Attractions

by Gudrun Enger, Kitchen Gadget Girl

One of our fun adventures in Maui, Hawaii, was a visit to the Surfing Goat Dairy, high up in the Upcountry of the island. In a place where pineapples reign supreme, it seemed incongruous to find a working dairy and cheese making operation. Read More »

One wouldn’t think of Hawaii as being a place where lavender is grown and harvested. Usually one thinks of lavender as being a French product, but Ali’I Lavender Farm on the Island of Maui, is a relaxing surprise in the Upcountry of Kula.

Ali'i Kula in Maui's Upcountry

My senses were delighted when I drove up the farm road and could begin to smell the lavender in the air. It immediately relaxed me and took away any stresses that were bothering me. My eyes were pleasured at the sight that greeted me when I turned a bend. There were fields and fields of flowers that were hidden in the mountains.

I was a bit early for a walking tour, but the gift shop and small café beckoned. Culinary treated tempted my appetite and I indulged in a few moments of quite, overlooking the gardens, enjoying a lavender scone topped with lavender butter and lilikoi lavender jelly. I washed it down with lavender tea, but lavender coffee was also available. I almost didn’t want to leave my little haven in the mountains to take the tour.

Lavender Treats at Alii Kula Lavender Farm

I attached myself to a small tour group, led by Cookie, who led us around trails and walkways, introducing us to various types of lavender plants. She would make small cuttings, handing a sample of each plant to the group members. The smell was amazing. By the time we reached the end of the tour, we each had a small lavender bouquet to take with us.

Children love walking through the gardens at Alii Kula Lavender Farm

Of course, the tour ended near the gift shop, but oh, what a gift shop! The handmade lavender soaps, the edible lavender souvenirs, the home and garden items were just begging me to purchase them. There wasn’t much room in my suitcase for take home items, but fortunately the Ali’I Kula gift shop ships to the mainland.

If you find yourself on the Island of Maui, in Hawaii, I strongly recommend taking some time away from your hotel to explore the delights the island has to offer.

Photos by Shannon Hurst Lane