea on a day when it's raining up north. Check out the
saltwater shrimp project north of Wiamea before you drive up
into the wetter canyon.
If the mariculture project here works as well as
expected you might be able to buy some 10 or 12 count jumbo
shrimp for the barbecue at bargain prices.
On
the food side there are farmer's markets all over Kauai, for
example, look for markets in Kilauea late on Thursday and
early on Saturday, and a Tuesday afternoon market in
Hanalei. If you
can find white pineapples, don't miss out.
Do realize you can't take fruits and such off the
island without a Department of Agriculture inspection.
If you must bring a pineapple home buy it at the
airport where they'll pack it for shipping.
The
best deal on Kauai may be the Ni'ihau Shell jewelry prices
-- Niihau where the local ladies ruin their eyes threading
together these tiny shells is the neighbor island -- at
spots like Lawai's Hawaiian Trading Post. Once you get an
ideal of prices here check out the stalls around the
Spouting Horn. Just make sure to get a certificate of
authenticity with a maker's name and address in case you'd
ever need repairs. |
