yemenmocha Senior Member Joined: 7 Oct 2002 Posts: 3 Location: York, PA Expertise: Advanced
Posted Sun Mar 9, 2008, 11:55am Subject: Kona - where should I go? (here now)
Visiting Kona for vacation and my first stop was a shocking disaster. We were reluctantly greeted by someone obviously having a bad day, then put in front of a tv that explains the basics of coffee. After it ended, we sat around for 10 mins with no employees in sight and couldn't even buy some of the beans or mugs in the shed nearby (completely unattended). Their product is "100% sold" so I guess they can afford to treat people this way. I just can't understand how a polite, happy enthusiast who goes up the long winding road to get there would be treated so poorly.
Any advice on which plantations to go to and which ones to avoid? I thought it would be great to finally visit Kona but maybe my wife is right that our time is better spent on the beach.
CoffeeRoastersClub Senior Member Joined: 6 Jul 2005 Posts: 2,143 Location: Vernon Expertise: Professional
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Posted Sun Mar 9, 2008, 2:05pm Subject: Re: Kona - where should I go? (here now)
yemenmocha Said:
Visiting Kona for vacation and my first stop was a shocking disaster. We were reluctantly greeted by someone obviously having a bad day, then put in front of a tv that explains the basics of coffee. After it ended, we sat around for 10 mins with no employees in sight and couldn't even buy some of the beans or mugs in the shed nearby (completely unattended). Their product is "100% sold" so I guess they can afford to treat people this way. I just can't understand how a polite, happy enthusiast who goes up the long winding road to get there would be treated so poorly.
Any advice on which plantations to go to and which ones to avoid? I thought it would be great to finally visit Kona but maybe my wife is right that our time is better spent on the beach.
Remember that many of us are working all the time on our farms and to have some one drop by, it just could be a bad time. For example, we have no employees, so it would never work for us. (Imagine someone just dropping by your house? egads) But I hope the map and farm names give you some fun. BTW this time of year, many farmers are pruning or weed whacking and just doing farm work. Hardly exciting to a coffee lover:)
yemenmocha Senior Member Joined: 7 Oct 2002 Posts: 3 Location: York, PA Expertise: Advanced
Posted Sat Mar 15, 2008, 1:02pm Subject: Re: Kona - where should I go? (here now)
Cea,
I understand where you're coming from. However, this place has a complete visitor's center with paid tour guides and hostesses, and published pamphlets of hours for tours and purchasing coffee, etc.
SJM Senior Member Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,129 Location: CA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Sat Mar 15, 2008, 3:05pm Subject: Re: Kona - where should I go? (here now)
Hi there. Sorry I haven't been on the Big Island for a while, so the only name I can remember looking for is/was Bong Brothers. It was along the road south out of Kona. Here's a website
Also I remember that taking the long road down towards Captain Cook took us by at least one coffee producing plant. It's a worthwhile drive down to the cove anyway.
Also, if you're looking for good eats along that road, look for the Aloha Cafe in Kealakakua. Most of the food in Hawaii was pretty crummy, but the Aloha Cafe is always a treat.
Also, if you get fed up, check out Keauhau Bay. The drive up Alii Drive from there into Kailua Kona is nicer than the one along the highway.
I gotta tell you, it doesn't surprise me for one second that a place that has brochures and hostesses and all that stuff would be unpleasant. It's my understanding that most of the real raising of coffee is a pretty hardscrabble labor intensive business that is done in small patches by people who don't have the time to make all that PR stuff that ThunderMountain or MountainThunder has available. It's much the same if you go looking for the people who raise Anthuriums or Macadamia Nuts. There are the people who love to grow that stuff and then there are tourist traps.
Hopefully you will find what you are wanting to see, but don't be surprised if it is a whole lot less glamorous than you had hoped.
jpreiser Senior Member Joined: 6 Sep 2007 Posts: 32 Location: Chicago 'burbs Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Fri Mar 21, 2008, 9:40am Subject: Re: Kona - where should I go? (here now)
I got back from my annual trip to the Big Island last week and we visited two friends who own coffee farms, but, like Cea's farm, neither is open to the public. I haven't taken the time to stop at any of the places that offer tours yet though so can't help there. That may change if I make it to the Kona Coffee Fest this year.
During my earlier trips I used get my Kona coffee fix at a cafe on Ali`i drive called Hula Bean (www.hulabean.com). The staff were alway very friendly and knowledgeable. We walked past the shop a couple of times this year without stopping in but they were busy every time.
CathyinBoston Senior Member Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 1 Location: Near Boston Expertise: Pro Roaster
Posted Tue Mar 25, 2008, 8:09am Subject: Re: Kona - where should I go? (here now)
We toured Greenwell Farms in Kona in '06 - awesome tour, very knowledgeable people, and great coffee. I now order it online regularly. Their peaberry is wonderful!
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