Honolii Orchards: Unhurried Cacao Farm Experience

Discover the rich flavors of Hawaiian craft chocolate with a farm tour and tasting experience. Savor 10 single origin bars and more.

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • 1533 Puia Rd - The tour begins with a convenient van pickup in Paukaa before heading to Honolii Orchards, a legacy family farm on Mauna Kea’s slopes. Learn about local history as we drive through old macadamia nut groves and cattle pastures.

Upon arrival at the farm, sit above the canopy and enjoy the Honolii Orchards Tasting Room’s stunning ocean and valley views. Explore the Hamakua Coast’s agricultural history and chat casually before touring the orchards with our master agronomist Colin Hart, where we’ll discover the secrets of cacao farming and the mysteries of cacao fermentation.

Afterward, delve into chocolate’s history, from ancient Mesoamerica to the modern craft movement, before savoring diverse craft chocolates from across Hawaii and experiencing the single-origin nuances as genetics and environment meld flavors.

Taste fresh cacao juice, roasted beans, cacao tea, and seasonal fruits. Conclude with insights into chocolate’s craft transformation, akin to Napa’s wine scene.

This tour offers a comprehensive education, tastings, and a serene pace, leaving you enriched and knowledgeable. You’ll return home with lasting memories and an enhanced appreciation for cacao and chocolate.

What's Included
  • Bottled water
  • Chocolate
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Tea and coffee
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Honolii Orchards offers an intimate experience where guests have ample time to take photos, explore the farm, relax in the tasting room, and make purchases without feeling rushed. Unlike many tour operations in Hawaii that hurry their guests through, we provide a uniquely unhurried experience—a breath of fresh air in a beautiful and serene setting.

We also serve as a genetic bank, housing cacao varieties that are not commonly found. This allows guests to explore both the flavors that captivated ancient Mesoamericans and the new flavors from modern genetic varieties that drive the contemporary craft chocolate movement.

Driven by rigorous science, we are not just a commercial farm and tour operation but also a public research enterprise. Currently, we are participating in four active research projects and are specially equipped to support ongoing research as our orchards mature. All research published using data from our farm will be publicly available, benefiting farmers worldwide.

Location
445 Kulana St
Kulana Street
Please park on the shoulder of the road across the street from the Kingdom Hall of Jehovas Witness Church. You will be parking alongside a large community park. Our tour van will pick you up from there and take you the rest of the way to the farm!
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(40 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Rod_s
Sep 26, 2024
~~~ Do not miss this! ~~~ - ~~~ Do not miss this! ~~~ We booked it on a whim, to fill a day, and wasn't even sure if it would be a real cultural and/or Hawaiian experience. But it was both, and very interesting, and a fun way to spend a relaxed day in a beautiful setting. Great people running the tour... welcoming, relaxed, knowledgeable... a lot of these experiences depend on the people doing the hosting, and in this case, Collin and Wren and others there so genuine and easy to learn from and spend a few hours with. Speaking of which... the time goes fast. You will not be bored. Nor will you leave without enough chocolate. I'm so glad I took a chance and booked it!
Review provided by Viator
Julianaaj373wx
Sep 24, 2024
Favorite tour of our trip - The farm tour and chocolate tasting was best tour we took on the Big Island. Colin and Wrenn were both educational and entertaining. The small group allowed everyone to ask questions and felt very relaxed. Honolii Orchards is a beautiful place to visit and taste chocolate!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sabrina_m
Sep 21, 2024
Best experience ever! - This was worth every penny and more!! Colin and Wren are two incredible, knowledgeable, passionate people who put so much love into what they do. This tour will be treasured in my heart forever! They spent so much time with us, and the entire experience was such a pleasure. I highly recommend this tour!!!! We sampled so many incredible and delicious flavors of chocolate. I was in heaven every moment we spent with them. I love their vision and how sustainable and earth friendly they are in their farming practices. A lot of science has gone into their planning and the quality of chocolate is top notch!! If you love chocolate, and even if you just like it a little bit, you have got to experience this tour on the big island! It’s something you will be so glad you tried. 😃 Thank you Colin and Wren!! ❤️
Review provided by Viator
Christel_g
Sep 21, 2024
Cacao your exceeded expectations-not to be missed!! - Wren and Collin gave us the most amazing tour of Collins cacao farm, far exceeded our expectations!!Collin shared his research and cultivation knowledge as well as his passion for farming this crop while Wren brought the history of chocolate to life and wowed us with his theatrical enthusiasm . The tasting experience was also delightful and so delicious and informative. It was amazing to hear their story and see what these two men have created.
Review provided by Viator
K9747qrbillb
Sep 20, 2024
Fantastic Experience! - Very highly recommend this tour! It is one of the best kept secrets on the island. Colin leads the tour through the farm where you will learn all the nerdy details about cacao varieties, farming and processing. Wrenn leads the tasting experience where you sample chocolate from several of the Hawaiian cacao farms while providing information about the historical and cultural significance of cacao. Honoli’i Orchards is not to be missed!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maps51887102589
Sep 2, 2024
Awesome experience - Beautiful zen setting. Toured the cacao farm, tasted different varieties in the raw pods, witnessed the fermentation while learning about the process, got a thorough education from growing the bean to the finished product. The owner and guide are both passionate about the farm, product, and direction that craft chocolate and the industry is going, which gives you a greater appreciation for chocolate. We sipped on chocolate tea and experienced the aroma, taste, and body, of a great variety of chocolates. Highly recommend this tour if you want something non-commercialized, a more personal touch, and just want to enjoy yourselves for a few hours with chocolate. They take their time with you and invite you to stay and enjoy the peaceful vistas surrounding the cacao trees, while sampling as much chocolate as you can handle.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mellissa_b
Aug 22, 2024
Great tour - Very memorable experience. Lots of knowledge about the chocolate farming process. Tasted different fruits around the farm and sampled delicious chocolate.
Review provided by Viator
827bradb
Aug 22, 2024
Experience from Pod to Bar - The overall experience was quite fantastic. We were picked up from our vehicles and driven to the farm property. We were able to sample cacao and see how different it is prior to fermentation and processing. Then sampling both the chocolate and the beverages gave an overall impression similar to that of a wine tasting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stephenhh7485wq
Aug 16, 2024
Best chocolate tour ever - What an amazing tour with knowledge owners & farmers. I learned so much & tasted the best chocolate ever. So fun to compare & contrast different chocolates. Highly recommend this tour for anyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chocoeater
Aug 9, 2024
Totally Tubular - What an awesome time spent with Colin and Wren! Fantastic team, beautiful farm, and amazing views. What a tubular experience! Mahalo for the hospitality
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 14 guests
1
Adult
September 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today