We do not want to give anyone a bad review, but we must also state that as a family, we felt we overpaid for this event at over CHF 260 for 4 people.
We are happy to list our points that led to our rating.
Positive highlights: it is a small group and you receive a lot of information about the cultivation and the fruits themselves. Questions are addressed, and the owner couple takes their time. The fruit tasting was super delicious and very nicely presented.
Neutral: The photos with the sunset are nice, but they could easily be taken in other places as well.
What bothered us: Within our family, we disagree on whether a piece of land kept in the middle of a single-family home neighborhood can be called a farm. A farm gives the impression of a certain size, and that was definitely not the case here.
All in all, it is a private property on which fruit cultivation is carried out according to special methods and standards. It should also be said that the fruit this year is apparently barely enough to cover the tours. Thus, it is up to everyone to think about the size of the farm.
Bottom line, we had all probably hoped for a bit more, and the term "farm" raised false hopes for us.
Operator response
Aloha, and thank you for your comments.
We appreciate that you mentioned enjoying the presentation, learning about our regenerative farming methods, appreciating our small and personal tour format, and finding the fruit delicious. Creating an intimate experience where every guest has time to ask questions, learn, and taste exceptional fruit is exactly what Maui Mango Mala is about. Given your many positive remarks, we were surprised that your overall experience resulted in a three-star rating.
You also mentioned that sunset photos could be taken elsewhere. That's certainly true—Hawaiʻi is filled with beautiful places. Some of the island's most spectacular sunset locations are luxury resorts, beachfront restaurants, and wedding venues, many of which come at a premium. At Maui Mango Mala, however, the sunset is simply included as part of our evening tour. We don't charge extra for it; it's just one more way we hope our guests enjoy their visit. During our sunset tours, guests often linger and enjoy watching the sunset together. We never mind taking that extra time because it also provides a beautiful backdrop for memorable photos. As we recall, we took several lovely photos of you and your family, and you seemed very pleased to have those as a special keepsake from the evening.
You also stated that the reason for the lower rating was the size of the farm and that it is located in a neighborhood next to other homes. Launiupoko is actually an agricultural community, although that may not have been apparent during the short half-mile drive from the highway to our farm.
Regarding the size of our farm, Maui Mango Mala is intentionally a regenerative two-acre farm with more than 100 mango trees. Our goal has never been to be the largest farm, but rather to demonstrate what thoughtful regenerative agriculture can achieve on a small piece of land. Our mango trees are still relatively young, and as they mature they will produce more than enough fruit for both our guests and the West Maui community. Like many mango growers this year, we were also affected by a fruit fly infestation, which reduced the amount of fruit available during your visit. Despite those challenges, you still received a tasting flight featuring four different mango varieties, along with other fruit grown on our farm.
What makes our farm unique is its diversity. In addition to more than 100 mango trees representing many different varieties, we also grow lilikoi, starfruit, figs, ice cream beans, Surinam cherries, Brazilian cherries, Panama cherries, tamarind, curry leaf, cacao, guava, papaya, bananas, several varieties of citrus, and many other tropical crops. We can only serve fruits that are in season at the time of each visit. Many of these fruits were simply not available during your visit, and it was already the end of mango season. Even so, we were still able to offer several different mango varieties for tasting, which you mentioned you enjoyed.
Our farm follows a high-density regenerative planting system that allows an extraordinary diversity of crops to thrive on just two acres. This approach maximizes the use of limited agricultural land while creating a healthy, resilient ecosystem that serves as a model for sustainable small-scale farming on Maui. As you may have noticed, land is extremely precious in Hawaiʻi, so we do our best to use it responsibly and efficiently. We have never claimed to be a large commercial farm with hundreds of acres under cultivation, and perhaps that was simply what you were expecting. That style of farming is a relatively modern concept, focused primarily on export and profit. Our farm, by contrast, is centered on sustainability, education, and providing fresh food for our guests and the West Maui community—an approach that we believe is more closely aligned with traditional Polynesian agricultural values.
Thank you again for visiting us. We wish you all the best.
Aloha and mahalo,
Andre
