Beyond the well-known chocolate shops and busy tour stops, Hawaii is home to a network of small farms and intimate chocolate operations that fly under the radar. These hidden gems offer something the popular spots can't: personal attention, unhurried experiences, and the chance to truly connect with the farmers and chocolate makers behind your favorite bars.
Here are our favorite under-the-radar chocolate spots across the islands.
Oahu
Kamananui Cacao Orchards
Tucked away in Mililani, this award-winning farm supplies cacao to Mānoa Chocolate—one of Hawaii's most celebrated bean-to-bar makers. But visiting the orchard itself is a different experience entirely. You'll walk among the cacao trees, learn about Hawaiian terroir, and taste chocolate made from beans grown steps away. The farm also features a wine bar and gift shop, making it easy to linger.
21 Degrees Estate
This 10-acre estate with over 800 cacao trees offers something rare: the chance to stay overnight on a working chocolate farm. Beyond the cacao, you'll find tropical fruit orchards and friendly farm animals including goats and bunnies. The intimate farm tours include generous tastings and a genuine connection to the land. It's a full sensory experience, not just a chocolate stop.
Lonohana Estate Chocolate Factory
On Oahu's North Shore, Lonohana has been quietly growing cacao since 2009. Their 14-acre estate is one of the few truly vertically integrated operations in Hawaii—they grow, ferment, roast, and craft chocolate all in one place. Factory tours reveal the complete journey from tree to bar, and the tasting room offers samples you won't find anywhere else.
Big Island
Hāmākua Chocolate Farm
This working cacao orchard on the Hāmākua Coast offers an experience unlike any other: farm stay accommodations where you can wake up surrounded by cacao trees. They host hands-on harvest parties where visitors help pick and process cacao pods. The property includes a botanical garden and the peaceful Aleamai stream. For chocolate lovers who want to go deep, this is the place.
Honolii Orchards
With over 2,000 cacao trees on the Hāmākua Coast, Honolii is one of Hawaii's most serious cacao operations—run by a published cacao researcher. Their award-winning fermentation techniques produce beans with exceptional flavor complexity. Tours here are educational and fascinating, offering insights into the science behind great chocolate.
Mauna Kea Cacao
Winner of "Best Cacao" at the Big Island Chocolate Festival, this farm proves that small operations can achieve world-class quality. Tours include hands-on cacao harvesting experiences and tastings that showcase the unique flavor profile of Hāmākua-grown beans. The owners are passionate educators who love sharing their craft.
Puna Gold Estate
This 3-acre estate combines cacao with coffee and beekeeping, offering a window into integrated tropical farming. You can watch the bean-to-bar process from start to finish and sample chocolate alongside locally produced honey. The small scale means personal attention and plenty of time for questions.
Hilo Shark's Hawaii
With 25 years of cacao farming experience, this family operation offers seed-to-bar classes where you'll make chocolate from scratch. It's one of the most hands-on experiences in the state—you'll leave with chocolate you made yourself and knowledge you can use at home.
Maui
Kupa'a Farms
This Upcountry farm grows both coffee and cacao, offering tours that compare the terroir and processing of each crop side by side. It's a unique educational experience that reveals the surprising similarities between chocolate and coffee production. Animal encounters and tropical fruit tastings round out the visit.
Maui Ku'ia Estate Cacao Farm
A historic Lahaina estate with a working cacao farm and on-site chocolate factory. The upstairs chocolate café offers a relaxed setting to sample their bars, and tours take you through the full production process. The combination of history, working agriculture, and craft chocolate creates a memorable experience.
Kauai
HouLau Farm Chocolate
This 3-acre working cacao farm in Moloaʻa maintains complete control over their chocolate—from growing and harvesting to fermenting, roasting, and molding bars. Tours include factory viewing and generous tastings. The intimate scale means you'll likely meet the farmers themselves and hear their story firsthand.
Kīlauea Jungle Oasis
Hidden in the jungle near Kīlauea, this farm grows over 200 cacao trees in a lush tropical setting. Tours include the rare opportunity to pick cacao fruit directly from the tree and taste the sweet pulp surrounding the beans. They also offer exotic fruit tastings and honey from their on-site hives. It feels like discovering a secret garden.
Lydgate Farms
At 46 acres, this is Kauai's largest cacao farm—but it still feels intimate. Beyond chocolate, they're known for their world-class honey and bee tours. The botanical gardens and tropical fruit tastings make this a full morning or afternoon experience. Their partnership with Mānoa Chocolate ensures exceptional quality.
Tips for Visiting Hidden Gems
- Book ahead. These small operations often require reservations, sometimes days in advance.
- Ask questions. The farmers love sharing their knowledge—take advantage of the personal attention.
- Bring cash. Some farms are cash-only or have limited card processing.
- Allow extra time. Without crowds, tours often run longer as farmers share stories and answer questions.
- Buy direct. Chocolate purchased at the farm is often fresher and includes varieties not sold elsewhere.
The best Hawaiian chocolate experiences aren't always the most famous ones. These hidden gems offer something money can't buy: a genuine connection to the land, the cacao, and the people who dedicate their lives to growing it.
Tags
ChocoMaps
Editorial
Sharing stories about Hawaiian-grown cacao and the people who make exceptional chocolate in the islands.
