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There aren't a lot of shops and spas on Kauai, but what you will find here are a handful of places very much worth checking out for the quality of their selection of items sold and services rendered. Many shops now make an effort to sell as many locally made products as possible. When buying an item, ask where it was made or even who made it.
Often you will find that a product handcrafted on the island may not be that much more expensive than a similar product made overseas. You can also look for the purple "Kauai Made" sticker many merchants display.
Along with one major shopping mall, a few shopping centers, and a growing number of big-box retailers, Kauai has some delightful mom-and-pop shops and specialty boutiques with lots of character. The Garden Isle also has a large and talented community of artisans and fine artists, with galleries all around the island showcasing their creations. You can find many island-made arts and crafts in the small shops, and it's worthwhile to stop in at crafts fairs and outdoor markets to look for bargains and mingle with island residents.
If you're looking for a special memento of your trip that is unique to Kauai County, check out the distinctive Niihau shell lei. The tiny shells are collected from beaches on Kauai and Niihau, pierced, and strung into beautiful necklaces, chokers, and earrings. It's a time-consuming and exacting craft, and these items are much in demand, so don't be taken aback by the high price tags. Those made by Niihau residents will have certificates of authenticity and are worth collecting. You often can find cheaper versions made by non-Hawaiians at crafts fairs.
Kauai is often touted as the healing island, and local spas try hard to fill that role. With the exception of the Hyatt's ANARA Spa, the facilities aren't as posh as some might want, but it's in the human element that Kauai excels. Many island residents are known for their warmth, kindness, and humility, and you can often find all these attributes in the massage therapists and technicians who work long hours at the resort spas. These professionals take their therapeutic mission seriously; they genuinely want you to experience the island's relaxing, restorative qualities. Private massage services abound on the island, and your spa therapist may offer the same services at a much lower price outside the resort, but if you're looking for a variety of health-and-beauty treatments, an exercise workout, or a full day of pampering, a spa will prove most convenient.
Though most spas on Kauai are associated with resorts, none is restricted to guests only. And there's much by way of healing and wellness to be found on Kauai beyond the traditional spa—or even the day spa. More and more retreat facilities are offering what some would call alternative healing therapies. Others would say there's nothing alternative about them; you can decide for yourself.
Open Hours. Stores are typically open daily from 9 or 10 am to 5 pm, although some stay open until 9 pm, especially those near resorts. Don't be surprised if the posted hours don't match the actual hours of operation at the smaller shops, where owners may be fairly casual about keeping to a regular schedule.
The best-known brands in camp, beach, surf, and skate gear can be found at this flagship of Aloha Exchange, along with a good selection of locally designed graphic T-shirts and caps available exclusively here. Personalize your reusable water flask with a couple of their stickers as Island souvenirs. It's popular with locals, especially younger beachgoers.
Hawaiian quilts made by hand and machine, a beautiful selection of fabrics, quilting kits, handmade aloha wear, and unique fabric arts fill a cute, small, red plantation-style building a mile outside Lihue. The staff is friendly and helpful---even though a steady stream of customers keeps them busy---and will ship your purchases anywhere.
The signature treat here, the chocolate opihi, is made with a dash of culinary humor: layers of crispy cookie, gooey caramel, crunchy macadamia nut, and chocolate shell form a little cone . . . a lot like the shape and texture of limpets found clinging to shoreline rocks and which are also considered a delicacy. Fear not: no seafood is involved in this decadent candy. Fudge, bars, and chocolate-covered pretzels make good gifts, and the gelato is ono (delicious). Phone and online orders are now accepted.
Kauai produces more coffee than any other Island, and this is the largest coffee farm in the United States. The 100% local product is grown with sustainable practices and can be purchased from grocery stores or at the plantation, where you can sample nearly two dozen coffees before or after a tour. Be sure to try some of the exclusive estate-roasted varieties. Coffee is available online, too. Fun fact: the factory, quaint old camp houses, and visitor center are located in a settlement called Numila, which is a Hawaiian way to say "new mill."
This is the biggest and best farmers' market on Kauai, sponsored by the Kauai Farm Bureau, Kauai Grown, and Kauai Community College and held 9:30 am to 1 pm on Saturdays in the college's parking lot in Lihue. You'll find fresh produce---including those grown by the college's agriculture students---and flowers, as well as packaged products like breads, goat cheese, pasta, honey, coffee, soaps, lotions, and more, all made locally. The market also offers educational displays and cooking tips. Seating areas are convenient if you want to grab a tasty snack or lunch from the food booths and lunch wagons that set up here.
The gift shop at the Kauai Museum sells some fascinating books, as well as lovely authentic Niihau shell jewelry, handwoven lauhala hats and bags, local food items, historic postcards, hand-carved wooden bowls and boxes, Tahitian pearl jewelry, and a wide selection of unique aloha wear clothing. It's a wonderful place to find quality items not sold elsewhere.
The South Shore's upscale shopping center has boutiques, exclusive galleries, several great restaurants, a gourmet grocer, a large drugstore, and Kauai-made Lappert's Ice Cream. The flagship of the Malie Organics bath line, used by many top hotels and spas, is here, along with anchors like Lululemon, Tommy Bahama, and Deja Vu Surf. Check out the Kauai Culinary Market on Wednesday afternoons to see cooking demonstrations, listen to live music, and shop from local vendors. This attractive open-air plantation-style center gets busy on Friday nights. It's at the roundabout as you enter Poipu.
Located in a historic building in quiet Hanapepe Town, this is the only bookstore on Kauai, with some 25,000 titles and a resident cat. On Friday Art Nights, authors sign their books out front while live music and food trucks entertain meandering crowds. New, used, rare, and out-of-print books are sold here, as well as vinyl records, comics, vintage video games, and two exclusive sticker lines.
As you browse shelves stocked with international wines, gourmet nibbles, local rum, and etched glassware, you may notice romance in the air. The Wine Shop is where couples can obtain a state marriage license, gather charcuterie supplies for a honeymoon beach picnic, or order a gift basket for a milestone anniversary. Want a particular vintage for an upcoming family trip? They will bring in special orders and hold them for your arrival.
