Are you a total choco-holic and want to taste some Hawaiian chocolate on your next trip in the islands? Keep scrolling to find out the coolest Hawaii chocolate farms worth visiting.
This list of the best Hawaii chocolate farms to visit was written by Hawaii travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
Sheer paradise. That’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Hawaii. The colorful reefs, shimmering white sand beaches, and soaring volcanoes make the Hawaiian Islands one of the most beautiful places on planet Earth.
But did you know that Hawaii is also the best territory in the world to grow cacao?
Hawaii is the only US state where cacao can grow. And luckily for anyone visiting the Aloha State, there are tons of tourist-friendly farms you can visit with the kids.
Most farms are located right on the Big Island, but you can find farms scattered on at least 4 of the Hawaiian Islands. So if you’re looking for some outdoorsy fun with the kids, visit these culturally rich cacao farms in Hawaii.
Their tasty chocolate bars make a great souvenir idea, plus, you’ll be supporting local agriculture, too.
See the top-rated Hawaii chocolate tour HERE!
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Hawaiian Chocolate Farms Worth Seeing
Want to taste chocolate made in Hawaii? You’re in luck! These are some of the best Hawaii chocolate farms worth a stop!
1. Mauna Kea Cacao – Big Island
Love chocolate? Then take a break from exploring Hawaii and head to the Mauna Kea Cacao Farm to see how their award-winning chocolate is produced. As you can imagine, the process of turning Hawaii cacao beans into a chocolate bar is full of flavor and history.
Cacao beans are bitter, so they need to be fermented in order to improve their flavor. Then they need to be dried before being finely ground with sugar to make a paste. This mixture goes through an intricate heating process known as tempering which ensures the bar has a perfect texture. It’s not too hard or chewy, but also not so soft it melts in your mouth instantly!
After these steps are complete we’re left with yummy homemade Hawaiian chocolates made from 100% sustainable ingredients!
Mauna Kea Cacao offers Big Island chocolate tours around their property where you’ll get to learn more about the process of how cacao is harvested and grown, explore the 1,800 cacao trees, and you can even crack open a cacao pod and sample what fresh Hawaiian cacao tastes like.
Tours last 90 minutes and cost $40 per adult. For children under 17, it’s $20, and it’s free for kids under 5. You can visit this Big Island Chocolate Factory every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Manoa chocolate is some of the best chocolate products, so enjoy free samples at this Hawaii Big Island Chocolate Farm Tour.
2. 21 Degrees Estate Cacao Farm – Oahu
Get a taste of paradise in this small family-owned cacao farm that’s located in Oahu. Their two-hour Cacao Farm & Chocolate Tasting Tour is the perfect opportunity to learn every step of the cacao making process.
Stroll across 10 acres of land and smell, taste, and learn everything there is to know about growing cacao trees. You’ll also learn how to harvest and grind cacao beans, and how they make their bars of artisanal chocolate at this Kaneohe Chocolate Factory.
The Oahu chocolate farm tour guides walk you through this Oahu chocolate farm’s history and delve into the original “canoe crops.” These were introduced to the land by the first voyagers who first arrived on the islands.
And don’t worry about keeping the little ones engaged! The guides make sure to keep things fun and actively engage with the kids by asking them questions. Best of all? You’ll get to sample different chocolate flavors and textures of all the premium chocolates they grow on their farm during the chocolate tasting.
You’ll also find baby goats and playhouses which will be a total slam dunk with the kids. And if you have time to squeeze it into your schedule, the Oahu Cacao Farm offers a Yoga with Goats and Chocolate Tasting Tour.
It truly is the best Oahu chocolate factory tour to enjoy some fresh cacao and local chocolate.
3. Lydgate Farms Kauai’s Premier Chocolate Farm – Kauai
This small-scale cocoa farm is committed to creating the perfect chocolate bar in a way that sustains life for future generations to come.
Their Kauai chocolate tour is one of the most popular ones in Kauai. And is truly an enjoyable experience for kids of all ages. The farm offers a three-hour tour that costs $135 for adults and $95 for children ages 7 and older.
Their walking guided cocoa farm tour will take you through the fields where they plant cacao seeds, starting at their lavish botanical gardens where you’ll get to taste their internationally acclaimed palm-blossom Kauai honey and lots of local tropical fruits.
The farm operates all year long, whether it rains or not. But make sure to check out their website before heading out. Check out my full Kauai chocolate farm tour guide for more Lydgate Farms Kaua’i reviews.
It is the best chocolate tour Kauai has to offer.
4. Lavaloha / Mahilani Estates Cacao Farm Tour – Big Island
Embark on the fascinating journey of how chocolate is made in the Lavaloha farm, located just 10 minutes away from Hilo. Nestled atop the stunning Mauna Kea volcano, the Big Island Hawaii chocolate farm offers a Tree-to-Chocolate Tour that lets you pick a fresh pod from the trees. How incredible is that?
From the process it takes to make a chocolate bar, to bringing awareness to the challenges the cacao industry is facing worldwide, there are so many things to see, do, and learn on this 60-minute Big Island Chocolate Farm Tour. Read our full Lavaloha Chocolate Farm tour review HERE.
For example, did you know that in Hawaii, cacao beans have a higher concentration of fat than the beans that grow in warmer regions? That’s one of the reasons why Hawaiian-grown chocolate is so scrumptious. When it comes to cacao, the higher the fat content, the more delicious the chocolate!
Want another reason why cacao farms in Hawaii make the best chocolate in the world? Hawaii cacao farmers spend around 5-10 days fermenting the beans here, which is a really long time in the world of cacao production. The longer chocolate gets fermented, the less bitter it becomes.
Take an epic stroll through their cacao orchards with knowledgeable guides who will teach you everything there is to know about chocolate and the theobroma cacao trees. Finish off with free chocolate samples when you complete the Big Island chocolate farm tour. The cost is $42 per person and only $12 for children.
5. Honoka’a Chocolate Co. – Big Island
Honoka’a Chocolate Co. makes amazing hand-crafted chocolate from their beautiful farm on the Hamakua Coast at Kahi Ola Mau farm. As you can imagine, there are stunning views from nearly every part of the property of this working cacao farm.
While they’re a small, family-run company that works hard to provide sustainable and healthy products; they also strive to create an amazing customer experience where you can witness every step of the cacao-making process.
The farm organizes Big Island chocolate tours and tastings that cost $80 per person. Children under the age of 10 pay $65 per person.
Their Chocolate Farm Big Island tour takes you deep inside their farm where you’ll be amazed at the incredible produce they grow, from nearly 1,000 cacao growing trees, more than 40 varieties of exotic fruit, 1,600 pineapple plants, avocado trees, banana trees, coffee, and turmeric. They also grow vanilla orchids and different varieties of Hawaiian sugar cane.
You’ll also get to immerse yourself in a culinary tasting experience that’s a dream come true for chocolate lovers. Aside from their own chocolate, you’ll also get to sample select flavors from different countries, (including Hawaii, of course), letting you experience how different soils can alter the flavor of chocolate.
The chocolates at Honoka’a Chocolate Co. are made from only the cleanest ingredients. They contain no gluten, emulsifiers, stabilizers, soy, or GMOs.
It is another one of the best chocolate farm tour Big Island has to offer!
6. Puna Chocolate Co – Big Island
Puna Chocolate Farm will offer farm tours in both Kona and Hilo so you can choose the one that’s more convenient to you. Their 1.5-hour Kona or Hilo Chocolate Farm tour lets you taste the chocolates that are made on the farm, plus walk you through an immersive experience of how chocolate is made.
On their Kona chocolate tour, you’ll get to walk through ravishing cacao orchards where you’ll learn all about the making chocolate process from planting cacao trees to turning them into chocolate treats.
There are 600 cacao trees, more than 2,000 coffee plants, 400 macadamia nut trees, and other tropical vegetation in their Kona chocolate farm. Tours cost $30 per adult.
If you’re visiting Hilo, you’ll get to immerse yourself in their cacao orchards and see their “fermentory” and cacao nursery, as well as banana and coffee trees. The Kurtistown orchard in Hilo is home to 1800 cacao trees, a family of goats, and lots of macadamia nuts, bananas, and coffee trees. The cost of the Hilo Chocolate Factory Tour is $23 per adult.
You will find some award-winning chocolate on this coffee and chocolate tour Big Island has to offer.
7. Hana Gold Chocolate Farm – Maui
Inspired by an article about Waialua Chocolate, Hana Gold founder Francine Frost decided to start growing cacao. At the time, she didn’t think it was possible to grow raw cacao in Hawaii.
Robert and Francine Frost founded the Hana Gold Plantation in 1978, and ever since then, they’ve been providing people with the most exquisite, naturally grown products. In the last few years, the Maui Cacao Farm has started producing the first “branch to bar” chocolate in Maui.
The Hana Gold Chocolate plantation is nestled on the Hana Coast of Maui where you can visit their working cacao plantation to learn all about how chocolate is made. Their cacao beans are naturally fertilized by the rich volcanic soil, which helps them create the most uniquely flavored chocolate in the world.
Hana Gold’s chocolate is handcrafted with a conscious approach. And they only use environmentally friendly processes to ensure the purest, most decadent flavor with everything on their Maui chocolate farm.
Find out more details about visiting the Maui chocolate plantation by sending an email to [email protected] or calling the Maui Chocolate Factory from Monday to Saturday.
8. Ku’ia Estates Chocolate Factory – Maui
You’ll definitely want to check out this Maui chocolate tour. Start your journey at the Ku’ia Estates Chocolate Factory in Lahaina, Hawaii. This is not just a tour of a Hawaii chocolate factory; it’s an adventure that starts from “farm to bar.” Check latest rates and more information.
Complete with over 20 acres of cacao trees and various interactive fun activities for kids (and adults!), this Lahaina chocolate factory takes you through all aspects of Hawaiian-grown cocoa beans. You’ll see harvesting techniques practiced by Maui farmers every day!
Get enlightened about how they grow these precious yet humble cacao seedlings into some amazing-tasting chocolates. And if there was any question left unanswered or curiosity still unfulfilled, so much more awaits during their 9-piece taste test where you’ll get to try every flavor under the sun with this Maui chocolate tasting tour.
This Cacao Farm Hawaii is the best chocolate tour in Maui!
9. Mauna Loa Visitor’s Center – Big Island
Finally, I felt the need to include the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory Visitor’s Center on this list. It’s one of the best things to do in Hilo.
While they are a macadamia nut factory, they specialize in many chocolate-covered macadamia nut products like dark chocolate, sea salt caramel, milk chocolate coconut, milk chocolate toffee, and lots of little gift packs of Hawaiian chocolates.
It is a great place to go to get some awesome souvenirs, and where to find some of the best Hawaiian chocolate.
10. Hamakua Chocolate Farm – Big Island
At the Hamakua Chocolate Farm, the tours are for children 12 years and older. Not only will you get to see a chocolate tree, but you will also enjoy one of the most beautiful botanical gardens too!
This guided cocoa farm chocolate tasting starts at 1:00 PM on either Wednesday or Friday and is $79 per person. It is very in-depth and is 2.5 hours long.
You will learn the entire award winning cacao making process from tree to chocolate bar. You will also taste the delicious chocolate samples, including the fresh fruit from a cacao pod.
It is one of the cacao farm tours on the Big Island!
11. Manoa Chocolate Hawaii – Oahu
Located in Kailua, head to this Chocolate Plantation Oahu and enjoy another great cacao farm tour.
This Oahu chocolate tour is only $25 per person. You will learn the bean to bar chocolate making process with this company.
During this Honolulu Chocolate Factory tour, you will enjoy a taste of cacao nibs and the fresh cacao fruit, and of course, the finished chocolate bars too. They even have chocolate tea too!
These tours are offered daily except Sunday and are offered for kids 12 and older. It is about an hour to an hour and a half.
12. Mahi’ai Made – Big Island
This cacao farm was actually a pineapple farm called Hawaiian Crown, but rebranded and now is a chocolate farm with a cacao farm tour!
You can go on this Chocolate Farm Kona Tour every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. It is between 1.5 and 2 hours long.
This is located in the Hilo location, so wear rain gear and walking shoes since it can get wet at times.
After learning about the cacao growing process, you will see the factory and see how they process the cacao into chocolate. Samples will include cacao beans, nibs, and 70% dark and “dark milk” chocolates
Adults are $30, children under 10 are $10, and children under 2 are free. It is another great chocolate tour Big Island has to offer.
13. Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory – Big Island
Finally, we have the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory on the Big Island. With this Cocoa Plantation Hawaii, you can enjoy a Wednesday and Friday tour of the farm.
This chocolate tour Hawaii costs $25 per person, $10 for children 6 to 12 years old, and free for children under 5 years old.
It is a great cacao farm Big Island offers for you to enjoy with your family! After enjoying the walking tour, you will get some samples of delicious milk, dark and rare criollo chocolates.
Hawaii Chocolate FAQs
YES! Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. where cacao trees thrive and grow well. It’s been growing on the islands for more than 180 years. Many local Hawaiian candy and cookie companies choose to use locally made-Hawaii chocolate in their tasty treats. Growing cacao in Hawaii is pretty easy and many farms tours show the chocolate making process for tourists to enjoy!
While Hawaiian Host Chocolates has its company headquarters and a processing plant in Honolulu, Hawaii, manufacturing actually takes place in Southern California. However, Mauna Loa chocolates are made in Hilo, Hawaii and you can tour their factory and visit their gift shop.
You can buy Hawaiian macadamia nut chocolates at just about every gift shop or grocery store in Hawaii. The most popular place to find them in Waikiki is at the ABC Stores, which are on almost every street corner. One of the cheapest places to buy Hawaii chocolate macadamia nuts is at Costco.
Where Can You Buy Chocolate from Hawaii?
You can actually order a lot of chocolates from Hawaii online. One of the most popular things to order are Hawaii macadamia nut chocolates and you can order them from Mauna Loa here.
Big Island Candies has some of the best chocolate in Hawaii. While they have their headquarters on the Big Island, they also have a location on Oahu. Check out their online offerings here.
And if you want “fancy” chocolate, head over to the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory on the Big Island. Or, you can order online here.
Looking for more fun things to do in Hawaii? Check out this North Shore Kauai food tour, how to visit a pineapple farm in Hawaii, things to do in Hilo, and guide to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
P.S. Join our Hawaii Travel with Kids Facebook group to get connected with other families planning a trip to Hawaii!
