Kona Coffee Belt

The Kona Coffee Belt is the narrow band of upland on the western slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa, between roughly 700 and 2,500 feet of elevation, where conditions are right for some of the best Arabica coffee in the world. The whole belt runs through the upland villages of Holualoa, Kainaliu and Captain Cook, a 30-minute drive south of Kailua-Kona.

Several hundred small farms produce Kona coffee, almost all of them family operations on a few acres. Many offer tastings and tours; Greenwell Farms, Mountain Thunder, Hula Daddy, and Sunshower Estate are among the better-known names. A visit usually combines a walking tour of the orchard, a roasting demonstration, and a tasting flight. The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival takes place in November during the harvest season, with farm-to-cup events across the whole belt.

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A story
Kona coffee earned its reputation by accident of geography. The strip of land between 700 and 2,500 feet on the western slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa has the right combination — volcanic soil, morning sun, afternoon clouds, and almost no frost — to produce one of the most consistently good Arabica coffees in the world. The strip is only about 30 miles long and a couple of miles wide, which is why genuine Kona is expensive and counterfeits are common.

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