Imagine yourself sitting on an outdoor lānai overlooking the ocean. The air is warm, the sky is lit with the brilliant colors of a setting sun, and the steady sounds of the waves wash away all your worries. You bring your cocktail to your lips and sip the rich flavors of the island. Isn’t that just the epitome of a Maui vacation?

We think so! Sure, our best attractions are of the natural variety – the beach, the ocean, the mountains, the playful dolphins – but we also make a mean cocktail, so don’t fly home without giving some of our best a try! Cocktails in Maui are special because they often incorporate our favorite homegrown fruits and herbs. These ingredients are the freshest of the fresh, often coming from organic farms right on the island or backyard restaurant herb gardens. While the alcohol sooths your nerves, each cocktail will also give you a sweet injection of the Aloha spirit.

Here are just a few of our favorite Maui specialty cocktails and the cool lounges and aloha bars where you can find them:

  1. Makawao Ave – Start with Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey, then add lemon, honey, angostura bitters, and house made cayenne-ginger beer. This flavorful concoction will have your tongue dancing. Find it at the Monkeypod Kitchen in Wailea.
  2. Butchertown – Start with a helping of Maker’s Mark, then turn up the tang with pineapple, fernet branca, and lime. We love our pineapples in Maui, so it makes sense that they would end up in our drinks. Find it at the Cow Pig Bun in Kihei.
  3. La Paloma – Start with Espolon Blanco Tequila. Add fresh line, pressed cane juice, and fresh grapefruit and then finish it off with Hjarritos Grapefruit Soda. Find it at Frida’s Mexican Beach House in Lahaina.
  4. Holiday In Jalisco – Tart meets spice! Start with Blanco tequila, then add jalapeno syrup, fresh lime, fresh pineapple, and add some bubbles with soda. You can let this mix dance down your throat at Lehua Lounge in Wailea.
  5. Canton Ginger Martini – You haven’t tasted ginger like this before. Start with organic Maui Ocean Vodka, then add Canton Ginger Liqueur and Candied Ginger Garnish. Find it at the Mala Ocean Tavern in Lahaina.

These drinks are so tasty, you might even want to start making them when you get home! As always, drink safely and don’t hesitate to call a taxi or a car service to get you back to your accommodations if you find these cocktails too delicious to resist.

Speaking of your accommodations, if you want to splurge on glorious cocktails guilt-free (at least as far as your bank account goes), choose Ali’i Resorts to book affordable vacation rentals in Maui.