cocoa farm tour

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Guided Cacao Farm Tour

Quick Details

• Clock Duration: 1.5 hours
• User Ages: 3+ (children under 3 not allowed)
• Clock Retail Store: Open daily from 9am to 4:30pm *3pm tour time will not have access to retail store after the tour, 5pm tour time will not have access before or after. Please arrive early if you would like to make any purchases.
• Calendar Availability: Daily - Check Calendar For Available Days And Times
• User Accessibility : Not ADA Accessible

Come Explore Maui’s Ku’ia Estate Chocolate Cacao Farm!

Your journey begins at the Ku’ia Estates Chocolate Factory in Lahaina, the largest chocolate factory in the state of Hawaii.

Our tour guide then drives you to our private cacao estate, nestled in the foothills of the West Maui mountains. Featuring over 20 acres of cacao trees, our professional and friendly tour guides lead you from “farm to bar.” This interactive and educational tour introduces you to our cacao trees, the hands-on fruit harvesting techniques, and finishes with an exclusive 9-piece tasting of our award-winning chocolate.

• Suitable for families ages 3+ (children under 3 not allowed)
• Free covered parking located on the Kupuohi St. side of our chocolate factory
• Visit a working chocolate farm
• Interactive and experiential
• Not ADA accessible: Guests need to be able to negotiate a slow 20+ minute walk through our grove on uneven/mulched ground and climb a flight (approx. 24) broad stairs w/a railing. There is no room on our vehicles to store walkers.

Related Activities

• Clock 2 hours

Sunday Sunset Jazz

Join us for Sunset Jazz on Sundays from 5:00pm-7:00pm in the Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate Bar second floor, open-air pavilion at the chocolate factory. Featuring different local and visiting musicians each week, so it’s never the same show twice!

• Clock 1.5 hours

The Chocolate Factory Experience

We invite you to get the inside story of how chocolate is made from Founder and CEO, Dr. Gunars Valkirs. Walk through the chocolate factory as he explains the steps of production!

Reserve Your Chocolate Farm Tour Today!

Lydgate Farms

Kauai chocolate farm tours and tastings.

We Love Chocolate

Our family has been farming in the islands since the days of the Hawaiian kingdom. Recognized three times as producing the best cacao beans in the world by Cocoa of Excellence in Paris, France — we are pioneers of cacao farming on Kauai.

In Hawaiian, the phrase Malama ‘Aina means to care for the land so it can sustain life for future generations. As a fifth-generation family in Hawaii, we are honored to be stewards of both the land and local culture since 1865. We are proud to continue our family’s legacy through the experience of small-scale sustainable cacao farming, exquisitely crafted chocolate, and educational farm tours on our historically-rich property.

Learn More »

Our Chocolate

Kauai chocolate tours and tastings.

Our famous chocolate farm tour — the first of its kind on Kaua’i, widely copied, never surpassed, it is Kauai’s most enjoyable and educational activity. Your three-hour guided tour begins with a stroll through our botanical gardens, where you sample our award-winning palm-blossom honey, experience our vanilla beans, and do an extensive tropical fruit tasting. At Lydgate Farms, formerly Steelgrass Farm, learn all about Theobroma Cacao the chocolate tree and taste its ripe fruit, learn the secrets of turning raw cacao seeds into finished chocolate, and discover the amazing health benefits of chocolate.

Drive-up gift shop currently open for drop-ins Monday-Friday 9:30am-2:30pm.

Lydgate Farms cacao beans have been recognized three times to be among the best tasting in the world at the Cacao of Excellence awards in Europe!

(2017, 2021, 2023).

Visit Our Chocolate Shop

Every product we sell is special to us because we sell all of them directly to you — our farm ohana (family). All of our products are naturally grown with lots of Kauai sunshine and rainwater, hand-harvested, and processed in small batches with skill and aloha to ensure the highest quality. Experience our award-winning Lydgate Farms single estate chocolate, vanilla beans, and palm blossom honey, and check out our multi-bar tasting packs and product groupings, perfect gifts for the special people in your lives. Order the taste of Kauai, straight to your door. 

On the Farm

We welcome you to come up to our farm gift shop from 9:30am-2:30pm. Purchase Lydgate Farms chocolate, vanilla, honey, and other delicious products straight from the source, enjoy free samples, and chat with a friendly guide who will answer your questions. Call 808.821.1857 or email [email protected]  for directions.

#1 Rated Tour on Kauaʻi

This tour was so enjoyable! One of the best ever! Mason was our guide and not only was he incredibly witty and personable, but was so knowledgeable of the workings of the farm as well as all of the trees, fruits, and the making of cocoa into craft chocolate. The fruit and chocolate tastings were beyond generous and truly gave us an new appreciation of craft chocolate versus candy.

Henry was our tour guide and was energetic, informative, organized and professional. On the farm tour he taught about about the plants, trees, shrubs, and weeds- their importance and usefulness on the farm. Getting to taste farm grown fruits, their chocolate, and those from around the world built true appreciation for the process, quality, and challenges they face. The chocolate was divine and worth savoring.

Lydgate Farms tour was a fascinating experience! We learned so much from Henry our guide about regenerative farming. We tasted seven kinds of tropical fruits that were amazing and we had 10 kinds of chocolate!!! It’s worth every penny and we absolutely will be back again!

This has to be one of our favorite tours of all the islands and we have been to them all!! We had Jake as a tour guide. He was hell bent on making sure we knew how the Cacau beans were grown and processed versus the companies that do not grow Cacau on the islands. He was fantastic in his knowledge and desire to educate us on the history and production of the great Lydgate Farms products!! We will be back !! We had numerous samples of chocolate !!! Well worth the cost of the tour!!

This may seem like an odd tour to take on Kaua'i; however, you will not be disappointed. We learned not only a great deal about growing cacao in Kaua'i but also about the chocolate industry in general. We were also treated to many tastings from tropical fruits to cacao itself. We highly recommend this tour.

Our third wonderful time spent enjoying the farm, the fruit, and of course the chocolate at Lydgate. Our guide this time was Mel, a knowledgeable and thoroughly delightful young lady who instantly turned the entire group of “guests” into her good friends, sharing history, technical insights into chocolate and organic farming as well as fun and insight stories about herself, the farm, and their products. Informative, great fun, and a really great way to spend a few hours immersed in the joy of Kauai!

Sorry but this should be 10 STARS! Place was fabulous. We learned a lot about chocolate that we never knew before. One of the highlights was our guide Jackson. He was funny (Very funny actually) and informative. (Very informative actually.). I highly recommend this tour. It’s one of the best we’ve been on on the island of Kauai.

This tour exceeded my expectations. Our guide was very informative and made the experience a lot of fun. I learned a lot about how chocolate is produced commercially, as well as the different types, grades and tastes of chocolate. As a result, have become much more selective when it comes to purchasing chocolate. Their dark chocolate macadamia nuts and the rum chocolate bar are divine! Highly recommend this tour.

This was probably the best tour we did while on Kauai! We thought it would be fun but had no idea how much fun and how much we would learn! Mason was a fantastic guide and the fact he is also one of the farmers and lives on the farm made it even better! We got to try all sorts of tropical fruits and then when we got to the chocolate tasting portion, it was truly an experience. And educational. Highly recommend this tour!

Hands down a can’t miss experience. The tour is incredibly informative about not only chocolate but other plants and fruits that grow on the farm as well. You get to try chocolate in every step of their process from start to finish and enjoy many other in-season fruits from the land. All in all such a cool (and incredibly tasty) experience, highly recommend.

Gosh our guide, the farm and the chocolate made the experience.!!!! I didn't catch our guides name, but we went on Monday May 29th from 11am-2pm. He was so passionate and knowledgeable about the farm, chocolate, honey, vanilla, trees, Mr. Lydgate. He made the experience so special. It was a lot of Chocolate, very generous and well done. The stations were fun and educational. I live here on the South Shore and will tell everyone at my restaurant, Cabana Bar & Grill @thecabanakauai! Thank you! A Hui Ho!

I had seen the Lydgate Chocolate Tour on Facebook. The reviews were all positive and the tour sounded good, so I signed up myself and 2 teen daughters. We all had a great time! It was fun and informative and the samples of fruit and chocolate were excellent! Jacob was an excellent tour guide. He possesses a passion for what he does and it shows! I highly recommend. Definitely a unique tour! Lydgate chocolate is to die for! Sooooooo good!

What a wonderful experience. We learned so much about chocolate and the farm. It was great! Our guide was very informative and entertaining. We snacked on very different fruits and learned about how they’re grown. We ate chocolate and chocolate and then chocolate. It was fantastic! When we got home we ordered through they’re website. It shipped fast, still tastes great! Highly recommend.

What a delightful deep dive into mindful experiences of both the experience of tasting chocolate but also the the fully engaged regenerative farming process. Lydgate Farm tour opened my eyes to the experience of chocolate from plant to bean to liquor to the 'food of the Gods' and opened my heart to the island wide regenerative farming to growing food for the island and the world. Good people solid family business.

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78 Ulupono St, Ste 1 Lahaina | Maui | Hawaii

• Custom Gift Boxes
• Bestsellers
• Maui Grown Collection
• Chocolate Bars
• Baking & Pantry
• Bulk Chocolate Squares
• Merchandise
• Ku'ia Club Subscription
• Ku'ia Club Members
• The Chocolate Factory Experience
• Retail Store and Café
• Cacao Farm Tours
• The Chocolate Bar
• Sunset Jazz
• Pau Hana Fridays
• Nonprofit Fundraising
• Farm & Factory Videos
• Cacao Origins

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Cacao Farm Tours!

Join us on a tour of our lahaina cacao farm.

Come explore the Maui Ku'ia Estate cacao farm and learn how we cultivate our international award-winning cacao! From farm to bar, we’ll guide you through the chocolate process, complete with a Maui chocolate tasting in our custom hale. Ku’ia Estate’s 20-acre cacao farm in Lahaina is nestled in the foothills of the West Maui mountains. Our professional and friendly tour guides will lead you from “farm to bar.”

This educational tour introduces you to our cacao trees, the hands-on fruit harvesting techniques, and finishes with an exclusive 9-piece tasting of our Made in Maui chocolate. A top-rated Maui experience you won’t soon forget!

• 90 minute experience.
• Suitable for families ages 3+ (children under 3 not allowed)
• Not ADA accessible: Guests must be able to negotiate a slow 20+ minute walk through our grove on uneven/mulched ground and climb a flight (approx. 24) of stairs w/a railing. There is no room in our vehicles to store walkers.

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Sustainable

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Garden Island Chocolate

Chocolate farm in kauai, hawaii, chocolate tour & tasting · $99, monday through friday | 9:30am.

The chocolate tour and tasting is a three-hour guided educational adventure where you learn all about the cacao tree and see how chocolate is made from the cacao fruit (cacao pods). Learn about permaculture, sustainable farming, and exotic fruits on this delectable chocolate tour.

— India Arie, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter

— Jim & Penny Ressler, Alaskan Folks

— Denise Hucka

— David Pierce

— Martha Girdany

— Amber Misgen

Taste the Aloha!

Taste the aloha on a chocolate farm tour in kauai.

During your Kauai chocolate farm tour, we sit down to an extensive chocolate tasting (20 types of chocolates), all Hawaiian grown and made. We keep the percentages of cacao high (85%) to ensure the health benefits. If you like dark chocolate, you’re sure to love this tour.

We also make a hot chocolate in the traditional Latin American style with fresh ground chocolate liquor, fresh whole vanilla pods, fresh ground allspice, fresh coconut meat and coconut milk, and local honey (no cane sugar). Sample and savor the best chocolate on all the Hawaiian Islands on a tour with Garden Island Chocolate!

Click here to check our location

New Kona Coffees - Peaberry and Donkey Mill Estate

HILO:  277 Keawe St, Hilo, Hawaii 96720 7am-9pm

KONA: 74-5606 Pawai Place, Bay 8, Kailua Kona, Hawaii 96740 8:00am-9:30pm

KONA CHOCOLATE FARM: 78-6537 1 Road, Holualoa, HI Visit By Reservation Only

Kainaliu Hale Cocoa: 79-7378 Hawaii Ring Rd, Kealekekua, HI

• Online Chocolate Shop
• Farm Tours & Events
• Hawaii Coffee Beans & Chocolate Drinks

1.5 hour tour that includes outdoor exposition on how cacao orchards are planted plus tasting and discussion how chocolate is made and what affects chocolate flavors. Visit a Hawaiian Cacao (or Cocoa) Orchard just 15 minutes south of Kona. This is a pristine, mature tropical farm with nearly 600 cocoa trees, 2,000 coffee, 400 macadamia and numerous Hawaiian and tropical plants under a refreshingly cool natural canopy. We will stroll a section of the farm with cocoa (cacao), coffee, macadamia and view how cocoa is grown and where your favorite food, chocolate, comes from! Then we will visit the sheltered area to taste dark, milk, and white chocolates all crafted from fresh cocoa beans. Tour will be entirely outdoors with about 200 yards of walking on uneven, vegetation/farm land. FOR QUESTIONS, CONTACT [email protected]. MEET AT ORCHARD, not at shop.

This is at the orchard above, however it accesses more scenic areas of the orchard with a higher climb. There is a 300' elevation walk and over 400 yards of walking.

The Kurtistown orchard has 1800 cacao trees, a cocoa nursery and our "fermentory" where we take fresh cocoa beans, ferment and dry them in much the same way humans have fermented for hundreds of years. We will also explore Macadamia Nuts, Coffee, and Bananas. You might even see our goats! Puna has a lot of rain - we have umbrellas and shelters however we strongly recommend closed-toe shoes. Farm trail can be slippery when wet and we do not recommend this experience for folks who need level, dry ground.

What's the big deal about Kona Coffee? One of our baristas will show you why coffee and Kona are amazing. You will taste 5 "pulls" of various Hawaii-grown coffees in various roasts. Become an expert in only 45 minutes and take home your own espresso drink at the end. Limit of 6 people.

Interactive Cocoa Farm Tour

Quick Details

Hour Glass Duration:  Approximately 4 hours

Users Ages:  10+ recommended

Hour Glass Availability:  Tour runs every day at 10 a.m.

Learn how chocolate is made on a Ghana cocoa tour

Ghana Cocoa Tours offers exceptional sustainable tours that are professionally led by local expert guides, giving you an inside look at the chocolate farming process and a better understanding of Ghana chocolate production as a whole.

Did you know that over one billion people consume chocolate every day without really knowing where it comes from? Our Ghana chocolate tour aims to educate visitors to our beautiful cocoa-rich country about the origins of cocoa and how we produce it from small mountain farms.

Join us as we visit beautiful cocoa farms on a mission to discover the origin of cocoa. Take a glimpse into the life of the farmer and understand what it takes to grow and process chocolate.

To wrap up this magical and unique experience, indulge your sweet tooth by tasting the finest chocolates made in Ghana. You also get to taste ripe cocoa fruit to see what this fruit is like before it is fully processed to make the chocolate we are familiar with.

Your tour includes round-trip transportation, an interactive experience on a working cocoa farm, a tasting session where you’ll get to sample ripe cocoa fruit as well as the finest chocolates made in Ghana, and countless opportunities for unique photos and videos on our scenic farm in the mountains.

Indulge your sweet tooth and reserve a spot on our daily chocolate tour today.

What to Bring

• Comfortable clothing
• Walking shoes (we suggest sneakers)
• Insect repellant
• Waterproof jacket

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Hawaiian Chocolate: Big Island Cacao Farm Tours & Chocolate Shops

Updated: Jan 4, 2024 by Max · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

Have you ever wanted to visit a chocolate farm, and try a fresh chocolate fruit straight off the tree? Of course you have! For those of you not in-the-know, the chocolate tree is called Theobroma cacao , and it grows within 25 degrees of the equator, putting Hawaii right at the edge of its growing region.

Hawaii is the only US state which can grow cacao, and actually has one of the highest concentrations of tourist-accessible farms in the world , with a huge chunk of them right on the Big Island. Chocolate makers are in high concentration here, as well, with most of them making chocolate from cacao tree to chocolate bar all in the same place.

Hawaiian chocolate is hard to find off of the islands, since local demand is so high. Therefore, one of the most unique things you can do on your Hawaiian vacation is tour a cacao plantation.

But other than trying a fresh chocolate fruit, on each of these tours you'll also learn all the steps of chocolate making , the culture of Hawaiian cacao , and how making chocolate on Hawaii contributes to sustainable farming locally.

Unlike my other chocolate travel guides , this one has more of a farm focus than a shop focus, so only retail shops have their address written down (though the general area of each farm is marked on the map below).

Hawaiian Chocolate Culture

Big island travel tips, the locavore store, island naturals (3 locations), abundant life natural foods, foodland (3 locations), original hawaiian chocolate, red water cafe, kuaiwi farm, ocean grace farms, kona origins chocolate, hawaiian crown, mauna kea cacao farm, puna chocolate (2 locations), lavaloha chocolate, hilo shark's chocolate, kahi ola mau farm (honoka'a chocolate), puna gold estate, hamakua chocolate farm, barefoot chocolatini, chocolate (kokoleka) farm, hilo chocolate & cacao festival, big island chocolate map.

Although the city of Honolulu, and Oahu as a whole, get much more tourism than the Big Island, I'd argue that the Big Island is a better chocolate destination. This is where the state's highest concentration of cacao farmers and chocolate makers resides.

Even though most all of the farms are tiny by world standards, they still have plenty of trees for demonstration & explanation. Some of the farms even have enough trees to do full fermentations by themselves, meaning that they now have material of good enough quality to turn into chocolate.

Hawaii is therefore the best place in America to learn about chocolate . The Big Island in particular offers great insight into how chocolate is made , and a wonderful opportunity to chat with cacao farmers one-on-one.

Also note that Hawaii's islands were formed thousands of years ago by violent volcanic explosions. There are still active volcanoes that make up parts of some islands, including three here on the Big Island.

Last year, Mt. Kilauea erupted violently, destroying many homes and farmland, and displacing lots of people. Some of this farmland included cacao farms, but farms and regions on the south side of the island are currently safe to visit .

Farm tours are on the expensive side, at $40-65USD per person, though kids are free on many of the tours. It's really a perfect family activity, and luckily the visits take up a whole afternoon, averaging two hours & choc full of samples!

Place names. For everyone else who just can't seem to remember the difference between all of the Hawaiian cities that start with K, here's a map of the Big Island. The Big Island is indeed the biggest island in the Hawaiian island chain, but its full name is actually the Big Island of Hawai'i (hence the nickname). Fun fact: w 's in the Hawaiian language are pronounced as v 's; don't let that throw you off when hearing location names.

The Big Island IS big. The island itself takes about an hour to cross at one of two or three points, and two hours to get up either coast. This doesn't sound like a long time, but it sure adds up if you're planning to visit more than one chocolate stop! Most places start to close around 4 or 5pm, as well, so be sure to start your days early.

Cell signal. It is horrible outside of Hilo, seriously, and at several points along the highway you won't get any signal at all. This can be scary if it starts raining and your car hydroplanes, like mine did at several points, so be sure you download Google Maps on to your phone before setting out and drive slowly.

Big Island Chocolate Shops (Retailers)

When you just don't have the time to go on a Hawaiian chocolate tour, or you want a nice large selection of makers, you'll want to visit a retailer. The shops below have a decently large selection of local Hawaiian chocolates, and are located across the big island.

If you want to get to the local selection as fast as possible, ask about Sharkey's or Pa’auilo Chocolate; they have the biggest distribution locally. Chocolate retailers are marked on the map in purple.

The smallest of all the Big Island chocolate retailers, Locavore only sells Hawaiian products, no exceptions. This means that for those of you with a penchant for supporting local businesses, but not enough time to visit them each individually, this is your stop.

Its location in downtown Hilo doesn't hurt, either. When I went in, I spent nearly $100USD on local honeys, jams, and chocolates, happily filling up an entire reusable bag (which I then bought). Be sure to ask for samples of anything you're interested in, as you never know what they've got on hand!

Address: 60 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo, HI 96720, USA

Hours: 9am-6pm, weekdays; 9am-5pm, Sat.; 10am-4pm, Sun.

This Hawaiian chain is like Whole Foods, but much smaller. They maintain a huge fruit & prepared food area, as well as a dedicated chocolate and sweets area, where several local chocolate makers are represented. But unlike the chain grocer's Foodland, they carry more "raw" and "super food" chocolates from around the US & abroad, and overall a larger organic food selection.

Address: 1221 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, HI 96720, USA (Hilo location)

Hours: 7am-8pm, Mon.-Sat; 8am-7pm Sun. (Hilo hours)

This is your local natural foods store, all organic with a focus on vegan & vegetarian options, and prepared foods for takeaway. They have a small selection of local chocolates, such as Sharkey's and Pa’auilo Chocolates, and ones imported from the mainland and abroad.

But the biggest pull for Abundant Naturals (as it's known locally) is that it's located right in downtown Hilo, along with Locavore. This makes it the most accessible as both a chocolate stop and a lunch break.

Address: 292 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo, HI 96720, USA

Hours: Mon/Tue/Thu/Friday, 8:30am-7pm; Wed/Sat 7am-7pm; Sun 10am-5pm

While Foodland is first & foremost a large grocery store, they also have a much larger than average selection of both local Hawaiian and regional American chocolates. If you're pressed for time, but know that you're near a Foodland, it's worth stopping in for a short perusal of the chocolate selection.

Sometimes they even have a special section for Hawaiian chocolate bars, so be sure to ask about that. If they take you to the Hawaiian Host chocolates, be more specific and as about "high end" Hawaiian chocolates, and feel free to namedrop "Manoa" (one of the easiest-to-find Hawaiian chocolates).

Address: 16-586 Old Volcano Rd #102, Kea'au, HI 96749, USA

Hours & Prices: 6am-10pm, daily (Kea'au location)

Waikoloa & Kailua-Kona Chocolate

Most visitors to the Big Island stay around Kona and Captain Cook, where many military families are also based. Lucky for all of you, the west side of the Big Island also has some beautiful cacao farms to visit! It's not all beaches, though those are beautiful, too.

This is the oldest still-standing chocolate factory on the Big Island. Started in the 1980's, the shop is bean to bar using only Hawaiian cacao, and now sells three types of chocolate designed to show off the terror of Hawaii as a whole: forastero milk, forastero dark, and criollo dark.

The company uses the cacao trees on their property, as well as cacao from local producers, to make their bars and other products. As soon as you walk into their shop, an employee will offer you a little paper cup with curated samples of each type of chocolate, which I'll let you judge for yourself, but I didn't buy much.

Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory tours are only offered twice a week, and I wasn't on the island either of those days, so I only visited their shop. But other visitors have had only good things to say, though it's on the shorter end of the cacao tour spectrum.

Advance reservations are required for all tours, which are held at 9am on Wednesday and 9am & 11am on Fridays. The tours cost $20 per person, and take place right next to their shop.

Address: 78-6772 Makenawai Street, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740

Shop Hours: 10am-3pm, Tue.-Fri.

A rather unconventional stop for a chocolate lover, Red Water Cafe is primarily a restaurant (and quite a delicious one, I might add!). But the owner, David Abrahams, also makes his own chocolate from bean to bar, selling it in the cafe & using it in the menu.

The chocolate itself is fine, very chocolatey and earthy, but the kava bar is bitter & numbing (apparently, exactly as it should be). The chocolate is good and made in-house, but I'd recommend the flourless chocolate cake above all.

Address: 65-1299 Kawaihae Rd, Waimea, HI 96743

Cafe Hours: 3-11pm, Mon.-Sat.

Una & Leon have had cacao trees since 2001, and have been adding to their cacao tree agroforestry plot for much longer. Each farm tour lasts 2 hours and takes you all across their well-used plot of land. The cacao trees are out back, but planted all around them, above & below, are different levels of flora.

From tall trees to coffee bushes and ground covering plants like turmeric or tomatoes, each patch of land has a purpose. Their plants work together in harmony, but I'll let Una tell you more specifics— she's been caring for the farm for over four decades.

At the end of the tour you'll get a taste of some of the chocolate products the couple makes on-site: chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, dried banana slices, and chocolate bars. Tours are offered by request, with at least a day's notice; they cost $15 and include a $5 credit towards purchases.

Pro-tip: don't use the address on Google for their farm, because it won't take you to the right place; pull over and follow their map once you reach Green Mountain Rd. Address emailed after booking is confirmed.

I'm reluctant to add Ocean Grace to the list, but I've been told that the family behind the operation is quite lovely, and thorough in their tours. I tried to reach out, however, and received no response.

But if you'll be in the immediate area and want to tour a cacao farm nearby, it's worth contacting them in advance. The farm's owners and main caretakers are husband & wife Marty & Nancy. Address emailed after booking is confirmed.

This family's business is cacao. They've been making chocolate for over half a decade, selling their creations at the weekly Keauhou Farmer's Market in Kailua. Alongside their chocolate bars, they also sell fresh cacao pods, roasted coffee, macadamia nuts, and a variety of seasonal fresh fruits from their farm.

Their chocolate bars range from a 51% milk chocolate to a 75% dark chocolate, with dairy-free options available, and domestic shipping if you order on their site .

Address: Keauhou Farmer's Market, 78-6831 Alii Dr, Kailua, HI 96740

Market Hours: 8am-12pm, Saturdays

Hamakua & Hilo Chocolate

Most of the cacao from the Big Island is from the eastern coast, especially around Papaikou and the Hamakua Forest Reserve. So it's no surprise that most of the Hawaiian chocolate tours are along that side.

However, the east coast is also home to a few tree to bar chocolate brands whose farms aren't really open to the public. Notably, Aloha Feels & Pa’auilo Chocolate are both making and selling chocolate, but don't offer farm tours at the moment.

This is a small storefront with a large, open work space where they make the chocolate. The shop is easy to miss if you're not keeping an eye out for it, but it is right along the main drag in downtown Hilo. When you first enter, look to the left on the counter and sample some of the chocolates in their line-up, ranging from 80% dark to 50% milks and sugar-free options.

The shop boasts a large coffee and chocolate drink menu, as well as bags of various coffee roasts & little baggies of chocolate-covered goodies. They're working on a CBD line of cacao-based products.

The owner, Tom Menezes, has been working with cacao for decades, and really knows how to work a bean into some good chocolate. Hawaiian Crown also has a shop on O'ahu and a farm outside of Hilo, which you can tour for $15 a person on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays at 2pm.

Address: 160 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, HI 96720, USA (shop location)

Shop Hours: 8:30am-5pm, Tue.-Sat.; 10am-4pm, Mon.

A relative newcomer on the scene, Mauna Kea Cacao has been offering farm tours since spring 2019, now in both English and Japanese. The young Hawaiian cacao farm was started in 2011, and has been expanded every year since then through the loving effort of the owners, Susan and John.

On their weekly tours, they take both kids and adults through the laborious process of growing and then making your own chocolate. The half-mile tour will take you across their beautiful farm, where you'll be able to pick & crack open your very own cacao pod.

Then you'll be taken over to the drying beds, and to see any active cacao fermentation they have going on. At the end, you'll get to try their award-winning cacao, and sample some chocolates made by American craft chocolate makers.

The cost of the 90-minute tour is $40 per adult & $15 per child aged 6-17. Small private tours can be arranged with a week or more of notice.

Address: 10 minutes' drive north of Hilo; address for GPS & directions emailed after booking is confirmed.

Hours: public tours offered at 10am & 1pm on Thursday (in English) and at 10am on Wednesdays (in Japanese)

Puna Chocolate is expanding remarkably quickly, now having 3 locations across the US. On my visit to their shop in downtown Hilo, a very nice young guy was managing floor, which also features other Hawaiian-made handcrafts, like instruments and non-chocolate sweets.

As soon as you enter you'll be offered a couple of samples of whatever they chose to open that day, giving you a good sense of whether or not you'd like to invest in a bar or two. Puna's lineup has a 70% dark or 50% milk base, as indicated by the color of their wrapper, and a variety of interesting local inclusions.

Of the bars I sampled and bought, my favorites were the plain Dark Milk and the dark Honey Berry Wine. They also have limited supplies of a 90% dark bar, which is neither sweet nor bitter and has a very strong base cocoa flavor.

Address: 126 Keawe St, Hilo, HI 96720, USA (Hilo location)

Hours: varied . Open at 9am Mon.-Sat. & 10am Sun; closed 6:30pm Sun./Mon, 7pm Tue.-Thu., 8pm Fri./Sat.

Formerly Mahilani, this 1000 acre farm holds a number of cacao trees, enough that they've been producing Hawaiian chocolate for many years. The estates actually also produce cacao products such as cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and cocoa tea.

So they must have a large enough swath of cacao growing to warrant buying a cocoa butter press (which is a very expensive machine). But honestly, Lavaloha doesn't have much of a presence beyond their products, and I couldn't find much information on their estates (beyond that they exist).

They hold regular tours of their plantation, and even have a little cart to take you from one place to the next. However, if you don't have time to visit then you can purchase their products in several different shops across the island.

Tours are offered four times daily, and cost $30 per adult and $5 for youths (6-12), with kids 5 and under visiting for free.

Address: 1820 Amauulu Rd, Hilo, HI 96720, USA

Hours: 9am-5pm, daily

Sharkey's, or Hilo Shark's Chocolate, is one of the more established Hawaiian chocolate brands on the Big Island. You can find their chocolates in shops across the island, but there's just something special about trying a chocolate fresh out of the melangeur.

Their farm tour takes you all around their cacao, coffee, and vanilla farm, located in the same region where most of Hawaii's commercial cacao is grown. With land so beautiful, it's no wonder the trees don't want to leave!

Some of their cacao trees are decades old, with younger ones being sprouted each month. At the entrance to their farm you'll spot some of those cacao seedlings, many of which will end up on other people's farms— Tom Sharkey, the owner, is often called the Johnny Appleseed of cacao.

The family started off in coffee decades ago, but they later got into cacao, and expanded into vanilla later on. They now work with local growers to ferment and dry their cacao to turn it into chocolate, right there on the farm.

You can purchase Sharkey's Chocolate from a number of shops across Hilo, as well as at the Hilo Farmer's Market, and from their cafe just north of Hilo, or after your farm tour.

Address: 1672 Old Mamalahoa Hwy #28, Honomu, HI 96728, USA (cafe address)

Hours: 8am-4pm, daily

This is the first Hawaiian cacao farm I visited. The owner, Mike, gave me a 1-on-1 tour during one of their scheduled tour times, though I'd have had companions if others had signed up. Our tour started over at their small chocolate shop, where Mike makes & tempers all of his chocolate by hand.

We continued down and then up the property, learning about the history of the farm its cacao grove, white pineapple fruits, and many varieties of cane grass. One of Mike's other jobs is actually as operations manager for Kuleana Rum Factory.

During my visit he was in the process of planting one of each existing cane grass varietal on his land, as a sort of living museum for sugar cane, including native Hawaiian sugar varietals.

There's basically one of each tropical fruit you could imagine on a farm, from coffee to banana to miracle fruit, and Mike can tell you about each & every one. His "white pineapple frosty" is not to be missed! Address emailed after booking is confirmed.

Puna Gold Estate is a cacao farm and bean-to-bar chocolate maker nestled in the lush jungles of the Puna district on the Big Island. This small farm has been welcoming visitors on tours for over five years, in each tour sharing with them the beauty and bounty of their land.

In addition to the farm, Puna Gold Estate boasts of a farm-to-table restaurant named Pele’s Kitchen, located approximately 4 miles from the farm in Pahoa. On the same premises, there's a gift shop and a chocolate studio, where the farm's artisans craft over 22 varieties of chocolate bars.

Puna Gold Estate cultivates an impressive array of crops, including 600 cacao trees and 350 coffee trees. They also grow a variety of exotic tropical fruits, vanilla, and maintain 3 bee hives that support pollination and produce honey.

Address: 3534 Maile St, Pahoa, HI, 96778, Kingdom of Hawai'i

Hours: 1pm-3pm, Mon.-Sat.

A post shared by Dan Corson (@hamakuadan) on Mar 14, 2019 at 12:08am PDT

Hamakua means "breath of the God (or ancestors) in the local Hawaiian language, referencing the trade winds along the Hamakua coast. They bring abundant rainfall and a tropical feel year round, which has made this region legendary for its wealth of fruits and beautiful flowers.

Hamakua Chocolate Farm is located less than 10 minutes north of Hilo, making it one of the most accessible cacao farms on the Big Island. They don't have a set tour schedule, but rather accommodate guests as they make requests— winter time on the mainland is high season, so be sure to book ahead at that time.

Tours take 2 to 2.5 hours, and include a look around their farm, an overview of how chocolate is made, and insight into the Hawaiian chocolate scene . The owners, Dan & Berndt, also have two rooms available for rent if you'd like to be even closer to nature. Address emailed after booking is confirmed.

Kalapana & Pahoa Chocolate

Right now the southeastern part of the Big Island is still recovering from the volcanic eruptions in 2018, but it is currently safe to visit. The area has two spots to check out, as well, with their own unique draws.

The woman behind the Barefoot Chocolatini brand is Maddy Smith, a chocolate tour guide now making her own tree to bar chocolate. Although she's based in the city of Kalapana, Maddy also works with small farms north of Hilo & Hawaiian Sanctuary in Pahoa to offer a variety of experiences related to Hawaiian chocolate.

These include cacao farm tours in Pahoa, and the Hilo Chocolate Bar Crawl and Bean To Bar Chocolate Farm Tours, all of which have rave reviews with good reason.

Maddy is very knowledgeable about the local chocolate & cacao scene, as well as the process of chocolate making from tree to bar, and she offers good perspective for curious visitors. Meeting place is emailed after booking is confirmed.

Read more about Maddy in my interview with her .

FARM TOUR IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE. Kokoleka Farm owner Lynda is one of the newest chocolate guides on the Big Island, but she's not at all intimidated by the undertaking of running a farm. Most of her cacao is about a decade old now, with some younger trees planted in just the last few years, adding layers of upkeep onto the whole operation.

On her tours you'll start with a little history on the farm, but quickly move on to some tasting. Over the course of the tour you'll have the chance to try seasonal fruits fresh from the trees, including cacao, passion fruit, and breadfruit.

Kokoleka is also currently the only cacao farm offering tours in Pahoa, making it quite the unique experience for those of you who headed south in order to commune with nature. If you're seeking nature and haven't booked accommodation yet, either, Lynda also rents out a room on her property. Address emailed after booking is confirmed.

A post shared by Barefoot Chocolatini (@barefootchocolatini) on Mar 23, 2019 at 1:04pm PDT

This is the first annual festival dedicated only to the Big Island's Hawaiian cacao farmers & chocolate makers, now in its second year. The festival is a coming together of most all the chocolate makers on the island, and a good chunk of the cacao farmers. It's put on by the East Hawaii Cacao Association, itself only about half a decade old.

Visitors can expect to have access to lots of samples of Hawaiian chocolate, cacao farmers from around the world, and knowledgeable folks in the Hawaiian cacao industry. Cacao seedlings will be given away to the first 750 guests, and farm tours will be available at a few points throughout the day.

Festival Venue: Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, 71 Banyon Drive, Hilo, Hawaii

Date: Saturday, April 13th, 2019 (entrance is free)

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Reader Interactions

July 18, 2019 at 11:52 am

Aloha! I'm reaching out on behalf of Lavaloha Chocolate Farm. We are now open 7 days a week and offer tours for $30 per person. Youth 6-12 are $5. Children 5 and under are free!

Would you be able to update the info in our listing above?

Mahalo nui loa and have a beautiful day!

July 18, 2019 at 4:53 pm

No problem, Napua! Now updated.

March 31, 2019 at 5:33 am

Oh my gosh! This is calling my name so loud! I lived in Hawaii, on Oahu, as a child and it pretty much ruined me for the cold. We visited the Big Island just before Mt. Kilauea erupted and it was a bit smoky, but so interesting. I just read your post and then told my husband we have to go in April next year or the year after. I want to attend that festival. I see a whole chocolate vacation in my future!

March 31, 2019 at 2:34 pm

This was my first trip to Hawaii, so I'm not sure what exactly ruined me for the cold! Hilo Chocolate Festival is a great excuse to visit the Big Island, but unlike some other places, you can visit the cacao farms & chocolate shops across the island just as easily throughout the year-- anytime is chocolate season on Hawaii!

March 31, 2019 at 1:14 am

What an incredible experience! I Love chocolate and Hawaii is a dream so i should definitely visit!

March 31, 2019 at 1:21 am

You definitely should, Dominika! Hawaii is a beautiful place. 🙂

March 30, 2019 at 9:02 pm

Great post! We're headed to Hawaii this summer and want to check one of these places out!!

March 30, 2019 at 9:16 pm

You definitely should, Elizabeth! It's hard to pass up the opportunity to try chocolate fresh from the grinder, and fresh off the farm. ?

Zaneta Baran

March 30, 2019 at 8:54 pm

Wow, I didn't know about chocolate culture in the Hawaii! It has to be such a great experience. Hawaii is still on my list of places to visit 🙂

March 30, 2019 at 9:14 pm

It's on the up & up for sure! I do hope you get the chance to visit the islands and experience a cacao farm tour for yourself one day. 🙂

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Alluvia Cocoa Farm Chocolate Factory – A Tour to The Chocolate World

In Roald Dahl’s classic book, Charlie visits Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory and his life has changed ever since. That is to say, following the journey that a cocoa bean undergoes to become the loved confection that hits virtually every store’s shelf in the world is nothing short of a wondrous experience. If you are a chocolate aficionado, we recommend a day tour to Alluvia Cocoa Farm & Chocolate Factory – a hotspot with its own chocolatey personality. This article will help keep your trip to Alluvia seamless and clear any confusion off your mind with detailed guides on transportation to the factory, a standard itinerary, and suggestions for further fun-filled activities in the Mekong region, so read on!

What is there on offer?

As the concept of artisanal, bean-to-bar chocolate has been growing in popularity all over the world, Alluvia has come into the market with the one and only goal – capturing the unique taste of Vietnam in its delicious bars. With a two-hectare-wide area and plenty of cocoa-doused goodies, Alluvia’s cocoa farm is truly a heaven for the sweet-toothed. For the chocolate historians among us, there is no better place to be: here you can learn more about the cocoa beans that have grown out of the fertile Mekong Delta’s soil and uncover the secrets of the chocolate-making process. 

The alluvium is a material rich in organic matter, containing silt, sand, clay, and gravel. The mineral-rich soil of the Mekong region is filled with this natural substance and yields premium cocoa beans that have a distinct flavor of light butter and sweet fruits. Coming to Alluvia Farm, you can hand-pick these special cocoa beans if they are in season and plant a cocoa sapling under the abundant rows of coconut groves and fruit-bearing trees. This farm is nestled in the Mekong River under the shades of high-rising bamboo trees, which also makes for a good opportunity to explore the serene countryside of Vietnam and a get-away from the hectic city life.

The alchemy of chocolate crafting is a delicate and complicated process that not everyone can master. Put your skills to the test at Alluvia Factory after the harvest, where cocoa beans are transformed into ready-to-eat bars through various steps, including fermentation, roasting, and drying. The factory produces around 1,000 bars of chocolate every day so there are plenty of chances to nibble on their chocolate samples – there is something for everyone, whether you are into the traditional dark and milky bars or the new flavors of chili, cashew, ginger, and pepper. 

The technical (but necessary) guide on transportation to Cho Gao

If you are a bit lost on how to get to Cho Gao District from Saigon, worry no more. There are two main ways to travel to Alluvia depending on your needs. The first and easiest option is by motorbike or car, but the service bus is definitely a go-to in case you can use neither. Moreover, a bus ride helps to prevent the fatigue of driving long distances. Take a bus from the city’s center to Cho Gao Bus Station and then continue on to the carrier’s shuttle bus, which will take you straight to Alluvia Cocoa Farm and Chocolate Factory:

•         Tan Lap Thanh Bus:

– Ticket price: 60,000 VND/person

– From 3:30 AM, the trip departs after every 30 minutes until 7:30 PM

– Pick up point: Station 27-29 An Diem, Ward 10, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City

– Drop off point: Cho Gao Station

– Contact: Tien Giang: 0273 366 7777 | Saigon: 0286 673 9977

•         Hung Hieu Coach:

– Departs from 5:00 AM, the last trip is at 8:30 PM

– Pick up point: 173 An Duong Vuong, Ward 8, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City

– Contact: My Tho: 0273 395 6666 | Ho Chi Minh City: 0283 853 5599

These two companies offer a shuttle service to Alluvia. Make sure to notify the driver of the service. The price of the shuttle bus is 25,000 VND/person.

A full-day itinerary in our cocoa farm

Theo dấu hành trình Alluvia 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐯𝐢𝐚 – 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐚 đ𝐚̂́𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐨̛̀𝐢 𝐌𝐞̂ 𝐊𝐨̂𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐫𝐮̀ 𝐩𝐡𝐮́ 🌿Đồng bằng sông Cửu Long, miền đất được biết đến qua những trang sử, giai thoại hào hùng về những người đi mở cõi. Ngày nay, mỗi khi xướng tên mảnh đất này, người ta nghĩ đến hình ảnh người miền tây chân chất, hào sảng, những vựa trái cây lớn thơm ngon và những khu vườn ca cao trù phú với những hạt ca cao chất lượng hảo hạng đã tạo nên những thanh sô cô la Alluvia thơm ngon, bảo vật giao thoa giữa các nền văn hoá. Cùng chúng tôi theo dấu hành trình của những hạt ca cao mang “hương vị nguyên bản thuần khiết của đất trời” để trở thành Alluvia – niềm tự hào và linh hồn của vùng Chợ Gạo, Mê Kông. Người đăng: Alluvia Chocolate Vietnam vào Thứ Năm, 27 tháng 6, 2019

Alluvia Cocoa Farm & Chocolate Factory is located 100 kilometers to the north of Saigon in Cho Gao District, Tien Giang Province. Its vast fields and plantations write the story of Alluvia, a two-generation family who has been specializing in bean-to-bar chocolates for over 14 years. A typical itinerary for the day starts when the farm owners show visitors about the cultivation of cocoa trees, the harvesting of cocoa pods, and gain more understanding about our bean-to-bar process. A free tasting session of various chocolate products then follows to boost up everyone’s energy. With a small fee, you can enjoy fresh coconut juice in the garden while picking your own cocoa beans and planting some new seeds.

A tour to Alluvia Factory wraps up the day nicely as you can observe how high-quality chocolate is produced and even pour your own batch of sweets! At this point even more cocoa-based confectionaries are available to satisfy your cravings – because there’s no such thing as too much when it comes to chocolate!

Special activities such as fishing on a bridge made from the trunks of coconut trees, crafting chocolate in themed workshops, or drawing by chocolate are always a good bet if you come with kids.

 – DIY: Including entrance ticket, Vietnamese tour guide , and chocolate-making fee | 200,000 VND/pax (8.6 USD/pax).

You can find more details about the group option here: Weekend Getaway & Become Chocolate Artisan

Inbox on Messenger to reserve your spot.

Since you are already here, what else in the area…

Why not make use of the time and explore the Mekong Delta? Known as the “Nine Dragons” of Vietnam and the world’s twelfth longest river, this region boasts a vast maze of waterways, rice paddies, and tropical groves. The Delta is a great gateway to discover the Vietnamese countryside, so let’s start with:

– Paddling on a Sampan:

The locals scattered around the river banks live their lives by the water. Get yourself onto a narrowboat (sampan) and float through the Delta’s high-rising palm trees, diverse mangroves, and stilt houses. 

– Stopping at a floating market:

Cai Rang and Phong Dien (Can Tho Province), Nga Bay (Hau Giang Province), Nga Nam (Soc Trang Province) and Tran On (Vinh Long Province) are some of the most frequently visited floating markets in the Delta. Be an early bird as they only open from 3-4 AM in the morning until 6 AM since the majority of the merchants also need to work in the fields. Here local goods, such as dried fruits, spices, and candies, are top-tier for a quick snack or as souvenirs!

Check out theculturetrip for more information on floating markets, how to bargain, and what to buy once you get there, visit:  

– Buying more fruits:

Since we are a tropical country, fruits are always on offer. Stay healthy by dropping by Cai Be Fruit Orchard, where a dozen kinds of tropical fruits are grown and sold, including pomelo, water coconut, mango, star apple, jackfruit, and durian, to name but a few. If you go to a local garden, you can even pick these fruits straight from the trees and bring them home. 

You can book your own Sampan and explore the Delta’s canals, floating markets, and coconut villages on getyourguide .

Learning about the history of the cocoa beans and the art of hand-crafting chocolate products is a great way to enrich your experience and make life sweeter, so what are you waiting for?

Alluvia is a bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer in Vietnam. The brand handcrafts chocolate products from cocoa beans of the alluvial Mekong Delta’s soil, capturing the taste of Vietnam in each bar of greatness. To purchase Alluvia’s products or book a tour to the Alluvia Cocoa Farm and Chocolate Factory, please contact Alluvia on Messenger.

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Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort, Belize

The Best of Belize, On & Offshore

Che'il Mayan Chocolate Tour

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate... Who doesn't love chocolate??? This half day tour of chocolate making starts from the cacao tree and ends with a Mayan chocolate bar in your hands. In the community of Maya Center you will visit a cacao farm where the farmer gives you a complete history of his organic cacao farm. Read More ⋁

More Information

Entrance Fee

What to Bring:

Insect Repellent

Money for shopping

Friendly smile

Other Information:

This tour is not included in our packages – package but may be booked at the listed cost.

Includes tour of chocolate farm, harvesting, roasting and making of chocolate.

Intensity Key:

• Challenging
• Very Challenging

Everyday, Hamanasi offers a barrier reef excursion and an inland excursion based on a preset schedule. These scheduled tours are included in package rates. Tours beyond the daily scheduled tours are not included in package rates but can be booked at the listed cost. All tours are accompanied by a licensed Belizean tour guide and include any permits needed. A PADI professional accompanies all dive trips. More information about our tours is available on our rates and policies pages.

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• Red Bank Birding (Seasonal)
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Wonderful stay, beautiful surroundings. The staff was unfailingly friendly and accommodating. Adventures were great and well organized!

I’ve been to quite a few dive resorts. Hamanasi is hands down, the best so far. Thank you for a wonderful time.

Everything surpassed our expectations. We came here as new diver because we wanted an operation we could trust and we found that here.

Hamanasi helped introduce my family to the Garifuna & Maya people of Belize. Everything is so close – the mountains, caves, waterfalls, animals, ruins – this is such a peaceful country with rich culture and a people that cares about the environment. What a hidden gem! Thank you!

We appreciate that Hamanasi is able to provide exceptional experience for visitors while working to maintain the wonder of Belize.

Overall, great experience! Staff made you feel extremely welcome and tended to your every need. Tours gave you a taste of Belize and the resort gave you a taste of heaven!

Just keep doing what you’re doing… The Mayan tour history was incredible; the guide was extremely knowledgeable and profoundly connected to his heritage.

Wonderful warm staff, excellent guides, variety of inland tours, very comfortable rooms

Everything here is perfect for honeymooners and active travelers! Beautiful grounds, tons of interesting tours and good food & drinks to help you relax and enjoy yourself

“Golden was an excellent guide for birding, we saw a wide variety of birds”

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5 Best Chocolate Tours & Farms In Puerto Rico (2024)

• Chocolate Tours

Chocolate is a beloved Puerto Rican staple. 

In fact, Puerto Rico’s cocoa ranks among the top 50 in the world. 

As a local explorer and chocolate lover, I frequently visit the island’s cocoa farms and chocolate factories to taste and learn more about one of my favorite goods. 

Below are the five best chocolate tours & farms in Puerto Rico:

1. Hacienda Chocolat, Fajardo, P.R.

Hacienda Chocolat will have your taste buds dancing.

This tour includes a guided walk through the foothills of El Yunque with an expert farmer and chocolatier and a bountiful tasting at Hacienda Chocolat’s factory.

You’ll try all their products: raw and toasted cacao, chocolate bars, hot chocolate, and cacao marmalade.  

A true culinary escapade fit for the adventurer and chocolate enthusiast. 

To book your tour, visit the Hacienda Chocolat website .

2. Montadero Chocolate, Caguas, P.R.

Montadero Chocolate is a family-owned business born from a grandson’s wish to preserve his grandmother’s secret recipe. 

In addition to offering a tour through their factory and shop, you can test your skills and expand your knowledge with their chocolate-making workshop.   

Check out this video of Montadero Chocolate: 

This tour is perfect for those interested in an urban expedition.

To book your class, visit Montadero Chocolate website .

3. Hacienda Jeanmarie Chocolat, Aguada, P.R.

A wholesome hands-on experience.   

Described as “An eden for chocolate lovers,” Jeanmarie Chocolat offers two unique tours, one to learn the basics of grafting cocoa trees and a complete walkthrough and product-tasting excursion with the founders.

This place is a perfect alternative for those interested in channeling their inner farmer.

To book your class, visit the Hacienda Jeanmarie Chocolat website.

4. Hacienda Buena Vista, Ponce, P.R

Return to the 19th century with a trip to this historic plantation.

Founded in 1833, Hacienda Buena Vista remains an important site of production and preservation.

This tour includes a guided walk through the coffee and cacao farms, the historic homes of the founders and workers, and the factory. 

Check out this video of Hacienda Buena Vista:

This tour is perfect for those seeking a well-rounded experience focused on past agrarian systems. 

To book a tour, call: +1 (787) 722-5882  

5. Loiza Dark, Carolina, P.R.

Tradition and innovation mix in this small family business.

This tour takes you to the farm and factory of the first organic chocolate maker and cacao grower in Puerto Rico.

This experience is ideal for those wanting to stay in the metropolitan area. 

Below shows the location of Loiza Dark on Google Maps:

To book a tour, call: 1 + (787) 791-113   

Is this a fun activity for families?

Visiting a chocolate farm is a wholesome, tasty, creative, and inexpensive activity that families can enjoy together.

Which chocolate farm is closest to San Juan in Puerto Rico?

Montandero Chocolate in Caguas is the closest farm and factory to get to from San Juan at around a 30-minute drive (21 miles).

Final thoughts

Visiting a chocolate farm is a fantastic form of eco-tourism, perfect for families and individuals alike. 

If visiting from San Juan or searching for the best experience, your top options would be Hacienda Chocolat in Fajardo and Montandero Chocolate in Caguas.

Are you looking for more ideas on how to spend your time on the island? Cheesemaking tours are another unique option for foodies to explore. For other options, check out our article about the 45 best things to do in Puerto Rico . 

Cristina Rosa

Writer at PuertoRico.com. I was born and raised in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. I know all the ins and outs of the island. For 22 years, I’ve tasted, seen, experienced, and explored most of Puerto Rico’s gems. I still have many road trips planned for all of the things that I’ve yet to experience in Puerto Rico.

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Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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• by Melissa Hammam
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Hands up if you’re ready to be dazzled! From a ceremony structure designed to float on water to a jaw-dropping reception room with flowers blooming from every service, we’re swooning over every bit of this wedding. If you can believe it, that’s just the beginning. Julia Kaptelova artfully shot every detail, like the ballet performance guests were treated to and snow falling from the ceiling for the first dance! Prepare to be amazed and take a visit to the full gallery .

From About You Decor … Our design is a symbol of dawn and a distant endless horizon. Ahead is a long, happy life without any borders. An international couple, Pavel and Cherry, met in London and have been walking together for many years.

From the Bride, Cherry… My husband and I we decided to have our summer wedding in Moscow because the city is where his roots are. As we knew we were going to have the other wedding ceremony in China, we wanted our Moscow one to be very personal and intimate. We’ve known each other since we were fourteen, together with many of our friends whom we’ve also known for a decade.

I didn’t want to walk down the aisle twice so the plausibility of my request quickly came into discussion. The open pontoon stage was constructed in order to facilitate the bridal entrance on water, although there were concerns about safety as the last thing we wanted was probably a drowned bride before she could get on stage, picture that! I have to say on that day it wasn’t easy to get on the pontoon stage from the boat, in my long gown and high heels. Luckily my bridesmaids still noticed even though they stood the furthest from me on the stage, and helped me out without prior rehearsal. My girls could just tell whenever I needed a hand or maybe they were just so used to my clumsiness. Who knows 😂

We all love our photographer Julia! She’s so talented and her style is so unique. Our beloved host Alex is exceptional who made everyone laugh and cry. It was truly a blessing to have so many kind and beautiful souls on our big day. Thank you all!

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Photography: Julia Kaptelova Photography | Wedding Planner: Caramel | Cake: Any Cake | Invitations: Inviteria | Rings: Harry Winston | Band: Menhouzen | Grooms attire: Ermenegildo Zegna | Wedding Venue: Elizaveta Panichkina | Bridesmaids’ dresses: Marchesa | Bridesmaids’ dresses: Alice McCall | Bride’s gown : Jaton Couture | Bride’s shoes: Manolo Blahnik | Decor : About you decor | Earrings: Damiani | Muah: Khvanaco Studio | Video: Artem Korchagin

More Princess-Worthy Ballgowns

I’m still not convinced this Moscow wedding, captured to perfection by  Sonya Khegay , isn’t actually an inspiration session—it’s just  that breathtaking. From the beautiful Bride’s gorgeous lace wedding dress and flawless hair and makeup to the pretty pastel color palette and stunning ceremony and reception spaces, this wedding is almost too good to be true. Do yourself a favor and see it all in The Vault now!

From Sonya Khegay … It was the last day of April and still very cold in the morning. The weather forecast wasn’t pleasing and no one expected that the sun would come out, but miracles happen and light rain gave way to the warm rays.

I love how all the details went together, you could feel the harmony in everything throughout the entire wedding day from the morning until the fireworks.

A gentle look of the bride, elegant but so airy and unique decor, the fresh and light atmosphere of early spring and, of course, true happiness in the eyes. My heart becomes so warm from these memories, it is always a pleasure to see the birth of a new family of two loving hearts.

Photography: Sonya Khegay | Event Design: Latte Decor | Event Planning: Ajur Wedding | Floral Design: Blush Petals | Wedding Dress: La Sposa | Stationery: Special Invite | Bride's Shoes: Gianvito Rossi | Hair + Makeup: Natalie Yastrebova | Venue: Rodniki Hotel

• by Elizabeth Greene

You really can’t go wrong with simple: a beautiful Bride , perfectly pretty petals , loved ones all around. But add in an amazing firework show  to cap off the night and simple just became downright extraordinary. Captured by Lena Elisseva , with assistance by  Katya Butenko , this rustic Russian celebration is simply fantastic. See it all in the Vault right here !

From Lena Eliseeva Photo …  This cozy and warm summer wedding of gorgeous Natalia and Anton was in the middle of June. The young couple decided to organize their wedding themselves, and the day was very personal and touching. I am absolutely in love with rustic outdoor weddings, and this one is my favourite because of the free and easy atmosphere.

All the decor excluding the bride’s bouquet was made by a team of ten friends of the bride and groom. And it was charming – a light and beautiful arch, eco-style polygraphy and succulents, candy-bar with caramel apples and berries – sweet joys of summer.

At the end of ceremony the guests tossed up white handkerchiefs embroidered by Natalia’s own hands.

The most touching moment was the happy eyes of the groom’s grandmother, the most estimable person on the wedding. And the fireworks were a bright end to that beautiful day.

Photography: LENA ELISEEVA PHOTO | Floral Design: Katerina Kazakova | Hair And Makeup: Svetlana Fischeva | Photography - Assistance: Katya Butenko

These photos from Lena Kozhina are so stunningly beautiful – as in you can’t help but stop and stare – it’s hard to believe it’s real life. But these pics are proof of this gorgeous Bride and her handsome Groom’s celebration at Moscow’s Fox Lodge , surrounded by vibrant colors and breathtaking blooms . Oh, and the idea of prepping for your Big Day outside in the sun ? Brilliant. See more bright ideas right here !

From Lena Kozhina … When we met with the couple for the first time, we immediately paid attention to Dima’s behavior towards Julia. There was a feeling of tenderness and awe, and we immediately wanted to recreate this atmosphere of love, care and warmth on their Big Day.

Later, when we had chosen a green meadow and an uncovered pavilion overlooking a lake as the project site, it only highlighted a light summer mood with colorful florals and a great number of natural woods. The name of the site is Fox Lodge and peach-orange color, as one of the Bride’s favorites, set the tone for the whole design – from the invitations, in which we used images of fox cubs to elements of serving guest tables and other decorative elements with the corresponding bright accents.

Photography: Lena Kozhina | Event Planning: Ajur Wedding | Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara | Shoes: Marc Jacobs | Catering: Fox Lodge | Makeup Artist: Elena Otrembskaya | Wedding Venue: Fox Lodge | Cake and Desserts: Yumbaker | Decor: Latte Decor

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