Award Winning Farm Tour: Coffee, Chocolate and Unique Gifts

The most interesting part of this Kona farm visit is that it is three tours in one. You learn about coffee, cacao, and natural soap making while looking out over the Pacific from 1,200 feet above Kona. Greg Colden leads with humor and plenty of practical stories, while Marty, Paul, Christina, and Nancy help bring the farm and workshop to life.

I like two things here. First, the tour connects farming with biodiversity, so you learn why the volcanic soil, rain, forest, and crops matter together. Second, the tasting and gift shop have a useful purpose: you can sample the coffee and chocolate before buying handmade soap, sprays, ceramics, and other island gifts. The main consideration is that coffee is not the only focus. If you want a narrowly focused coffee-farming tour, the cacao and soap sections may take more time than you expect.

Key points to know before you book

• Three subjects in one visit: Coffee, cacao, and natural soap making share the stage.
• Greg Colden leads with personality: Expect jokes, stories, questions, and clear explanations.
• The setting is part of the experience: Pacific views, Hualālai, rainforest, and volcanic soil frame the tour.
• Tastings are included: You sample coffee and chocolate made at the farm.
• The group can reach 30 people: This is not always a tiny, intimate farm visit.
• Best for adults and older children: The operator does not recommend it for children under 12.

A Kona farm above the Pacific

The drive to Kona Natural Soap takes you uphill through rainforest and tropical plant life. As you reach the farm, the setting opens toward the Pacific Ocean. From roughly 1,200 feet above Kona, you can look down toward the coast while Hualālai rises behind the farm, its old volcanic slopes helping explain why crops grow here so well.

That view gives the tour a useful sense of place. This is not a tasting room detached from its source. You are visiting a working farm and learning how weather, volcanic soil, rainfall, plant choices, and careful cultivation affect what ends up in your cup, your chocolate, or your soap.

The route includes rocky ground at the entrance, though there is plenty of free parking. Drive carefully as you enter. The property is described as accessible, and most people can take part, but this remains a farm visit with walking outdoors rather than a polished indoor attraction from start to finish.

Walking among coffee, cacao, and other crops

The walking portion introduces the farm and its approach to biodiversity. Instead of treating coffee or cacao as isolated products, the discussion looks at how a range of plants can share the same growing space and support a healthier farm.

You will hear about the challenges of farming on the Big Island, along with the history of the property and its development by Greg Colden and Marty Corrigan. That local context helps explain why a small farm cannot simply copy a large commercial plantation. Soil, rainfall, slope, plant health, and labor all shape what can be grown and how it must be handled.

The walk is not described as strenuous. One useful detail is that there are places to sit at each stopping point, and the route does not involve great distances. Still, wear shoes suitable for a farm and expect outdoor conditions. You may want sun protection, water, and a light layer, since mountain weather can change.

Greg is a central part of the experience. His style is informal and funny, with plenty of personal stories and time for questions. If you enjoy a guide who talks with the group rather than simply reciting facts, this format should suit you. If you prefer a quiet, tightly scripted tour, the humor and conversation may feel less controlled.

Why the biodiversity lesson matters

Coffee and cacao can sound like simple crops until you learn how much work sits behind each one. The farm uses its plants as a chance to discuss biodiversity and more careful growing practices, rather than treating the visit as a quick introduction to Kona coffee.

That approach is valuable because it connects the finished product to the land. You are not only asking if the coffee tastes good. You are also considering how a farm handles its soil, what other plants grow nearby, and how small producers make choices that differ from industrial agriculture.

The tour also gives you a better feel for the limits of a small operation. Farming on the island is not effortless, even in a warm climate. The volcanic setting helps, but it does not remove the need for planning, maintenance, and attention to weather.

This section may be especially useful if you already care about organic or plant-based goods. The farm’s products are presented as natural and plant based, and the factory scents are described that way as well. If you have a plant allergy, take that seriously and ask about ingredients before sampling or buying anything.

Coffee and chocolate made on site

The tastings are one of the clearest reasons to choose this tour. You get to try coffee and chocolate produced at the farm, then connect their flavor to the plants and processes you have just seen.

The Kona coffee tasting has won over at least one non-coffee drinker, which tells you something about the appeal of trying it fresh and in context. Still, the experience is not built only around coffee. Cacao receives substantial attention, and chocolate nibs are part of the tasting experience.

You may want to book this tour if your group has mixed interests. One person can focus on coffee, another on chocolate, and both can learn something from the farm walk. The tasting also makes the gift shop easier to judge. You can decide what you like before spending money on a bag of coffee or a chocolate product.

Keep your expectations in line with the format. This is a broad farm experience, not a specialist coffee course. One portion of the tour may explain coffee cultivation, but cacao and soap making are important parts of the three-hour schedule. If coffee farming is your only priority, choose a tour specifically devoted to coffee.

The soap workshop is the surprise

The natural soap operation is not a minor gift-shop sidetrack. It has become one of the most distinctive parts of the visit, with an explanation and demonstration of how the handmade products are made.

You may see the process behind soaps and essential sprays, along with the workshop where the products are created. The scents are plant based unless you have an allergy to a particular plant, such as lavender. That detail matters if you are sensitive to fragrances.

The soap section gives the experience a local business angle. You are seeing how a farm-based company turns its own interests and materials into products people can use at home. It also gives you something different from the usual coffee plantation visit.

I would leave room in your budget for the shop if handmade goods appeal to you. Products include soap, coffee, chocolate, ceramics, and other farm or island souvenirs. The company also offers a flat shipping price of $15 for a US address, regardless of the order size, according to the information provided. That can make larger purchases easier to manage if you do not want to pack everything in your luggage.

A gift shop with a reason to linger

The shop is strongest for people who want useful souvenirs rather than mass-produced Hawaii merchandise. Soap and sprays are practical, coffee and chocolate are easy gifts, and ceramics add a more personal option.

I like the connection between the visit and the purchases. You first see the farm, learn how the products are made, and taste some of them. You can then choose what fits your own preferences instead of shopping blindly.

Do not feel obliged to buy. The tour should still make sense if you only want the farm lesson and tastings. But if you value small businesses, plant-based products, or gifts that tell a story about the place, this is a particularly strong part of the visit.

Three hours with a group of up to 30

The experience lasts about three hours, which gives the guides time to cover the farm, coffee, cacao, soap, tastings, and questions. That length is useful because the tour would feel rushed if all three subjects were compressed into an hour.

The trade-off is group size. The current maximum is 30 people, so do not book expecting a private or very small outing. A larger group can make it harder to hear or ask questions, though the staff appears to keep the format interactive and discussion friendly.

The tour is offered in English and currently runs on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Check the date carefully when planning your Kona schedule, since this is not a daily activity. If you need to book more than six people, contact the operator directly.

The activity is not recommended for children under 12. Families must supervise children, and the operator may ask a disruptive family to step aside or leave so the rest of the group can enjoy the visit. That policy is worth taking seriously when planning a family outing.

Service animals are allowed, and most people can participate. The property has free parking, but the rocky entrance calls for cautious driving.

Is $50 a fair price?

At $50 per person, I see this as a fair value if you want more than a single tasting. You receive about three hours of guiding, a farm walk, scenic views, coffee and chocolate samples, a soap-making demonstration, and access to a shop filled with products made by the business.

The value depends on your interests. A coffee purist may find the price less attractive if the cacao and soap sections take attention away from coffee farming. Someone interested in sustainable agriculture, handmade goods, chocolate, and local business will likely get more from the same fee.

The strongest value is the range. You can learn about the land, taste products, see a working workshop, and shop without adding separate activities to your day. The visit also has a personal quality because the owners and staff take part rather than leaving the entire experience to a hired presenter.

The people make the format work

Greg’s role is a major reason this tour has such a strong personality. He mixes information with jokes, answers questions, and speaks openly about the farm and its work. Marty is also closely tied to the business, while Paul, Christina, and Nancy contribute to the hosting and demonstrations.

That team approach makes the visit feel like an introduction to a small family business. You are not only hearing about coffee and chocolate. You are meeting the people who grow, make, explain, and sell the products.

The style will not suit everyone. A guide who tells stories and jokes can occasionally wander from the tightest route through the subject. I consider that part of the charm, but people seeking a formal agricultural lecture should know what they are booking.

Weather, cancellations, and timing

The farm requires good weather. If conditions force a cancellation, you can receive a different date or a full refund. The same applies if the minimum number of participants is not reached.

For your own plans, the usual cancellation rule is simple: cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations made inside that window are not accepted for a refund. Cutoff times follow local Hawaii time.

The morning schedule works well as a stand-alone Kona activity. You finish around noon, leaving the rest of the day for lunch, beaches, or another Big Island stop. Allow extra driving time to reach Holualoa and do not rush the final approach.

Who should book this farm tour?

I would choose this for adults, couples, solo visitors, and families with older children who like food, agriculture, and small-scale production. It is also a good pick if you want a quieter alternative to a major attraction and prefer meeting the people behind local products.

It suits anyone curious about how coffee, cacao, and soap move from plant or ingredient to finished product. The biodiversity discussion adds substance, while the tastings and jokes keep the morning from feeling like a classroom.

I would think twice if your only goal is an in-depth coffee lesson. The tour gives coffee a place, but it also gives cacao and soap plenty of time. I would also avoid it if your group includes young children who are unlikely to remain supervised and engaged for three hours.

Should you book Kona Natural Soap?

Book it if you want a personal, broad farm experience with Pacific views, coffee and chocolate tastings, and a real soap workshop. The guide style is warm and humorous, and the combination gives you more to do than a basic plantation walk.

Skip it, or choose a coffee-only option, if you want technical coffee instruction above all else or dislike larger groups. For most adults looking for useful island gifts and a closer look at Big Island farming, the $50 price is reasonable, provided you understand that this is a coffee, cacao, and soap tour rather than coffee alone.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at 78-6749 Mamalahoa Highway, Holualoa, Hawaii 96725. It ends back at the same meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately three hours, from 9:00 a.m. to noon on the scheduled Tuesday.

When is the tour offered?

The listed schedule is Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The operating period shown is April 28, 2022 through March 4, 2027.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $50 per person.

What will I see and taste?

You will walk through a coffee and cacao farm, learn about the growing process and biodiversity, taste coffee and chocolate made on site, and see a natural soap-making demonstration.

Is the tour suitable for children?

The operator does not recommend the experience for children under 12. Children who attend must remain supervised and guided throughout the visit.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 30 people. If you need to book more than six people, contact the operator.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. If bad weather or an insufficient minimum number causes the operator to cancel, you will be offered another date or a full refund.