Hawaii: Best Shaved Ice on Oahu

Up in the town of Waialua, we tracked down the "best shaved ice on Oahu." Essentially a giant snow cone, we were curious to try this local specialty.

A darling salesman/surfer explained the flavor choices and unexpectedly gave us an impromptu taste test between the mango flavoring that "the others" use and the homemade recipe used at the Old Sugar Mill (islandxhawaii.com). What a difference! That, he explained, is why all the locals come here. The mango syrup was light and fresh and delicous. I ordered a split of mango and coconut and slurped up the majority of this Hawaiian treat. We shopped the store, toured the chocolate/coffee production area out back and was lovingly shown a local route to the best view of the North Shore pipeline. Our visit to the Old Sugar Mill in Waialua was Hawaiian hospitality at its best. Mahalo!