The Australian Connection to Maui: The Valley Isle’s G’day Factor

Aussies, have you heard of that Hawaiian-themed bar called Tupe Aloha up on the Gold Coast? Maybe you have hazy memories of guzzling down tiki drinks on that schoolies trip all those years ago.

When I lived on the Gold Coast, Tupe Aloha was always packed. Maybe it was the cocktails – or maybe Aussies just really enjoy the laid-back Hawaiian vibes. My flights between Brisbane and Honolulu proved the latter to be true. The planes were always full of vacationing Aussies.

300,000 Aussies visited Hawaii in 2019, but only a handful made it past Oahu and on to Maui. But those who venture past Oahu and discover the charms of the Valley Isle are onto something special. After all, Waikiki is kind of like a bigger Surfers Paradise (cue flashbacks of that aforementioned schoolies trip all those years ago).

But the real question is, why are Aussies heading to Hawaii instead of nearby Bali or ultra-cheap Thailand? Let’s dive into what makes Maui so alluring to our friends down under.

 

The Beaches

Australia is the world capital of beach culture. More than 85 percent of Aussies live near the coast. Most of the country’s east coast is lined with brilliant white sand beaches abutted by crystal blue waters. There is certainly no shortage of postcard-perfect beaches in this corner of the world.

But Maui has beaches that would make Bondi blush. And not just golden beaches, but black sand beaches, lava rock beaches, red sand beaches, brown sand beaches, gray sand beaches; the list goes on and on. No two beaches on Maui are the same, which gives the visiting Aussie a great deal of variety – and epic photo ops.

If you’re an Aussie visiting Maui and want to feast your eyes on some of the island’s most unique beaches, check out the black sands at Oneloa or Waiʻanapanapa or the iron red sands at Koki Beach in Hana.

 

The Beer

Aussies can crush tinnies like nobody’s business. But you’ll rarely see Australians sipping schooners of Budweiser or Miller Lite. The brews by VB, Coopers, and Carlton Draught are in a league of their own – at least in the eyes of a pint-loving Aussie.

Unfortunately, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a good Australian beer in the islands. Fosters is thought of as the go-to “Australian” beer in the states – although anyone who knows anything about the Land Down Under knows Fosters is not as popular as their marketing team makes it seem.

But good news prevails: Maui has some awesome independent breweries. Even the most discerning Aussie beer drinkers will approve of Maui’s brews. Maui Brewing Company, Kohola Brewery, and Mahalo Aleworks are all local, independent, award-winning breweries on Maui – and all three are worth a stop on an Aussie’s island tour.

And just to prove I’m telling the truth about how good our beers are here, I will be the first to admit that Maui’s coffee shops are not on par with Australia’s. Maui might be great at growing coffee, but our espresso drinks have a long way to go before they’re anything like the liquid gold served in Australia. Most places on Maui don’t even give you a choccy sprinkle on your cappuccino! Atrocious.

 

The Barbeque

G’day mate, put another shrimp on the barbie.

Yeah, right. Could you get any more stereotypical? As if Aussies are perpetually BBQing shrimp.

Australian BBQ is a thing, but there are more popular proteins than shrimp – namely, lamb, steak, and sausages.

When Aussies come to Maui, they can appreciate some good BBQ grub. And Hawaiian BBQ really hits the spot.

There are some bonzer Hawaiian barbeque places on Maui. Aussies can get their fix at Aloha Aina BBQ in Haiku, which is rife with island-style BBQ plates like kiawe pork belly and venison sausage, served with cilantro coconut sticky rice, cornbread, pohole fern salad, and guava butter.

 

The Surf

With 1.7 million surfers, Australia has one of the highest populations of surfers in the world – second only to the United States. Surfing has long been an integral part of Aussie pop culture. The country has surfing leagues galore and produces more surfing world champions than any other country.

So it’s only fair that surfing Aussies make the pilgrimage to the birthplace of surfing: Hawaii.

Maui might not have waves like the Oahu’s North Shore – or even Kirra or Snapper, for that matter – but it’s a surfing destination nonetheless. If you’re lucky, you might score a good day at Honolua Bay. If all else fails, surfing Aussies can get their fix at Hookipa, one of the most consistent breaks on Maui.

 

The (Lack of) Deadly Animals

There are not many deadly animals you have to worry about while on Maui. Really, the only animals that can kill you in the Hawaiian Islands are tiger sharks and cone snails (which no one talks about, by the way. Sharks are way more sensationalized).

It’s unlikely you’ll ever be attacked by a shark. But statistically, if you were to be attacked by a shark, it’s more likely to happen in Australia than it is on Maui. So, if you’re Aussie, you have virtually no deadly animals to worry about on Maui.

There are no poisonous snakes, no spiders, no white pointers, no bull sharks, no crocodiles. Heck, even the box jellyfish in Hawaii (probably) won’t kill you. Hawaii’s box jellyfish pack less of a punch than their Australian counterparts. So, you can tromp through the jungle or swim in the ocean without worrying about a cheeky creature sneaking up on you.

 

Well, Aussies. There you have it. What draws you to Maui? Is it the waves, the beer, the beaches, or something entirely different? Regardless, we love seeing the happy-go-lucky Australian spirit here on the Valley Isle.

Cheers!

 

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