Maui Locals’ Favorite- The Best Maui Swap Meet

If you find yourself on Maui on a Saturday, do yourself a favor and check out a local Maui favorite- the Maui Swap Meet. It really is the best thing going on a Saturday morning on Maui. For a measly 75 cents per person, this is an amazing local experience that you won’t regret.

At a Glance

📍 Destination

Maui, HI- University of Hawaii Maui College campus, near downtown Kahului

📅 When we went

Not recorded

⏱️ Trip length

A Saturday morning, as part of a longer Maui trip

🏨 Home base

Not recorded

💰 Entry

75 cents per person, cash only, $1 bills preferred

🚗 Getting there

On the college campus near downtown Kahului. Plenty of parking and clear signage from every approach.

🎯 Best for

Travelers on Maui over a Saturday who want a local market morning instead of a resort activity

⭐ Our take

Worth rearranging your Saturday around. The best 75 cents you will spend on Maui.

Who This Guide Is For

This one is for travelers on Maui over a Saturday who want a local market morning instead of a resort activity. It is a 75 cent, cash-only morning on a college campus, so it suits anyone happy to rearrange a day around a local favorite. Only open on Saturday, so if your Saturday is already committed there is no second chance that week.

Maui Locals’ Favorite- The Best Maui Swap Meet

What to Expect at the Maui Swap Meet

Make no mistake, the Maui Swap Meet is a local favorite activity. Only open on Saturday, you’ll need to either plan accordingly or rearrange your schedule (like we did) and accept some Aloha spirit into your day. The swap meet is near the downtown area of Kahului but on the University of Hawaii Maui College campus which means plenty of parking. The signage is clear, regardless of your approach to the campus, so don’t worry about missing the turn.
The entry fee is 75 cents, cash only and $1 bills are certainly preferred (ask me how I know). The meet has food offerings, local produce stands, and a plethora of local crafts (as well as mass produced merch for your tourist needs). If you are stacking a Maui week around this, the other day worth reshuffling for is the Turtle Town snorkel and Haleakala.

Produce Stands

The reason the locals visit is undoubtably the local produce stands. The variety of fresh fruits an vegetables is amazing. The avocados were the size of a softball and they had more ‘new-to-me’ fruit than I’ve ever seen. No matter what you’re looking for you will find it at one of the many local providers. Pick up some road snacks before making the trek to Hana!

Food Trucks

I love me a good food truck and they represented at the meet. We ate at Yellow Belly for their Mexican, grabbed a shaved iced coffee for a sweet treat, and found a gluten-free bread stand.
The Yellow Belly Food Truck has some of the most amazing Mexican I’ve ever had, in Maui or Cabo! We got the Chili Relleno burrito and tamale bowl. Both were amazing and we wish we could have eaten more or again on another day. It was that good. The flavors were well balanced, the portions bordered on too big, the service was quick considering the food is made to order, and the staff was kind and helpful.
My wife is gluten intolerant so finding a gluten-free bread place was pretty cool. She got the Lilikoi Bread that made an excellent road snack for our drive to Hana.

Local Merchants

Of course it is a Swap Meet so there have to be merchants selling their wares. The majority were aimed at the tourist. In addition to the mass produced t-shirts you’d expect, there were also many craftsmen and artisans who were selling quality handmade items from local materials. Artistic, religious, and traditional themes can be found in woodcarvings, paintings, postcards, clothing, and accessories (think rings and earrings). Pretty much, if you wanted it or didn’t know what you wanted, you’d be able to find it at the Maui Swap Meet.

What We’d Do Differently

Bring $1 bills. Entry is 75 cents per person and cash only, and we learned that at the gate. We would also have gone back for the Yellow Belly food truck. We ate there once, and we wish we could have eaten more or again on another day.

Our Verdict on the Maui Swap Meet

Worth rearranging your Saturday around it. For 75 cents you get local produce stands, food trucks and craftsmen selling handmade items in local materials, and the produce stands are why the locals come. The mass-produced tourist merch is there too, and it is easy to walk past. The best 75 cents you will spend on Maui.

Our verdict: Go early, bring $1 bills, and eat at Yellow Belly.

Practical Information

🕐 Hours

Saturday only. Show up early for the best produce selection.

💰 Entry

75 cents per person, cash only, $1 bills strongly preferred at the gate

📍 Location

University of Hawaii Maui College campus, near downtown Kahului

🚗 Getting there

Signage is clear regardless of which way you approach the campus

🅿️ Parking

Plenty of parking on campus, no extra charge

Wanderlog Guide

We maintain Guides for all our Trips over at our Wanderlog website profile page. Our visit to the Maui Swap meet was part of our bigger trip to Maui. You can find the guide for this trip, and others, on that page. If you enjoy, give us a like and follow. Thank you, and Happy Traveling!

Found this helpful? 📌 Pin it for your trip planning.

Planning the rest of the trip around it? Our Maui, Hawaii Travel Guide has where we stayed, what we did, and the rest of where we ate.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Maui Swap Meet open?

Saturday only. If you are on Maui over a Saturday, plan around it or rearrange your schedule the way we did. Show up early for the best produce selection.

How much does the Maui Swap Meet cost?

75 cents per person, cash only. Bring $1 bills, which are strongly preferred at the gate. Parking on the University of Hawaii Maui College campus is plentiful and is not an extra charge.

Where is the Maui Swap Meet held?

On the University of Hawaii Maui College campus, near downtown Kahului. The signage is clear regardless of which way you approach the campus, so the turn is hard to miss, and there is plenty of parking.

What food is at the Maui Swap Meet?

Food trucks, produce stands and specialty stands. Yellow Belly serves some of the best Mexican we have had anywhere, including Cabo. Get the Chili Relleno burrito or the tamale bowl. There is also shaved ice coffee and a gluten-free stand selling Lilikoi bread.

Is the Maui Swap Meet worth it for tourists?

Yes. For 75 cents you get local produce stands, food trucks, and craftsmen selling handmade items in local materials. Mass-produced tourist merch is there too. The produce stands are why the locals come, and the avocados run the size of a softball.

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