Are you planning a trip to the Big Island and want to go on a Kona coffee tour? Keep scrolling to find out the best Kona coffee farms worth visiting.
This list of the best Kona coffee farms worth visiting 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.
Do you want to visit Kona coffee farms on your trip to Hawaii?
The Big Island is famous for growing Kona coffee beans. And one of the best things to do on the Big Island of Hawaii is tour a coffee farm!
I’ve pulled a list of the best Kona coffee farms to visit during your trip to Hawaii, as well as the best Kona coffee tours. If you want to do Hawaii coffee tours, Kona is the place to go!
Big Island coffee tours are perfect for any coffee enthusiast looking to learn more about Hawaii’s coffee culture and its unique growing conditions. They provide insights into how award-winning coffee is cultivated and roasted to perfection.
There’s nothing quite like drinking a cup while watching beautiful views from an amazing farm. And tasting some fresh Hawaiian-grown beans at one of the local roasters is a treat.
It’s a unique experience you won’t find anywhere else in the world! Visiting Kona coffee farms will make your vacation even more special when you get back home with memories from Hawaii.
In this post, I’ll share how these delicious beans are grown, harvested, roasted, and brewed in Hawaii.
So, scroll down now and check out my full list of Kona coffee farm tours below. I promise it’ll be worth it! 🙂
Want to skip all the planning and just access my detailed Big Island Itinerary, complete with daily schedules, kid-friendly activities, and travel hacks? Click the button below.
A Brief Kona Coffee History
Coffee was once a rare commodity in Hawaii. But that all changed when Reverend Samuel Ruggles brought coffee trees to Hawaii in the late 1820s.
He originally planted them in Oahu’s Manoa Valley. Then, he took seedlings from these early plantations over to Kona. It turns out that the Kona coffee plants thrived best under volcanic soil conditions.
The history of growing coffee in Hawaii is fascinating, as it showcases how the region’s climate and volcanic soil have made it a hub for specialty coffee production.
The full story of Kona coffee is a long story that I can’t tell here. It’s worth reading into. But long story short, it took decades for Kona coffee to gain worldwide attention. Finally, it got that attention at the 1873 World’s Fair in Vienna.
Now, Kona coffee has been growing and thriving on the Big Island for nearly 200 years, producing some of the world’s most award-winning coffee.
A Few Kona Coffee Facts
The Coffee Beans Must Be grown in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii
Kona coffee is the product of a specific micro-climate in Hawaii.
In the Kona region, mornings are usually sunny and cloudless, while afternoons are rainy. When it’s not raining, there’s a thick fog till well after nightfall.
The area also experiences light winds you won’t find elsewhere on the island. All of this makes the perfect and unique conditions that produce Kona coffee.
Visitors can explore these conditions further through Kona coffee plantations tours, where guides explain the significance of this micro-climate in detail.
It Grows in Volcanic Soil
Kona coffee is world-renowned for its unique flavor. A major reason for that flavor is the island’s volcanic soil. The Big Island of Hawaii is the youngest of the islands and has an especially high volcanic soil content because of this.
Volcanic soil is enriched with minerals from ash deposits over time. This makes a huge impact, not only on taste but also quality!
It’s Actually from Brazil!
Kona coffee is a well-known crop in Hawaii, but it’s not actually from there! Reverend Samuel Ruggles brought cuttings from Brazil to the island in 1828! Thanks to these cuttings, specialty coffee farming has flourished in the region.
Where are the Coffee Plantations on the Big Island?
Kona coffee is a rare and cherished commodity. To produce award-winning coffee beans, you need a specific environment.
The high elevation and constant cloud coverage from Hualalai Volcano in the upland slopes of North Kona result in the ideal environment for harvesting Kona coffee!
You can find hundreds of small farms throughout the area,, but most don’t offer public tours. For tours, your best bet is farms in the greater North and South Kona areas. Some farms even offer Big Island coffee tours that allow you to experience the process from bean to cup.
I suggest looking at Kau and Puna. And you can even find some cool coffee plantations in Hilo. In fact, the Hilo Coffee Mill is a fantastic spot for visitors to learn about coffee production while sampling some local brews.
And if you’re visiting the Big Island in November, check out the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival! It’s held in the Historic Kailua Village in Kailua-Kona. This event is perfect for coffee enthusiasts, featuring tastings, tours, and interactive workshops showcasing the best of Kona coffee.
What’s So Special About the Kona Coffee Plant?
True Kona coffee is highly prized worldwide for its full-bodied flavor and pleasing aroma. This is a direct result of the grading process.
Kona Coffee Grading System
First, workers handpick the Kona coffee berries. Then, they are pulped, dried, and hulled.
Next, the coffee beans are graded before they’re processed. The coffee mill machinery sorts the coffee beans into different grades based on size and shape.
The creme de la creme is the peaberry. These unique beans are formed when one side of the coffee flower merges with the other, resulting in a single bean inside the coffee cherry. This gives it a super concentrated flavor. However, this only happens in 5%-10% of all Kona coffee.
The other (more common) grades of Kona coffee include extra fancy, fancy, No.1, and prime. For coffee enthusiasts who want to explore this grading process, Kona coffee plantations tours often offer behind-the-scenes access.
Roasting Process
Kona Coffee is handcrafted and sun-dried, then custom-roasted depending on desired results and differences in moisture. A good processor can make all the difference for an excellent cup!
The art of roasting coffee beans is considered a science by many in the trade. Dark roasts are typically called French, Italian, or Espresso. The medium roasts could be Full-City or Vienna.
For those passionate about the nuances of roasting, joining a coffee club is an excellent way to explore fresh beans delivered right to your door. Many Kona coffee farms now offer subscription services for recurring or deferred purchases to keep the flavor of Hawaii alive year-round.
Is It Genuine Kona Coffee?
You’ll definitely want to check the label to see if it says 100% pure Kona Coffee.
Otherwise, it might say Kona Blend. This means it only contains the minimum 10% Kona beans legally required to be considered “Kona Coffee.”
Usually, that means producers mix Kona beans with other blends. These other coffee bends might be from Central America, Brazil, Africa, or Indonesia.
But if you’re visiting a Kona coffee farm on the Big Island, you should have no problem finding and tasting 100% pure Kona coffee!
Which Kona Coffee Farms Should You Visit?
There are a lot of options for Kona coffee farms on the Big Island. Here are some of my family’s favorites.
Greenwell Farms
81-6581 Mamalahoa Highway Kealakekua, Hawaii 96750
Want to know what goes into making your favorite cup o’ joe? Come experience the deliciousness of Greenwell Farms‘ 100% Kona Coffee firsthand with their free 45-minute guided tour.
Get an inside look at how they harvest and process these high-quality beans. Then you’ll get a tour of the farm.
Go off on some dirt paths that might be difficult for those not used to. But the adventure will surely make you feel like a veteran explorer!
The best part about this Greenwell Coffee tour is that no reservations are required. The complimentary tours start every hour from 9 AM to 3 PM. Just arrive 10 minutes early.
Read below to learn about a few Greenwell Farms coffee tours that also make other cool stops.
Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Farm
78-1136 Bishop Rd Holualoa, HI 96725
There are actually three different Heavenly Hawaiian coffee farm tours. You can read a full review of the Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Farm tour. Or you can purchase tickets HERE.
The first one is a 1-hour tour where families can learn how to grow, maintain, and roast Kona coffee beans. This is just $8/person.
There’s also the Paniolo Roasting tour, which is 45 minutes long. It’s quite a bit pricier, but kids under 13 are free. On this tour, you’ll learn about Hawaiian cowboys (called paniolos), the history of Kona coffee, and the traditional way to roast it.
Finally, they have a Brew Your Best Cup tour, which is 60-90 minutes long and is the most expensive for people ages 13 and older. This tour is about learning how to brew the ultimate cup of coffee.
Hula Daddy
74-4944 Mamalahoa Hwy Holualoa, HI 96725
You can experience a private Hula Daddy coffee tour. Learn all about how Kona coffee is grown, processed, and roasted. Plus, you can talk to the owners and the roasters and even tour the orchard.
Something cool about Hula Daddy is that they are an eco-friendly Kona coffee plantation. They’ve reduced their carbon footprint by planting 17,000 new trees. They make their own compost from the green waste they get from local restaurants.
The Hula Daddy Kona coffee tours last 60 minutes and cost $30/person.
Kona Joe
79-7346 Mamalohoa Highway, Kealakekua, HI 96750
Visit another fun Kona coffee plantation called Kona Joe. You can choose from several different Kona Joe coffee tours.
They have a free self-guided tour that includes a 5-minute video. They also have their Standard Guided Tour, which has quite a few perks. You’ll get a cup of coffee, a video, a guided tour of their entire farm, tastings of both chocolate and coffee, plus a free coffee gift.
If that’s not enough, they also have their Coffee Roasting Experience, where you can roast 10 ounces of Kona Coffee yourself! Create your own custom roast while learning tips for how to come up with the perfect blend.
They even offer a Combined Tour where you can do their Standard Guided Tour plus the Coffee Roasting Experience. This is the most popular tour, and you’ll save $15/person.
Coffee fanatics will want to check out their Ultimate Tour, which lasts 2 hours, and you’ll get to roast 5 pounds of 100% Kona Coffee. Wow!
But, the most unique Kona coffee tour has to be their Coffee Picking Experience. It only happens during the harvest season, which runs from August 1-November 30.
You’ll get all the gear you need to go into the farm and become a coffee picker for as long as you like. You can’t do this anywhere else in the US!
Keep scrolling to see how you can tour Kona Joe on a circle island tour.
Mountain Thunder
73-1942 Ha’o Street Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Mountain Thunder is a Kona coffee farm in a really cool location. It’s located on the slope of Hualalai volcano, more than 3,000 feet above sea level. And it’s right next to a cloud forest!
You can take a free Mountain Thunder coffee tour of their mill. Here, you’ll learn exactly how they grow, process, and roast their Kona coffee beans.
They also have a cool Nature Trail Walk where you can explore their coffee plantation. You’ll see native plants, hang out on their observation deck, and even check out a lava tube. This is just $10/family.
And they usually have 4X4 Plantation Tours and an awesome RoastMaster Experience, but they are on hiatus right now.
Keep scrolling to see how you can do a Mountain Thunder coffee plantation tour, and check out a cloud forest!
Royal Kona Coffee Center
83-5427 Mamalahoa Hwy, Captain Cook, HI 96704
You can visit the Royal Kona Coffee Center in Captain Cook. They have a processing plant where you can see how they separate the beans from the pulp and dry the coffee beans.
You’ll even see how they grade their coffee beans. Then, watch how they pack it up to be sent to their roasting facility in Honolulu.
During the Royal Kona coffee tour, there’s usually an opportunity to walk through a real lava tube and see some carved tiki statues. However, this is currently closed due to COVID-19.
Best Kona Coffee Tours Worth Booking
Greenwell Farms Coffee Tour & Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Small Group Tour
This is an unforgettable tour that will take you from Kona to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. You’ll stop at Punaluu Beach Park, where there’s a black sand beach, before heading to the farm.
At Greenwell Farm,s you’ll tour the farm, taste freshly brewed Kona coffee, and enjoy a picnic lunch.
Finally, you’ll venture into a lava tube formed by volcanic activity. Plus, they give you iPads to use for even more information during the entire tour! Check the latest rates and availability.
Kona Soap, Coffee, and Chocolate Tour
This is one of the most comprehensive tours on the Big Island. Learn all about coffee and chocolate production, from when it blooms all its way through roasting. You’ll even get a chance to do a Kona coffee tasting and enjoy some delicious treats!
On the last leg of the tour, you’ll take an interesting walk through a botanical garden used for making soap. A product without any fragrance, so no worries there. 😉 Check the latest rates and availability.
Kona Joe Coffee Tour & Circle Island Tour
Spend the day exploring all that the Big Island has in store for you, from waterfalls and beaches to tropical valleys. You’ll also get an exclusive look at Kona Joe’s coffee farm, where they mix Award-winning locally grown beans into delicious cups of joe!
You’ll also keep an eye out for Hawaiian green sea turtles at the famous Punalu’u Black Sand Beach. This tour also includes lunch and several photo stops. Check the latest rates and availability.
Greenwell Farms, Kealakekua Bay, Kaloko-Honokohau Park, and Bee Farm Tour
Take your Big Island vacation to the next level. Book a guided tour with an expert in local history and culture!
Take this informative tour through some sacred sites (like Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park). You’ll see petroglyphs that date back thousands of years. And look for green sea turtle nests along this shoreline!
Finally, you’ll get to sample fresh Kona coffee at Greenwell Farms and taste local honey from Big Island Bees. Check the latest rates and availability.
Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary, Coffee Farm Tour & Brewery Experience
Kona is a hidden treasure trove of natural wonders and cultural experiences, like a hidden cloud forest in the mountains!
You’ll head to Mountain Thunder Coffee Farm, where they grow beans that go into making some of the world’s most delicious coffees. Then, eat lunch there and try Ola Brew Company’s amazing Hawaiian beer.
Afterward, check out the Kona Cloud Forest. It’s a nature sanctuary filled with native species of plants, Hawaiian flowers, and tropical birds. Check the latest rates and availability.
Kona Coffee Farms FAQs
There are more than 600 coffee farms Within 20 miles of each other up and down the roads along the Hualalai and Mauna Loa volcanoes. Some of these are really small, and others are larger and offer tours to the public.
As the name implies, Kona coffee is a specific type of coffee plant grown in the Kona area of the Big Island of Hawaii. These Hawaiian coffee beans are unique because they grow in volcanic terrain. The coffee beans take on a flavor from the soil that’s hard to find anywhere else.
Yes, but they mainly sell Kona blends. A blend is made up of beans from other parts of the world, so it’s not 100% Kona. If you’re going to be on the Big Island anyway, you might as well support a local farm and get the real deal!
Kona Coffee Tours and Tastings Wrap-Up
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the best Kona coffee farms on the Big Island of Hawaii. Now, you know a lot about Kona coffee plantation tours at different price points.
It’s an amazing experience to taste this exquisite coffee in Hawaii on a Kona coffee farm tour. Plus, you can meet real Kona coffee farmers and explore the intricate process of growing coffee and creating specialty coffee.
I hope you found this post about the best coffee tours Kona has helpful. I’ve given you some new information to share with your friends or family members planning a Hawaii trip!
Still not convinced? Check out my review on doing a Kona coffee farm tour!