Chocolate Dreams, A Willy Wonka Jungle
It’s our last couple days in the Bocas Del Toro area and we’ve been bobbing about at anchor anxiously waiting on the chocolate farm to re-open (they were closed for an ‘off-season’ spruce up). There was no way we were leaving this region without first seeing how the world’s most delectable treat is born.
We didn’t have many expectations beyond seeing how cacao is grown and then turned into the chocolate bars we love to devour. But, our experience was so much more than a standard farm tour.
The jungle is a real-life Willy Wonka golden ticket experience. It seems everything around us is scratch, sniff, taste and savor…even edible bees!?!
The only thing that could have made this day any better would’ve been if the sloths and monkeys stood up and started singing ♫ oompa loompa doompadee doo ♫ …now that would have been a surreal Wonka experience!
Jason wasn’t kidding about chocolate dreams coming true. We watched a TV show over 10 years ago called Eco Trip where they toured a chocolate farm for a bean-to-bar episode. Ever since then we’ve known as soon as the opportunity presented itself we’d be first in line to experience cacao in the flesh. Even after years of anticipation we had a blast and enjoyed every nib. YUM!
Cacao Farm Info
There are a couple of different chocolate farms in the Bocas Del Toro area, and everyone we talked to had nothing but good things to say about them all. Because we were anchored just off of Isla Bastimentos, La Loma Chocolate Farm was so incredibly close it was a no-brainer. It’s a short dinghy ride from Curiosity which saved us a few extra bucks by not having to take a water taxi to another island. The tour was $15 and lasted about an hour and a half. Adding lunch onto the cost of the tour was an additional $10, which we all highly recommend! We didn’t inquire about prices on the lodges, but all the booking info is on their website: thejunglelodge.com
Sailing Report
- Date: September 20, 2017
- Anchorage: Just outside Red Frog Resort on Isla Bastimentos
