Our day exploring the waterfalls and even lava tube caves around Hilo, Hawaii was so much fun, even in the pouring rain!
We visited Rainbow Falls, Pe’epe’e Falls, and the Boiling Pots in the Wailuku River State Park, checked out Wai’ale Falls, explored the Kaumana Caves State Park, and hiked the ‘Akaka Falls Loop Trail at ‘Akaka Falls State Park.
I had assumed that we’d be able to get a quick lunch in somewhere Hilo, but I swear everything was closed and what was open looked sketchy, and we won’t even entertain eating in laces that look sketchy because of my temperamental digestive system. I don’t know if it was the grey, cloudy skies and rain or what, but the entire city looked desolate and sad.
We never ended up getting lunch and instead just grabbed some snacks at a gas station. Needless to say, by the end of the day we were soaking wet and starving.
After leaving ‘Akaka Falls, we stopped in a roadside fruit stand called Manas Aloha Farm and much to our delight, found fresh coconut, pineapple, jack fruit, and sugar cane.
We couldn’t leave Hawai’i without trying fresh coconut and and I couldn’t resist getting fresh hawai’ian pineapple right from a local grower, so we tried both!
We bought two coconuts to share ($8/each), watching as cut them up with a HUGE knife, stuck a straw inside, and handed them to us to first drink the coconut milk, which we all loved. When the coconut milk was gone, we handed the coconuts back so they could scoop the coconut meat out for us to eat. That I didn’t quite like as much because it was really slimy!
Next we tried some fresh sugar cane, which was really chewy and weird, and bought a fresh pineapple to eat on the way home. They cut up the whole pineapple — some of the best I have ever had — added it to a bag with the coconut meat, and gave it to us to take. On our drive back to the hotel, we passed the bag around the car devouring the coconut flavored pineapple chunks! It was so yummy and such a fun experience!
Know Before You Go
- Manas Aloha Farm is located near ‘Akaka Falls on State Highway 22, Wailea, Hawai’i 96781.
- They offer a selection of fresh, local produce and handmade jewelry items.
- There are two Facebook pages for this fruit stand, one for Manas Aloha Fruit Stand and one for Manas Aloha Farm.
- Stop in and drink from a freshly cut coconut, then watch as they cut up the coconut for you to eat. Enjoy fresh pineapple and sugar came too!
- The fruit stand is cash only
