Immediately after landing in Maui, we grabbed our luggage and headed to Hali’imaile. Where? Why? Hali’imaile is the only place in the United States where you can take a tour of a working pineapple plantation, besides breakfast this morning had eluded me. Noshing on pineapple sounded good, but at this point so did the crumbled bag of honey roasted peanuts at the bottom of my carry on.
We arrived at our meeting spot, Hali’imaile General Store, forty-five minutes early.
Haliimaile General Store, which is nestled amongst the pineapple fields, features regional Hawaiian cuisine and though my mind was telling me to hold off to eat pineapple, my belly was saying “feed-me-now”. That damn stomach can be pretty persuasive.
We were the first ones in the restaurant and when I told the server we were going on the pineapple tour, she said they don’t recommend trying to rush a meal there beforehand because the eatery is an experience in itself. I’m a bad listener, so I ordered the Chinese chicken salad ($14) with baby corn, mango, curried coconut, cashews. I enjoyed my meal immensely and quickly.
Just next door our chariot awaited. There’s nothing like discreet transportation.
About a dozen of us boarded the Maui Gold Tour bus and started our adventure at Hali’imaile Pineapple Plantation.
The trek began along Pineapple Row Road. That is not the real name of the road, I made it up. I am very creative.
The planters were out in the field today, giving life to a whopping 31,000 plants per acre. Just watching them made my back hurt.
The fruit was also being picked, using a seamless system. It takes 18 months to grow a pineapple and only one day to pick 75 tons.
The pineapple got its name because it looks like a pine cone and tastes like an apple.
Time to sample and see for myself.
Our guide proceeded to pluck, cut and feed us the bounty at different levels of ripeness. This WILL NOT taste like any pineapple you have ever purchased at the local grocery store. It was sweet, juicy and tasted like a pina colada…and I didn’t want to sampling to stop.
My hands were sticky and sweet juice was dripping from my chin, but I still held out my palm for another piece.
We did manage to stop gorging for 30 seconds to take this touristy photo. But, for the record, pineapple thoughts invaded my mind for every second.
Included in our $65, we each got to take a pineapple home to enjoy later. The instructions were to twist the crown off, don’t cut it and put it upside down in the refrigerator so the juices distribute. Then plant the crown to sprout a new growth.
Maybe I can grow my own Maui pineapple?
If there is such a thing as eating too much pineapple, I have encountered it. Pineapple gluttony.
Have you ever been to a pineapple plantation?
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I haven't been – yet! We have been talking about taking our first trip to Hawaii next year and this sounds like a fun activity to add to the itinerary!
I had put off going to Hawaii for so long and I am sorry I did. It was so relaxing.
As for taste and freshness, that had to be as good as it gets. I always notice a big difference when consuming fruit in the tropics. I love fruit. It makes me want to live in a tropical zone. But freshly picked on the farm, I've never experienced anything so ultra fresh. I've never seen such a perfect looking pineapple as in the pic above w/ the machete. When you get back home and bite into your first piece of pineapple, my guess is that you're gonna notice a decent sized difference.
The difference in taste of such a fresh pineapple amazed me, now I am tainted for any other pineapple 🙂
When I was in Hawaii a few years ago, we went to the Dole Plantation, and while it was a little more touristy than the one you went to, it was a lot of fun! I'm sure chocolate covered pineapple on a stick is good anywhere, but man oh man it was delicious in Hawaii!
How come I didn’t get chocolate covered pineapple in Hawaii? I was ripped off 😉
I LOVE these shots, really great ones! Pineapple is soooo good!!!
Thank you, it was an easy subject 🙂
This is great information. For some reason, I thought pineapple fields in Hawaii were almost extinct at this point. I thought companies had pulled out, so this is good to know. Something I definitely want to do when we go.
Until then, my husband and daughter got pineapples from a local gourmet food store and cut off the tops. They put them in water for a while and have now potted them in our Ohio backyard. They're growing!!!
How fun! I totally want to grow a pineapple 🙂
I suddenly have a strong craving for a pina colada and dole whip
Ha Ha!
You are in my neck of the woods…well, sorta. I live in O'ahu and haven't been to the Maui Gold plantation in years. I think I was like 5 year old. A great tour and it's always fun playing farmer for a day.
In Hawai'i, locals only buy Maui Gold pineapples. They are the sweetest and biggest pineapples on the market. It's our not so secret. LOL
Glad to see that you guys had fun. Aloha
I could see why the locals would only buy Maui Gold pineapples, they are delicious! I truly enjoyed your neck of the woods and am already planning another visit 🙂
I went to this one as a kid! I can't remember much about it, but all the fruit definitely tastes better in Hawaii.
So far, there is nothing like a sweet and juicy pineapple in Hawaii!
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I can’t believe I didn’t put that together. I am all about words and what makes up their parts and their meanings. I have always loved pineapples. I think my grandparents visited a farm like that when they were in Hawaii. One more thing to add to my list of things to do if I ever make it there. I think I may have to stay a month or a year even. 🙂
It was the best pineapple I have ever had in my life!
I worked at Maui pineapple company through youth developmental enterprises from 1986 -1989 my gang set a record in 1989 for the most pineapple picked by a single gang in a day my experience there was one of the best in my life
That’s awesome! How many pineapples did you pick that day?