The Hawaiian Islands are pretty popular among those searching for a more natural, organic life. Here, you will find many who prioritize the conservation of natural spaces and the promotion of healthy foods and sustainable farming processes. Maui Tea Farm is just one of many excellent examples of this, but it also happens to be one place that you can go to see this part of Hawaiian life for yourself.
Maui Tea Farm is located at just about the dead center of East Maui and within the heart of Upcountry Maui. You will find the entrance to their farm and tea shop right on Haleakala Highway as it meanders east out of Kula and up towards Haleakala National Park & Summit (consider incorporating both locations on a visit to this part of the island).
This location on the slopes of Haleakala Volcano certainly plays a big role in Maui Tea Farm’s prosperity. The soil here is rich and ideal while the cool air and frequent cloud mists further provide ripe conditions for the growing of premium high mountain tea plants. The owners of Maui Tea Farm also endeavor to keep this area full of native plants, and so alongside their commercial tea plants, you will also find Hawaiian koa, mamane, and ohia trees as well as a rich array of coffee, olive, and fruit trees.
Owners Alex and Andrea de Roode started Maui Tea Farm with just a few varieties of seedlings in 2013. Their focus on sustainability and creating high-quality products was a short success, and they quickly expanded into the larger operation that they are today.
When visiting Maui Tea Farm, you can either choose to go solely to their onsite store and gift shop to purchase their teas and tisane herbs, or you can opt for one of their farm tours.
Farm tours offered by Maui Tea Farm include:
Meet the Tea Tour
This is an hour-long tour that starts at a gorgeous gazebo built on a hill overlooking the valley. Your guide will then take you and the group down the farm’s grass and dirt paths and into the garden where everyone is invited to touch and even pick the plants that the farm processes into white, green, and black teas. You’ll also more about tisanes and which of the farm’s plants go into making that special herbal concoction. The tour ends with a sampling of the farm’s freshly brewed teas.
Tea Lovers Tour
This Maui Tea Farm is more involved and lasts twice as long, making it a good choice for those serious about fresh teas. This tour also features a garden walk and discussion but is much more focused on the sustainability aspect of the farm. The Tea Lovers Tour also includes a more robust tasting in the tour’s latter half. This guided tasting includes five of the teas grown and produced at Maui Tea Farm, each is paired with light snacks to really enhance one’s culinary and sensory experience. The Tea Lovers Tour does have a personal limit of five people because of how much more involved it is.
Don’t forget to stop at the farm’s shop on your way out to purchase your favorite tea varieties to brew and enjoy later!
If you fall in love with the location itself, parts of Maui Tea Farm are available for event rental. Both the lovely gazebo and covered picnic tables are reservable for private events and photo shoots.
Insider Tip:
You do not need a reservation to take one of Maui Tea Farm’s tours. So long as you visit during operating hours, the guides and operators here are more than happy to fit you and your group in. So if you’re in the area with time to spare, consider a stop to learn more about teas, tisanes, and sustainable agriculture on Maui.