Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation
Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation, Kailua-Kona: Hours, Address, Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation Reviews: 4.5/5
Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation
Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation
4.5
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
About
Welcome to Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation, where visitors of all ages are invited to experience how our award-winning Kona coffee is grown and processed. We offer free 100% Kona Coffee tasting and conduct "coffee talks" to describe growing, processing, grading and roasting our coffees. Located less than 20 minutes above the town of Kailua-Kona at 3,200 ft above sea level, our organic farm is nestled on the lush, volcanic slopes of the Hualalai volcano. The mild climate, rich soil, and perfect balance of sunshine and rainfall allow us to grow truly exceptional coffee, which slowly ripens to perfection before being hand-picked, processed, and roasted. Enjoy free samples of our finest coffees, be inspired by the breathtaking scenery of our cloud forest location, and gain an appreciation for the journey coffee makes from the farm to your cup.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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Restaurants
1 within 3 miles
Attractions
5 within 3 miles
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Popular mentions
4.5
1,162 reviews
Excellent
699
Very good
346
Average
77
Poor
18
Terrible
22
Jarrett H
3 contributions
Is Everyone Ready to Taste Some Good Coffee?
Sep 2021 • Couples
Great experience, knowledgeable staff, and awesome coffee! The tour guide had the energy of a true coffee lush. She kept addressing my wife and I as "everyone", which was pretty hilarious. "Is everyone ready to start the tour?". I laughed in my head a lot
She must have a strict script she says for larger tours. But it was a great experience and she was extremely knowledgeable about coffee.
She must have a strict script she says for larger tours. But it was a great experience and she was extremely knowledgeable about coffee.
Written September 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Fredandethe
Santa Rosa Beach, FL70 contributions
Exceptional offer and knowledgeable staff
Sep 2021
Exceptional coffee and knowledgeable staff. Although we did not do the tour, the location is worth a visit and the price of the coffee is worth every penny
Written September 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Kurt K
San Diego, CA10 contributions
Excellent coffee in a cloud forest
Aug 2021
Hidden gem high in the clouds (4200 feet) make for excellent coffee growing conditions. Nice tour of their small batch production facility. Wonderful hosts, short video tour of the farm and the recent volcano activity. Short nature walk available for a group price of $10 for your group. Decent shop for coffee and other souvenirs.
Written August 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Taylor R
Philadelphia, PA5 contributions
Great coffee farm
Aug 2021 • Couples
Great experience! The coffee tour guide was so informative about both coffee and Hawaii. We spent ~45mins there which felt perfect (20min tour, 20mins of chatting/learning from their incredible staff!).
Written August 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Bean-Buggles
Plumsteadville, PA357 contributions
Location in the cloud forest is amazing
Aug 2021 • Friends
The drive to this plantation is thru tropical vegetation at 3200ft elevation. We arrived at opening to avoid the crowds and rain that usually start around 11am. We were warmly greeted by the staff and Margie the cat. They had three coffee samples out to try. A brief tour was given every 30 minutes explaining the coffee growing, harvesting, and roasting processes. The equipment is right at the entrance so the tour does not venture into the farm, which was a disappointment. There is a short self guided Nature Trail that you can pay for at the gift shop for $10, which we enjoyed. The viewing deck at the end of the trail is nice. They also have a lava tube you can view from the walk but you cannot enter. The gift shop is nice with lots of items available. Even though the tour wasn’t thru the farm and only 3 varieties were available for tasting, we really liked the location in the cloud forest, the taste of the coffee, the gift shop, and the nature trail. If it weren’t Covid-times, the UTV tour would have been great to do. If you only have time to visit one coffee farm during your visit, carefully research the different farms, their tour options, and hours as some are closed certain days of the week. Use Trip Advisor to get an idea of what the tour is like during Covid as many farms have cut back significantly. While we were at Mountain Thunder we were surprised that people were taking cabs to get to the plantation because they didn’t have a rental car. It’s a very short visit since the tour is brief and only three varieties were available for tasting. We stayed about 45 minutes really taking our time. At Greenwell’s we stayed two hours. Again, just weigh your options and fo your research. The location at Mountain Thunder is beautiful and we were happy to visit and spend time here.
Written August 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Lauren
Monticello, FL12 contributions
Great Farm and Awesome People!
Aug 2021 • Family
Loved this coffee farm! We were greeted immediately and given an overview of what to expect. The coffee is delicious! The free tour was very interesting and our guide was great! Her family has worked on coffee farms for a few generations. We did not feel like we needed to go on the nature walk after spending time with her. Nice gift shop with coffees and teas. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there! Mahalo!
Written August 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Nancy T
Herndon, VA85 contributions
Wonderful stop with coffee and nature!
Aug 2021
This was a lovely spot to taste/drink coffee, chat with the employees, and see the cloud forest (very foggy when we were there). My young men (18, 23) really enjoyed their time there as well and bought their favorite coffee from the tastings. I learned a lot about Kona coffee and how it is harvested and sold. Recommend highly.
Written August 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
ivanoei
San Diego22 contributions
Let's talk and drink Kona coffee!
Jul 2021
It was pouring when we visited. Masako greeted us at the street with a big smile and two umbrellas. We passed on the self-guided tour; we didn't need to see the grounds. We just wanted to talk coffee and taste it and we did a lot of both. We really appreciated the personal attention. Coffee was very good, btw - properly brewed, served hot so as to give a sense real and full flavor of Kona coffee.
Written July 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
TravelingGuy60
70 contributions
Loved it
Jul 2021 • Family
This place allows free coffee testing (100 % Kona coffee, not coffee with a few percent of the real stuff). Then, for $10 per group, you can take a self-guided tour of a beautiful spot, which is partly tropical rain forest and partly covered with coffee trees.
Written July 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
txstransplantnomore
Texas208 contributions
Cloud rain forest AND awesome coffee!
Jun 2021 • Family
Amazing cloud rain forest experience! The drive up into the forest is lush with thick trees and ferns. We went in the afternoon when it was pouring rain ( as it does every day) and the owners greeted us with umbrellas and coffee! We got a short overview of how coffee is harvested ( hand picked) and processed. There is a self guided walk through the forest with labeled trees and lava tubes ( “really cool” said our teen). The only challenge is how steep it is getting down to the trail ( definitely need shoes. NOT flip flops).
Great coffee, great experience. Worth the stop!
( tip: if you go in the mornings between 8-9am the view of the ocean is reportedly spectacular)
Great coffee, great experience. Worth the stop!
( tip: if you go in the mornings between 8-9am the view of the ocean is reportedly spectacular)
Written June 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
michelebaldwin46
Okinawa Prefecture, Japan10 contributions
Is there a cab that would be able to take us to Thunder Mountain coffee farm from the Norwegian cruise line?
John
Peoria, Arizona, United States49 contributions
If the ship visits Kona its just a short Uber or Taxi ride. If the Ship visits Hilo there are plenty of neat things to see on that side of the island that you should see. Although the coffee plantation is fun I am not sure I would use up most of a day in port to travel to and from.
RedRose
London, UK84 contributions
If i dont have a car, how easy is it to get a taxi to and from the plantation and will it be expensive? How likely is it that i will be able to share a cab with others on the way back.
gr8passage
United States686 contributions
I am in agreement with the previous reply; this is an out-of-the-way place. This is a very small coffee plantation with a small gift shop so I am not sure if it would be worth the price of a cab (though you are not saying where you would be taking the cab from - if downtown Kona - yes, it would be expensive). I would consider checking on other plantations you might visit that might be easier to get to. From my observation, the few other people who were there when we were had their own vehicles so I would not count on cab sharing with anyone.
Marielena66
Boston, MA26 contributions
So It's August 2017, and Mountain Thunder is open and selling coffee, but I just read of the financial issues and the brief closure in January of 2017. I am assuming that the company is under new management. Does anyone know whether the payment issues have bee resolved? Apparently they owed farmers for cherries that they acquired from them. I am loving the coffee, but I will look for another source if these folks are crooked.
cheeshead2010
Madison, WI4 contributions
Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation's ownership changed in April of 2017. The previous owner has no connection to the farm. Mountain Thunder coffee is available at the farm and online at Mountain Thunder's website.
Honu_Ohana
Washington DC, DC17,989 contributions
So the place has reportedly been liquidated per Star-Advertiser May 1 2017,
and some reviews refer to new owners.
Who are they? Is the coffee grown the same places and roasted the same as before? Buyer find out...
cheeshead2010
Madison, WI4 contributions
Yes, you will find the same great quality Mountain Thunder coffee coming from the farm and processing facility. The ownership did change, but most of the other elements of the farm and facilities are the same, though some have said the quality of the coffee and farm visit experience have improved.
Purpletammy
Barry, IL1 contribution
What is the cost of the "fee" tour?
Mountain T
Kona, HI
The VIP tours (i think that's what you mean by "fee" tours) are longer, and more in- depth, price ranging from $65-$199.
for more info, please visit our website... there is a link on our TripAdvisor page.
Mahalo
327mae
Gaylord, MI15 contributions
where do we get bus tickets to cross the bridge
Mike M
Naples, FL33 contributions
I didn't cross any toll bridge when I went to Thunder Mountain. I drove a rental car. I doubt that there is a public bus to Thunder Mountain. If you mean tickets for a tour to Thunder Mountain, most tour companies offer coffee tours , check with tour desk at hotel or call Thunder Mountain directly. By the way there are two types of tours at Thunder Mountain. A free one lasting about an hour and stays at the office and shop at entrance and a fee tour that is a longer and more in depth tour involving walking thru the trees etc.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation
- Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation is open:
- Sun - Sat 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
- Hotels near Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation:
- (0.02 mi) Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation Retreat with FREE 4x4 Tour
- (2.67 mi) Honu Kai B&B
- (3.09 mi) Hawaiian Oasis B&B
- (3.07 mi) Lilikoi Inn
- (1.01 mi) Carson's Mountain Cabin with hot tub and fireplace! Special winter deal....
- Restaurants near Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation:
- (5.29 mi) One Aloha Shave Ice Co
- (5.49 mi) Kona Coffee Cafe
- (5.56 mi) Gypsea Gelato
- (5.43 mi) Scandinavian Shave Ice
- (5.65 mi) Basik Acai