Is a Kona Coffee Tour Actually Worth Doing on the Big Island? Yes! Here’s Why
If you’re wondering if taking a Kona coffee tour is worth it, I’m here to tell you: HECK YES!
After living on the Big Island I have become the biggest coffee snob because of living in coffee country!
There are over 900 Kona coffee farms on the island, but most of them do not give tours.
In this post you’ll find:
Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Farm
- Unique coffee roasts
- Interactive tour (rake coffee beans)
- Pool
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My Favorite Kona Coffee Tours
First, let’s start with my favorite Kona coffee farm tours.
You really can’t go wrong with whichever Kona coffee tour you choose to take. Most will have the same basic information and processing techniques; and I have yet to take a tour that I dislike.
What’s going to make one experience better than another will depend on your guide and your personal taste preferences during the coffee tastings.
That being said, here are the 3 best Kona coffee tours I recommend.
Heavenly Hawaiian
My favorite Kona coffee tour is Heavenly Hawaiian Kona Coffee Farm in Holualoa. I was fortunate to visit on a day when they had walk-up availability, but I’d recommend booking tickets in advance just to be safe.
Upon arrival, I was greeted by Umi the cat and enjoyed their self-serve coffee tastings by the pool, overlooking the coffee farm and Pacific Ocean while I waited for the tour to start.
Their coffee has unique flavors not commonly found elsewhere, such as:
- Fire Roast: a smoky flavor that comes from using a 1947 peanut roaster
- Kona Sweet: a hint of a fermented flavor as the beans are dried in their fruit
Our tour began with the guide treating us to candy-covered macadamia nuts and coffee bean samples before starting the hour-long tour.
We explored the farm, including the Geisha coffee trees that produce some of the world’s most expensive coffee at $308 per pound!
The tour also took us along the main coffee orchard and ended at the hoshidana, or drying platform, where we saw the machinery they use for processing and a chance to handrake beans drying on the ground.
Heavenly Hawaiian also offers some fun extras:
- 🎨 Paint and Sip Class: Enjoy painting on their covered porch while sipping coffee.
- 🤠 Paniolo Roasting Class: Roast your own beans and take it home.
- ☕ Brew Your Best Cup Workshop: Learn how to brew the perfect cup of coffee yourself.
Heavenly Hawaiian is hands down my favorite coffee farm tour on the Big Island, so if you do just one on your trip I highly suggest this one.
>> Book Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Farm Tour Directly Here! >>
Greenwell Coffee Farm
I was actually pleasantly surprised with the Greenwell Farms tour. It’s the most popular Kona coffee tour on the island, probably because it’s FREE and a convenient stop on the drive from Kona to Hilo.
The farm was established in 1850 and is still run by the Greenwell family today.
When I arrived, I had to sign up at the computer kiosk for the next available guided tour, which runs about every 30 minutes.
As I waited in the open air gift shop pavilion for the tour to begin, I sampled their coffees from the long row of self-serve carafes, including flavors like macadamia nut and chocolate.
💁♀️Tab’s Trip Tip: if you don’t want to take the tour you can still come and sample the coffee.
When the 45-60 minute tour began, our guide encouraged us to bring a cup of coffee to take with us before walking through the farm. We walked among the coffee trees, coffee processing machines and outbuildings, and our guide was more than happy to answer any and all questions.
Besides coffee, they are also growing peppercorns, bananas and other fruits, which we got to see.
It wasn’t raining during our tour, but if it had been, they would have had umbrellas for us to use.
Greenwell Coffee Farm is a great free thing to do on the island, offering a thoroughly comprehensive coffee tour with plenty of coffee samples.
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Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation
After hiking the Makuala O’oma Trail, I visited Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation, conveniently located just down the road.
The property is nestled in a cloud forest on the slopes of Hualalai Mountain, surrounded by thick tropical foliage.
You’ll have to park on the street shoulder as the plantation doesn’t have a designated parking lot.
A table offering free self-serve samples of their estate Kona coffee sits outside the cute gift shop.
I browsed their locally made coffee products and souvenirs inside, staying dry from the drizzly weather while I waited for the next tour to start.
I also took some time to sit outside under the cabana and watched an informative video about the coffee process and the plantation.
I didn’t have to wait long for the next free 15-minute guided tour, which runs every half hour.
During the tour, the guide presented coffee beans at various stages and led us through their dry mill warehouse, where much of the coffee processing takes place.
This is a good coffee tour to take if you’re running short on time or don’t want to take a long tour.
⚠️ Please Note: this tour does not walk you through a coffee orchard.
If you want to pay a nominal fee, you can enjoy a self-guided 20-minute walk through their private garden. With a guidebook leading the way, explore the cloud forest ecosystem, spot native Hawaiian plants, and learn about Hawaiian culture and the history of Mountain Thunder.
You’ll also see an unexplored lava tube, possibly encounter some wildlife, and end at an observation deck with beautiful views of their coffee plantation and the Pacific Ocean below.
This coffee farm is great for a short and sweet tour with free samples and is the closest Kona coffee farm if you are staying in Waikoloa.
Other Coffee Tours to Take
Of course there are tons of other Kona coffee farm tours on the Big Island, and like I said before, you really can’t go wrong with whichever you choose to do.
My rule of thumb is to pick ones that are most convenient for your itinerary.
Other coffee tours to consider:
- Kona Joe
- Buddha’s Cup
- UCC Hawaii
- Hōlualoa Kona Coffee Co
- Monarch Coffee Farm
- Ulu Coffee Farm
- Bay View Farm
- Hala Tree Farm
I also hope you’ll visit more than just one coffee farm. Most farms don’t require you to take a tour in order to sample their coffees. It’s fascinating to see how each farm has their own distinct flavors.
☕☕☕
Remember how I said I’ve become a coffee snob after living here? Well, I’ll be honest with you, it wasn’t Kona coffee that did me in. It was actually Ka’u coffee grown in the southernmost district of the Big Island. So if you think Kona coffee is the bomb, wait until you’ve tried Ka’u coffee!
Why You Should Take a Kona Coffee Tour
Now let’s get into WHY you should take a Kona coffee farm tour (FYI, we don’t call them coffee plantations here).
Hawaii is the only place in the entire United States where you can take an authentic coffee farm tour, which already makes it a must-do.
And if you are one of the 66% of Americans who drink coffee every day, then taking a tour is also a no-brainer.
Nothing makes you appreciate your morning brew more than seeing firsthand the time-consuming and laborious effort that goes into each cup.
Even if you don’t drink coffee, it’s still interesting to learn about the history of Kona coffee and see how it’s produced.
What to Expect on a Kona Coffee Tour
A Kona coffee tour usually begins with a local guide leading you on a scenic walk through a coffee orchard, sometimes with sweeping ocean views, where you’ll learn about the unique growing conditions on the volcanic slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualalai that gives Kona coffee its distinct flavor.
You’ll probably also learn about the personal stories behind these farms: how they started, how they’ve expanded, and any awards they’ve won.
As you move through the farm, your guide will demonstrate how the beans are carefully hand-picked at the peak of ripeness. Depending on when you visit, you might even see pickers at work.
You’ll then move to the production area where you’ll see how the cherries undergo several processing steps before being ready to roast, from pulping to fermentation to washing and drying.
Most tours don’t show the roasting process. I’m guessing it’s because the kitchens where they roast are either too small for tour groups or there’s safety regulations. Or both.
Depending on the tour, you’ll either begin or end with a tasting session, where you can enjoy freshly brewed Kona coffee in various roasts and blends.
Of course you’ll have the opportunity to buy bags of their estate coffee to bring back home. But I’m going to tell you right now, it’s going to taste different at home than it does when you’re on the farm. Something to do with the air here vs there.
What Makes Kona Coffee Special
Similar to how true champagne is made from grapes grown solely in the Champagne region of France, Kona coffee is produced exclusively in the Kona district of the Big Island Hawaii.
Kona coffee is known for its smooth, well-balanced taste, having subtle notes of fruit, nuts, and spice with low acidity.
Its flavor profile comes from the growing conditions on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa:
- Rich, mineral-filled soil
- High elevation
- Sunny mornings
- Cloudy afternoons
- Consistent rainfall
This combination creates an ideal environment for premium Arabica coffee trees to thrive, resulting in a drink that’s complex and nuanced in flavors.
Additionally, each bean is carefully hand-picked – no machines here! Workers must pick only the red ripe coffee cherries, picking around the unripe cherries.
This adds to its exclusivity and high quality, as well as its steeper price tag.
All this makes Kona coffee rare and highly sought-after, making up just 1% of the world’s coffee production.
What Else to do on Coffee Farm Days
Since coffee farm tours don’t take all day, you’ll want to find other things to do in the area to make the day efficient.
These tours are great for doing on a day focused on Kona, Captain Cook, or Holualoa.
It also makes for a good stop on the southern route while driving from Kona to Hilo.
Whenever you decide to add a coffee farm tour to your itinerary, I think it should definitely be a must-do activity even if you don’t drink it.
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