HONOKAA GUIDED TOUR FIELD GUIDE
From Pod to Palate: A VIP Walk Through Honokaa’s Cacao Orchard and Tasting Lanai
A guided visit to Honokaa Chocolate pairs a cacao-orchard tour with a tasting of five award-winning chocolates; this guide explains the flow, logistics, and what to expect.
From Pod to Palate: A VIP Walk Through Honokaa’s Cacao Orchard and Tasting Lanai.
Adventure brief
From Pod to Palate: A VIP Walk Through Honokaa’s Cacao Orchard and Tasting Lanai
At Honokaa Chocolate — Hawaii’s only commercial cacao farm — guests join a guided exploration that moves from the orchard to the tasting lanai, learning the chocolate-making process and sampling five award-winning chocolates while uncovering the product’s history and health benefits.
Honokaa, Hawaii, sits on the windward side of the Big Island, offering visitors a chance to experience pristine landscapes and unique local ventures. Among these, Kahi Ola Mau Farm’s Honokaa Chocolate stands out as a must-visit for anyone curious about the journey from cacao pod to decadent chocolate. As Hawaii’s sole commercial cacao farm, this operation provides a rare glimpse into the island’s chocolate-making process, set against lush, rolling fields that burst with vibrant greenery. The VIP Chocolate Tasting and Farm Tour offers a rare chance to walk through verdant cacao orchards, planting the seeds of Hawaii’s burgeoning cacao industry.
Guided by knowledgeable staff, visitors learn about the farm’s history and the meticulous steps involved in turning cacao into award-winning chocolates. During the tour, you can taste five different chocolates, each with distinct flavor profiles that showcase the versatility and richness of Hawaii-grown cacao. The farm’s picturesque setting makes it easy to imagine how this crop originally found its way to the islands—an added layer of cultural richness with each bite.
What makes this experience truly special is its intimate connection to sustainability and local craftsmanship. Small-batch and family-run, Kahi Ola Mau Farm is committed to eco-friendly practices, ensuring their cacao is grown with care for the land. This tour offers more than just chocolates; it’s an immersion into the island’s agricultural heritage and a chance to savor some of Hawaii’s most unique flavors.
Perfect for foodies and adventure-seekers alike, this trip provides a tasty detour from Hawaii’s usual surf and sand, making it a standout stop for visitors wanting a sweet local experience. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just love good chocolate, Kahi Ola Mau Farm offers a memorable sensory journey into Hawaii’s cacao culture.
Route Schematic
Itinerary Route Schematic
The tour proceeds through the cacao-growing operation, moves to a tasting area for pod and chocolate sampling, and finishes at the downtown production store.
Arrival at the farm
Gather at the farm to begin the guided experience and prepare for the orchard walk.
Cacao orchard tour
A 1.5-hour portion of the guided tour covers growing the trees, harvesting, fermentation, and drying of cacao beans in the orchard.
Lanai tasting
On the covered lanai you’ll open a ripe cacao pod, taste fresh cacao fruit and enjoy an extensive chocolate tasting of five award-winning products while learning tasting technique and the chocolate-making process.
Downtown store and production area
The tour ends at the downtown store where visitors see the production area and machines and may purchase chocolate products.
The experience includes walking through the orchard and a seated tasting; reservations are required for tastings and availability is listed on the operator’s online calendar.
What the day feels like
What the two-hour visit feels like
This guided two-hour visit moves from the orchard into an intimate tasting: expect a structured farm tour explaining cultivation, harvest, fermentation and drying, followed by a seated tasting in a covered lanai where you’ll open a cacao pod, try fresh cacao fruit, and taste five award-winning chocolates while learning tasting technique, processing steps from roasting to tempering, and the broader context of cacao and chocolate in Hawaii.
THE ORCHARD
A guided walk through cacao trees
The tour visits the farm’s cacao orchard where guides explain how cacao is grown and harvested and demonstrate fermentation and drying of cacao beans — the agricultural backbone of the chocolate you’ll taste.
THE TASTING
Fresh pod, craft chocolate, connoisseur technique
On the covered lanai you’ll open a ripe pod, taste fresh cacao fruit, and sample five of the farm’s award-winning chocolates while staff teach how to taste chocolate like a connoisseur and outline its history and health benefits.
THE PRODUCTION
See machines and shop downtown
The experience concludes at the downtown store, where visitors see the production area and equipment and have the opportunity to purchase the farm’s chocolate products.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this visit suits — and who should reconsider.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Tastings are offered Monday through Saturday with a typical two-hour tasting window; check the operator’s online calendar for current availability. The farm also notes specific weekday offerings and scheduling variations.
Bring your reservation confirmation and plan for a two-hour visit starting at the farm meeting point; check the operator’s calendar for any additional guidance.
The tasting experience includes an orchard walk, a seated tasting on a covered lanai, and a visit to the downtown production store; verify start time and location when you book.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the VIP Chocolate Tasting and Farm Tour?
The experience is a two-hour tasting and tour.
Where do I meet for the tour?
The meeting location is at 45-3584 Old Mamalahoa Hwy, Honokaa, HI 96727 US.
What does the tour include?
The guided program includes a tour of the cacao orchard covering growing, harvesting, fermentation and drying, followed by a tasting where you open a ripe pod, taste fresh cacao fruit, and sample five award-winning chocolates; the tour finishes at the downtown production store.
When are tastings available?
Tastings are offered Monday through Saturday with specific windows and online-calendar availability; the farm also notes weekday options and reservation-based 45-minute tastings in some circumstances.
Is this experience family-friendly?
Yes — the operator offers family-friendly options and the tasting bar has reservation-based guided tastings suitable for families.
How many chocolates will we taste?
You will taste five of the farm’s current award-winning chocolate offerings.
How this guide was prepared
This field guide is synthesized using verified supplier specifications, route descriptions, and destination data. Some booking links may generate affiliate revenue for ADV Guides.
- Verified: 2026-09-08T19:51:57.919Z
Some booking links may generate revenue for ADV Guides or The Adventure Collective.
Availability, pricing, schedules and operating details can change.
Trip details and contextual sources were reviewed by ADV Guides Editorial.