I do not have enough positive things to say about my experience doing the Caribeans Chocolate Tour in Puerto Viejo. If you’re looking for an authentic, eye-opening experience learning about how chocolate is farmed, produced, and exported, this is the place to go. Their coffee shop is also delicious and a great place to grab a quick meal before moving on to your next activity.
Your experience on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica will not be complete without a visit to this top-notch tour.
This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.
Caribeans Chocolate Tour Quick Facts:
| Address: | Caribeans Chocolate and Coffee, 25 mets Oeste de Tasty Waves Playa Cocles, Puerto Viejo, Limón, Costa Rica (Put into Google Maps or Waze) |
| Cost: | $36 per person including taxes |
| Tour Times: | Every Monday through Saturday at 10 AM and 2 PM |
| Duration: | 2 hours |
| Reservations: | There are no advanced reservations, arrive 15-20 minutes before the tour start time and request to join |
Getting There (+Parking)
If you’re driving, put the coffee shop name into either Waze or Google Maps. There is free parking by the shop and along the main road.
Since Puerto Viejo is so flat, it’s also popular to rent bikes or walk. Caribeans is located about 1.5 miles away from the center of Puerto Viejo so you might also choose to bike or walk there.
When I visited, I walked and got caught in a rainstorm on my way back. Be mindful, especially if you’re visiting in the rainy season from May to November, that this could potentially happen to you too. Bring a raincoat just in case!
The Tour (Alllllll the details)
The Chocolate Forest Experience tour will take you into the rainforest with an experienced local guide who will tell you everything about the cacao plant (which chocolate is made from), chocolate history, tropical wildlife, and the chocolate making process. You’ll see firsthand where the cacao trees are grown and the handmade process of making chocolate from scratch.
The tour includes some hiking in the cacao forest, with easy to moderate difficulty. They will take the time to tell you about the forest and any animal or plant life nearby. On our hike, the guide even found poisonous tree frogs to show us!
Next, they’ll actually open a cacao plant from the tree so you can taste the unprocessed fruit. They’ll then walk you through the bean to bar process of how chocolate is made at their chocolate production factory.
They’ll have you taste both liquid chocolate and chocolate in bar form, pointing out different notes for example chocolate that is more spicy, salty, or sweet. All of this is done at their workshop which has amazing views of the ocean in the distance with the jungle framing it.
In total, expect the tour to last 2 hours with a total walking distance of less than a mile. It’s a good idea to wear hiking shoes (but you don’t have to), a raincoat, and bring a water bottle with you for the tour. Also, don’t forget your camera to document and take pictures of this unforgettable experience!
Is the Caribeans Chocolate Tour in Puerto Viejo Worth a Stop?
If you know you want to experience chocolate production firsthand, it’s really a no-brainer to stop for a visit at the Caribeans Chocolate Tour. They take you into the rainforest where you can experience wildlife and see how chocolate is made, from tasting the fruit to seeing how it is dried and eventually processed to become chocolate.
This was one of my absolute favorite activities I did in Puerto Viejo. Trust me, you’re going to want to put a stop here on your list of things to do while on vacation in Costa Rica!
Lindsay Gantz lives in Monteverde, Costa Rica with her husband who is Costa Rican. She helps visitors plan trips to Costa Rica and also organizes small group trips for solo female travelers. You can reach her on Instagram or by email at [email protected]
