Chocolate Tour

The chocolate bean, which is harvested from the cacao tree, has a long history in Costa Rica.

The beans were originally used as currency during pre-Columbian times by indigenous tribes. Cacao was one of the major crops in Costa Rica until the introduction of coffee and tobacco in the late 1700's. It remained an important export well into the 1900's until a fungus swept through the plantations, killing more than 70% of the cacao trees in Costa Rica.

The majority of Costa Rica's cacao is harvested in the Caribbean lowlands where plentiful rainfall and land aid in cacao growth. It is a shade-grown crop, and one of the few agricultural industries that does not necessitate deforestation. As a result, much of Costa Rica's wildlife and migrant bird species are finding shelter in the rejuvenating cacao plantations.