Eleele Kauai, Home of Hawaii's Largest Coffee Plantation

Most people familiar with gourmet coffee has heard of Hawaii's own, world famous, Kona coffee. Therefore if you were visiting the Hawaiian Islands and was offered an opportunity to visit the state's largest coffee plantation, most likely you would think the tour was going to take place on the Big Island of Hawaii...Right? Wrong! A little known fact about the Garden Island of Kauai Hawaii is that it is the home of the largest coffee plantation in the state of Hawaii. An additional interesting fact is that located on Kauai Coffee's Eleele plantation is the world's largest wall-less coffee maze.

Kauai Coffee Company, a 3,100 acre estate, is located on the sunny South shore of Kauai Hawaii in Eleele (the only town in the state of Hawaii whose name is a palindrome). With so many "only" for such a small town...it must be a special place. Situated on land that was once planted in sugar cane, this thriving coffee plantation also boast to be located near the site of Hawaii's first commercial coffee plantation, which was established more than 150 years ago on Kauai. The original coffee enterprise was short lived. Sugar cane was the king crop of that day so it was plowed under and sugar cane was planted instead.

The Kauai Coffee Company Visitor Center, which is located on the plantation grounds, is a source of loads of information about coffee growing, the history of the Kauai Coffee Company, and coffee on Kauai. Did you know that nearly 4,000 coffee beans must be harvested to produce one pound of coffee? Depending on the time you plan your visit to Kauai, you may be able witness the various stages of coffee development. During February and March the coffee trees begin to bloom. In May the fruit or coffee cherry begins forming. The cherry is the seed of the fruit that becomes the coffee bean. In September the fruit ripens and harvesting begins.

Also on the grounds you will find Kauai Coffee's world's largest wall-less coffee maze. This 20 minute, 1/8 mile path puts you right in the coffee fields. It is a twisty, turny path spiked with signs and markers that explain what goes on at Kauai Coffee Company and offers a great adventure for the younger set. Don't worry they will not get lost. The maze is opened daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. And if you do not wish to take that trek, you can spend time browsing around the Visitor Center. There you can enjoy free samples of the different varieties of coffee that are grown and roasted on the plantation, view videos about modern coffee production, enjoy a snack at the Coffee Bar, or visit the gift shop.

Kauai Coffee Company Visitor Center is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. There is no fee for admission or to participate in the coffee tastings. Don't miss your chance to visit the largest coffee plantation in the state of Hawaii when you are on Kauai. Oh yeah, one last thing, Kauai Coffee rivals Kona Coffee. Taste it...you be the judge.

Resource: Kauai Coffee Company Brochure