Mana's Aloha Fruit Stand — Local services in Hawaii

Make a beeline for Manas Aloha Fruit Stand. We tried the fresh coconut, and it was so good, I half expected it to start singing "Aloha" to me. It was like drinking the very essence of Hawaii cool, sweet, and refreshingly perfect. Seriously, I’m pretty sure coconuts were invented just for this moment.

The banana nut bread. It’s like if a cloud and a muffin had a baby. Warm, soft, and so perfectly balanced between banana and nutty goodness that I almost bought another loaf just to avoid the heartbreak of it being gone. Don’t ask how many pieces I ate just know I left with crumbs in my soul.

This stand is the kind of place that makes you feel like you’re in on a local secret, and by the time you leave, you’re planning your next visit. Stop in, grab a coconut, and try not to devour the entire loaf of banana nut bread before you get to your car. It’s worth the stop and maybe even the calories.

But wait…..there’s more! They’ve got pineapple, sugar cane, and star fruit that’ll make you wonder why you ever settled for regular fruit. Each bite tastes like a burst of sunshine, and you’ll feel like you’re living your best...

We stopped here for a coconut because my son loves them. Prices were high ($10 for each fruit; not huge quantities), and the coconut we got was fermented and tasted terrible. My son didn't want to drink any more past the first sip. We told one of the guys and he replaced it... with an even more fermented one. Meanwhile I'm googling and texting my local family and it's all saying that's no good. I overhear the other guy mentioning to another customer that when coconuts are old they get zesty and that causes stomach problems. We dumped ours out and left. On the way out, they asked how we liked it, and I said honestly, not at all. Then the second guy said "oh next time you should ask for a very young coconut! The others have probiotics!" Well, if they had young ones, why would the first guy give us a second one that is even more fermented, after we said the first coconut was too fermented for us? We drink a lot of fresh coconuts and I've never had them so...

The guy’s fruit stand display sign (near the entrance of Akaka Falls State Park) of prices show $30 for their Hurricane special and $10 for coconut. I order on of each and he says $45.xx. I questioned the $5.xx charge. He said it was sales tax. After getting the text receipt, I told him the tax is $1.94 and asked why he charged me $44 when the hurricane and coconut totaled $40. THEN he tells me the $4 dollars is for him using Square payment. So I retorted that he should’ve told me BEFOREHAND. What an ethical and wise businessman, huh? As you do unto others, so shall the same be done unto you. So, y’all, I wouldn’t buy coconuts, pineapples, sugar cane or anything else from this wiseguy. You’ll only getting cheated out of your money on his b.s. fast talker...