Maui Tropical Plantation

UPDATE: Since COVID-19, the restaurant has changed is now operated by Cafe O'Lei. Some of the info below is inaccurate.

Just when you thought your Hana excursion couldn’t get any more thrilling: Whether you braved the remote eastern side in a single day or stayed in Hana for a week, any journey into Maui’s lusher side would be incomplete without a stop at the Maui Tropical Plantation. Established more than thirty years ago, the leading tourist destination and entertainment venue presents some of the most alluring flowers, herbs, and crops the island has to offer—as well as activities designed to delight the whole ‘ohana.

 

The Plantation Property

Located in the majestic Waikapū Valley—a fertile expanse that served as an agricultural hub during Maui’s sugarcane era—Maui Tropical Plantation got its start as a heavenly-scented venue constructed to showcase the Valley Isle’s loveliest botanicals. All together there are well over 40 various crops being cultivated at the plantation including coffee, macadamia nuts, avocado, and papaya. MTP is free and open to the public with a myriad of activities available for those who want a deeper peek into this legendary region, from tram tours to ziplines.

 

The Mill House

 

Banana bread, shave ice, coconut gelato—the Road to Hana boasts a boatload of tasty treats to get you through your excursion. Back on less-serpentine terrain, however, you may want to indulge in a meal that celebrates Maui’s bounty. Find that in spades at The Mill House, a modern and magical restaurant nestled into the Maui Tropical Plantation. Here, award winning master chefs produce plate after plate of wonder, from chickpea panisse to charcuterie. Best part yet? Executive Chef Taylor Ponte and his squad utilize herbs, veggies, and fruit straight from the plantation—and dishes them out in a sultry, unrivaled setting.

 

Maui Zipline

 

It’s one thing to tour Maui Tropical Plantation on foot or four wheels; it’s yet another to experience it all from the air. Maui Zipline takes keiki and adults 300 to 900 feet into the sky, where views of crops, streams, and coastline exhilarate and please. With five side-by-side ziplines, this island adventure is just as delightful for couples as it is for the whole family.

 

Maui Chef's Table

 

Time your Road to Hana voyage just right and you might be able to experience the best the island has to offer—that is, by ending it all with Maui Chef’s Table. Only at The Mill House Restaurant, this exclusive event—held on select weekend evenings—brings guests into the culinary dialogue with an open-concept kitchen that encourages questions and conversation while Chef Taylor and/or his team prepare a multi-course meal that’s outright trance-inducing. Drawing on the same ethos of The Mill House—which concentrates on the island’s freshest seasonal ingredients—the festive event serves dishes so delectable and intricate, they’ll linger in your mind long after you’ve left the island. Call 808.270.0333 for it books up yet again.

 

Plantation Gift Shops

 

Having far too much fun exploring Hana’s hiking trails and waterfalls to even think of souvenirs? Maui Tropical Plantation has got you covered. Pop into the Mill House Roasting Co. for a pound of plantation-fresh beans (or a bag of coconut cardamom macadamias) or meander into the Country Store for a jar of guava butter or an aloha shirt (here, you’ll also find gorgeous prints, photographs, and paintings by Maui artist Rebecca Lowell). Keen on taking a taste of Maui home with you? Slip into Kumu Farms’ farm stand. Rated one of the best farm stands in the U.S. by Rodale’s Organic Life magazine, Kumu peddles gourmet products and organic produce—including the oh-so-delicious Maui Gold pineapple.

 

1670 Honoapiilani Hwy #1
Waikapu, Maui, HI 96753
(808) 270-0333