About this event
This tour accommodates up to 14 people visiting a Hawaiian Cacao (or Cocoa) Orchard just 15 minutes south of Kona.
This is a multi-crop farm containing cacao, coffee, macadamia nuts and other tropical production trees which we will explore while spending most of the time with cacao under a refreshingly cool natural tree canopy that grows delicious cocoa bean organically.
We will stroll the tropical cocoa orchard and view how cocoa is grown and where your favorite food, chocolate, comes from!
You will handle fresh cocoa pods, open and taste fresh fruit and pulp you can't taste at home. We will discuss how beans are converted to chocolate and then retreat to the sheltered area to taste up to 5 samples - dark, milk, and white as well as from different regions of Hawaii and the world. Chocolate will never be the same - it will be tastier!
The orchard terrain is uneven and has inclines for portions which may be challenging for some. We encounter mixed rocks and gravel.
We just moved the tour to this orchard in May 2021 - it is an awesome homestead property with masterful renewable farming techniques. However, there is no bathroom/toilet available for use at this time - please make accomodation for before or after at another site, we are very sorry and hope to improve this soon.
Children - this tour is a deep dive into Kona farming and can be technical. We have lots of hands-on activities but find that with the tour length and the chocolate profiles being dark chocolate, this is similar to bringing children to a vineyard and wine tasting. Those who are 12 and older best enjoy this experience and we discourage bringing children under 10. We hope to offer a kid-friendly tour in the future as staffing permits.
COVID19 - the tour is conducted entirely outdoors with no more than 14 guests allowed. If you are not comfortable with touring with other guests, you may purchase all the tickets so that just your party members are in attendance. All Puna Chocolate employees are COVID19 vaccinated. Our guide will wear mask if requested but generally most guests social distance on the tour and do not wear masks while outdoors.
Please inform us ahead of time if any accessbility requirements are needed.
Reservations are required at least 12 hours ahead of time - our cocoa expert prepares only for the amount reserved.
Minimum Attendance: Most people reserve the day before but if we have less than 4 signed up, we may have to cancel or reschedule the tour in order to better focus our limited resources.
REFUNDS - allowed up to 7 days prior.
*Although rare, tour will proceed in wet weather, we have umbrellas.