11 Best Places to Go Shopping on Hawaii Big Island

Queens’ MarketPlace within the Waikoloa Beach Resort consists of more than 35 shops. The resort-style mall also houses a cineplex and a supermarket well stocked with fresh produce, food, and drinks so you can gather the necessities for your stay.

Shopping options range from Hawaiian boutiques to international stores offering a great variety of items. You can also check out the galleries showcasing works by local artists or get something Hawaiian from the gift shops for your living room or the folks back home. When you’re hungry, grab some freshly made poke, sushi, baked goods, and other Hawaiian and Asian-inspired or mainland cuisine from the restaurants, food courts, or the supermarket deli. On some days, you can even catch hula dancers or live bands performing in the evenings.

Keauhou Shopping Center is where you can get your groceries, picnic supplies and beach gear, especially if you’re staying in the Keauhou area. There’s a huge supermarket with a deli serving freshly made musubi, sushi, and Hawaiian food, as well as several eateries to satisfy your cravings.

The variety of shops ranges from drugstores to clothing stores, and there are speciality shops where you can purchase souvenirs and local products to take home. There’s also a cinema, a care clinic, and a heritage centre in the mall. Don’t miss the free Hawaiian cultural performances every Friday at 6pm. On Saturday mornings, a farmers' market is set up here, with vendors selling fresh fruits, veggies and fish. From time to time, you can also catch local cultural events held in the mall.

Kona Shopping Village, on the waterfront on Ali’i Drive, is a quaint shopping village full of Hawaiian charm. Formerly a hotel where wealthy visitors who travelled by steamships stayed, the boardwalk shopping village has been home to shops, art galleries, and boutiques where you can buy unique memorabilia and Aloha wares since 1980. There's also a supermarket and drugstore for anything you need.

Offering stunning sunset and ocean views, along with Asian, Hawaiian and American food, the Kona Inn Restaurant is a great spot for dinner. After your evening meals, take a stroll along the shoreline where you can sometimes spot dolphins and other marine life.

Kona International Market combines an outdoor market with an indoor shopping experience. Essentially a flea market, booths are set up here, with vendors selling exquisite hand-carved wooden statues, artworks, and crafts that would make wonderful decorative pieces for your home.

There’s also a food court with cuisines from various countries. Sample authentic Hawaiian plates like laulau (pork wrapped in taro leaves), kalua pig, poke, and poi (mashed taro) or enjoy some Mexican or Filipino food. Like shopping at most markets, haggle the prices down when buying anything from the booths and you might walk away with a bargain. To get there, take the free shuttle that runs from the Kailua Pier from 9.30pm to 3.30pm on days when cruise ships drop visitors off.

King’s Shops is a high-end mall that features brand-name stores and local boutiques, across the road from Marriott Hotel in the heart of Kohala Coast. Luxury shoppers can take a look at Tiffany & Co. and Michael Kors, while those looking for something uniquely local can head to the art galleries that sell quality gifts and crafts, or local jewellery stores with handcrafted bracelets.

Dining options include a few restaurants serving Pacific Rim cuisine and Hawaiian plates, as well as a fine-dining restaurant serving food prepared with locally sourced produce. From Monday to Saturday, different cultural events like music performances, a farmers' market, and a free petroglyph guided tour are held here so you can discover Hawaii through song, dance and storytelling.

Prince Kuhio Plaza is the biggest mall on Big Island and offers plenty of shopping, dining, and fun options for the whole family. With 74 retailers, you can find clothing, footwear, jewellery, gifts and much more. The various casual restaurants, snack booths and cafes offer international, American, and Hawaiian fusion food.

When you’re tired from all the shopping, catch a flick at the cinema, take a break on the massage chairs scattered throughout the mall, or take your kids to the arcade where they can play a variety of games on the machines. With so many offerings, Prince Kuhio Plaza is a good place to kill time on rainy days or cool off on hot days without getting bored.

Hawaii is famed for its artisanal products, and the best place on the Big Island to sample the local merchandise is at the bustling Hilo Farmers Market. If possible, come during the busier days of Wednesday or Saturday when a small army of local farmers comes to flog off their wares. Aim to arrive in the morning for the liveliest atmosphere and remember to bargain hard.

The produce on sale includes anything from cheese to coffee and kettle corn to macadamia nuts, all of which are fresh and delicious. Aside from foodstuffs, traditional Hawaiian handicrafts such as bongo drums, jewellery, and artwork make for superb souvenirs.

Maku'u Farmer's Market on the east side of the Big Island carries a huge selection of fresh Hawaiian fruits, nuts, honey, and homeware. Whether you need clothing, soap, art, jewellery, plants or food, this market has it all. With hot food stalls serving Lebanese food, Thai food, Mexican food, French food, Vietnamese food and authentic Hawaiian food, you can discover culinary delights from all over the world under 1 roof while live bands perform during lunchtime.

Experience the aloha spirit here with a mixed crowd of shoppers including locals, tourists and hippies, all on the hunt for what their hearts desire.

Ali'i Gardens Marketplace is an island-style market that’s worth checking out on Big Island if you’re looking for something truly unique to get your friends and family. About a mile south of Kailua Pier, Ali’i Gardens Marketplace is where visitors come to shop for handcrafted trinkets made by local artisans.

Here, you can find natural soaps, coffee beans, artwork, T-shirts and jewellery. One of the most popular stalls here is the coconut stall where you can get a personalised decorated coconut and have it mailed to your loved ones. If you’re hungry, grab some grub from the BBQ stall that garners great reviews from visitors or cool down with a shaved ice drizzled with homemade syrup.

Kona Farmers Market is a welcome sight in the heart of Kailua Kona if you happen to be strolling along Ali’i Drive and looking for local Hawaiian souvenirs. The street-side market has a variety of vendors under tents selling everything from locally grown fresh fruits and veggies, flowers, nuts, dried fruits, herbs, honey and locally made products that you never even knew existed. You could also find the popular Kona coffee sold here.

At times, there are food trucks and food stands for when you’re feeling peckish from all the stall browsing. The market is open 5 days a week and the assortment of goods on display changes daily depending on what the vendors have on any particular day.

The Shops at Mauna Lani is where you can come to buy your beach and grocery essentials, and it’s especially convenient if you’re staying at Mauna Lani Resort. Stores here are mainly focused on beachwear and beach gear, and most people come to The Shops at Mauna Lani for anything they could need for a day at the beach.

The supermarket, Foodland Farms, stocks a fantastic array of locally sourced food and fresh produce, including a full-service bakery and deli. Dining options include restaurants that serve Hawaiian food, a steakhouse, a sushi restaurant and a vegetarian restaurant serving sandwiches, wraps, salads and more. There are also a few galleries showcasing some great local art that you can take home.