Coffee farm tour in afternoon near Kailua-Kona pier?

We%26#39;re arriving Kailua-Kona via a cruise ship. After morning activities (diving/snorkelling), would like to go to a coffee farm tour in the mid-afternoon before having to catch the tender (latest 4:30pm) back to ship.

Renting a van seems quite a hassle in Kailua-Kona with the infrequent shuttle pickup-return to the airport 8 miles away.

Are there some shuttles by the pier we can catch easily to go to a Kona coffee farm tour? How far and how long would that take? Or does the ';Kona'; coffee area start much further south?

Thanks a lot.

Coffee farm tour in afternoon near Kailua-Kona pier?

Aloha......

No tour I know of does this as a singular event...it is a 15 to 20 mile drive one way to the coffee estates....... you could do it in 45 min each way, unless between 2 to 5 pm...when the roads get crowded and time may double.

CHeck with the ship and see what they might have in the way of custom tours.......but to do all you want is not possible....for the right price doors can open........

Well ,it could posible if you had unlimited funds and could hire limos, boats and guides as a private affair........want to drop 2 grand...

Slow down......coffee...diving...snorkel in less than 7 hours is a lot......each is a full 1/2 day dedicated trip....so realize you are wanting to do 160% of a normal day in 7 hours

Hd

Coffee farm tour in afternoon near Kailua-Kona pier?

So it sounds like the coffee farms are too far south of the pier. And the driving sounds slow. Shucks.

I am looking for economical ways to experience the best of Kona, fully utilizing the short time on land. Ha no, I don%26#39;t have two grand though.

When we went to Disney %26amp; Universal, I researched ahead and then ran all over getting express passes, so wife and kids could enjoy many rides and shows without long line-ups. Guess that%26#39;s hard to do in Kona. Arrgh, why do K-bay and the coffee farms have to be so far from the Kailua pier. (Thanks Hawaiidan)

Where are you going to dive/snorkel, and how are you getting there? That would help in figuring out if there%26#39;s a nearby coffee farm or other point of interest that you could see before getting back on the ship.

Aloha Midddleager, there are two nice coffee farms S of Kona within driving distance. Bay View Farms and Sugai. They both give tours and I have been to both. They are located S of the Keauhou Shopping Center. After a morning of diving you could make the coffee farm in time. Both have web sites and directions of how to get there. I agree renting a car is a hassle and not time effective. A cab might be the ans. My group took a cab to play golf from Waikola to Hapuna that%26#39;s about as far as you are going. It didn%26#39;t cost $$$$$.

';Where are you going to dive/snorkel, and how are you getting there? That would help in figuring out if there%26#39;s a nearby coffee farm or other point of interest that you could see before getting back on the ship.';

I%26#39;m arranging the diving/snorkeling but it%26#39;ll be near the Kailua-Kona pier. A few shops are at the Honakohou harbour 2 mi. north. I might just have to rent a van to get there. If so, we%26#39;ll have a van to drive south in mid-afternoon, before getting back to pier by 4pm (latest 4:30pm to catch last tender).

The shops all say they do not determine where to go, until they hit the water and decide depending on weather, water condition and other factors.

I just learned there are some 700 Kona coffee farms (not all have full operation)?!

Hmmm. If you think you will be renting a van anyway, perhaps you want to consider driving a little bit south and taking a tour to snorkel at Captain Cook Monument. If you search this forum, you%26#39;ll find tons of information on Captain Cook, considered by many to be one of the best snorkeling sites in the state of Hawaii. I snorkeled there, and it was the best I have experienced anywhere. If you do a morning snorkel tour there (Dolphin Discoveries, Sea Quest, and Fair Wind seem to be the companies mentioned most often on this site), you will have the afternoon to tour some coffee farms between there and Kona. There was a fairly recent post with coffee farm suggestions; try searching this forum. We visited Holualoa Coffee Company in Holualoa (http://www.konalea.com/), on route 180, just inland from Kona. Holualoa seems to be a bit of an artist colony, too. There are little art galleries that you can visit in addition to coffee farms. Another great place to visit in terms of historical significance and natural beauty is just a little bit south of Captain Cook: Pu%26#39;uhonua o Honaunau, or the Place of Refuge (for info: http://www.nps.gov/puho/).

Aloha!

Aloha.....

I think you will have a better time if you slow down and do less and see more....you can come back you know.

By doing too much you might compromise all the things you want.... Just a thought...... your not on a Marathon or in competition except with your self........ HD

If visiting a coffee farm is a real must do for you, or someone in your party, why not go while on the BI and snorkel at another stop that doesn%26#39;t have coffee farms?

Just a thought........

I respectfully disagree with HawaiiDan. A coffee tour is not an activity that takes an entire day (you%26#39;re talking an hour tops). And it%26#39;s certainly not rigorous. Seems like a perfect afternoon activity after some morning snorkeling. And Kona coffee is the perfect souvenir to take away from port. Alternatively, a picnic lunch and a stroll around the Place of Refuge would be another great way to while the afternoon away (if you spend the AM at Captain Cook).

Hi there! Rent a van from ENTERPRISE, which has a location right near the pier---they%26#39;ll come and ';PICK YOU UP!'; and then drop you off afterwards. Just reserve the car, then when you board the tender, give them a buzz and they%26#39;ll meet you there.

Suggest doing the coffee tour first, focusing on the HOLUALOA area, which is right above Kona town---just take Papalani or Henry st. up to the mountains, then take a right, and look for the HOLUALOA SIGN. You%26#39;ll find a few wonderful ';estate'; coffee farms like BLUE SKY and HOLUALOA, plus a few others, and the 100% kona coffee is SO GOOD! You can try free samples, and then just have your faves mailed home. I%26#39;d skip the more touristy coffee tours that are more towards South Kona---not enough time to do it right, and you won%26#39;t have time to snorkel, hit the beach, etc. Just my opinion...