点评:One of the advantages of staying on Maui for more than a week is that eventually you stop feeling like you have to race from attraction to attraction. By my final Saturday, I'd already checked out of my hotel and had a little time before heading to the next part of my trip, so I drove over to the Maui Swap Meet.
For a dollar to get in, this may have been one of the best bargains on the island.
I arrived a little after eight while the morning was still cool, and that turned out to be perfect. Most vendors were already set up, there was plenty of parking, and I could browse without feeling rushed.
I was impressed by the variety. Fresh pineapple, mangoes, homemade banana bread, local honey, macadamia nuts, Kona coffee, handmade jewelry, wood carvings, paintings, tropical shirts, soaps, lotions—you could easily spend a couple of hours wandering the rows without realizing how much time had passed.
My first purchase was an iced Kona coffee, followed shortly by a thick slice of banana bread that somehow disappeared while I was still pretending I was "just looking." Breakfast accomplished.
One booth specialized in handmade soaps, kukui body butter, and lotions made with local ingredients. The owner happily explained the differences between everything and insisted the body butter worked best if you warmed it between your hands first. Apparently technique matters. I left with one small jar for myself. It seemed like a very Maui purchase.
Further down the row, I sampled more varieties of local honey than was probably necessary, but the vendors were incredibly friendly and never made me feel pressured to buy anything.
I'd seen beautiful wooden bowls at Whalers Village the day before, but I held off—glad I did. At the Swap Meet, I found a hand-carved koa bowl for a fraction of the price. The craftsman was sanding one at his booth and told me the wood is hard to work, but it's worth the effort. I just bought the bowl—but I could see how one thing leads to another at this place.
If you're looking for expensive souvenirs, this probably isn't the place. If you're looking for locally made products, friendly conversations, and a relaxed Saturday morning that actually feels Hawaiian, I thought it was wonderful.
A few tips:
Go early. The weather is much more comfortable before mid-morning.
Bring cash. Many vendors take cards now, but not all.
Wear sunscreen. Most of the market is outdoors.
Leave a little extra room in your suitcase. You'll almost certainly find something you didn't know you needed.
Location: 310 W Kaahumanu Ave, Kahului, HI 96732 (University of Hawaii Maui College parking lot)
Hours: Saturdays only, 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Admission: About $1
There may not be a better value on Maui for one dollar.
翻译:在毛伊岛停留一周以上的一大好处就是,你最终不会再觉得必须匆匆忙忙地从一个景点赶往另一个景点。到了最后那个星期六,我已经从酒店退房,在启程前往下一站之前还有点空闲时间,于是便开车前往毛伊岛的跳蚤市场。
只需支付1美元就能入场,这或许是岛上最划算的“买卖”之一了。
八点多一点我到了那里,此时清晨的气温还相当凉爽,这天气简直再完美不过了。大多数摊主都已经摆好摊位,停车场也空位充足,我可以悠闲地逛来逛去,丝毫不觉得匆忙。
商品的种类之多让我惊叹不已。新鲜的菠萝、芒果、自制香蕉面包、当地出产的蜂蜜、澳洲坚果、科纳咖啡、手工饰品、木雕、绘画作品、热带风格衬衫、香皂以及各种润肤乳——你完全可以花上几个小时漫步其中,却浑然不觉时间已悄然流逝。
我买的第一样东西就是一杯冰镇科纳咖啡。紧接着又来了一大块香蕉面包,可就在我假装“只是看看”的时候,那块面包不知怎么就不见了。早餐搞定。
有一个摊位专门售卖手工肥皂、库库伊油身体乳以及用当地食材制成的润肤露。摊主兴高采烈地解释了各种产品的区别,还坚持说使用身体乳前最好先双手搓热再涂抹效果最佳。看来使用手法也很重要呢。最后我买了一小罐留作自用。这看起来就是典型的毛伊岛式购物体验啊。
接着,我又尝试了多种当地蜂蜜,其实数量已经超出了必要范围;不过摊贩们都极其友善,丝毫没有让我有必须购买的压迫感。
前一天我在鲸鱼村见过漂亮的木制碗具,但当时没买——现在看来做对了。在这次旧货集市上,我以极低的价格买到了一个手工雕刻的寇阿木碗。那位工匠当时正在他的摊位上给另一个碗打磨,他告诉我这种木材很难加工呢。不过这一切都值得。我刚买了那个碗——我能看出在这里一件事会如何引发另一件事。
如果你在寻找昂贵的纪念品,这里可能不是合适的地方。但如果你想要本地制造的商品、亲切的交谈,以及一个真正充满夏威夷风情的轻松周六早晨,我觉得这里棒极了。
几点小建议:
早点去吧。上午中段之前的天气要宜人得多。
带上现金。现在虽然很多摊贩都接受信用卡,但并非全部。
记得涂防晒霜。大部分市场都在户外进行。
请在行李箱里留出一点额外空间吧——你很可能会发现一些自己原本没意识到需要的东西。
地点:夏威夷州卡胡卢伊市,卡阿胡马努大道西310号,邮编96732(夏威夷大学毛伊学院停车场)
营业时间:仅限每周六,上午7点至下午1点
入场费:约1美元
在毛伊岛上,花1美元能享受到如此物超所值的体验,恐怕再难找到了。