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Kotowa Coffee Tour: Traveller Reviews

Tinamou cottage, Boquete, Panama
(507) 720 3852
Ranked #9 of 10 tours in Boquete
4.5 of 5 stars 8 Reviews
Type: Tours
Useful Information: Bathroom facilities, Stairs / lift
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8 reviews from our community

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zoe223
New York, NY
Contributor
16 reviews
4 helpful votes
“Great tour and tour guide”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 June 2010
1
person found this review helpful

We did the Bocas tour with Hans from Coffee Adventures. He was extremely nice, flexible, and knowledgeable, which made our tour a big success. I was amazed at how much there is to know and learn about coffee! Hans asked us questions and picked up on things we said to make sure he showed us things that we were most interested in. He was also a great resource on Panama in general and gave lots of great advice and tips along the way.
We used the tour as a way to get to Bocas, which was our next destination - we were so glad we did. It was a much better use of our day than flying around to get to Bocas or spending many hours on the bus. This is definitely the way to go.
We didn't stay at the cottages he and his wife run, but I can only imagine that they are also fantastic.

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dmay891
dmay891
Reviewer
3 reviews
4 helpful votes
“Amazing Coffee Tour, you can't leave Boquete with out going on this tour!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 December 2009

Our tour was amazing. Hans picked us up at the Hotel, and drove us up to the Kotowa farm. We toured the coffee plants and then he walked us through the processing plant. He explained in great detail all of the intricate parts of the Kotowa process. Then he brought us to the original mill that was used to process the coffee when the farm was first established.

The best part of the tour is the tasting at the end. The tasting room was built off of the old mill and feels like you have stepped into an old wood cabin. Hans started brewing some coffee and we all sat at the bar. He went through each different type of roast, along with smell tests. His attention to detail and his vast knowledge of coffee makes the experience even better. Once the coffee was brewed he poured a sample of each roast into a cup for you to smell, slurp, and sip. This is when it all really made since, the different levels of acid and bitterness are really exposed through the slurp. Hans said "he only needed three hours to ruin your old cup of coffee," he was right. We ended up buying a bunch of coffee and everyone we have given it to has said it is the best they have ever had.

If you are a coffee snob or a coffee novice (like myself) this is a great tour for you. Hans can walk you through the process or talk great detail with the aficionados.

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Sashcc
Hoboken, NJ
1 review
“Phenomenal tour guide... I never knew coffee could be so interesting!!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 December 2009

My husband and I went on the Kotowa Coffee Tour with Hans. We were left not being able to drink coffee the same way – which is a good thing!! Not only is the Kotowa coffee plantation and processing mill an intriguing lesson in coffee - it is also a glimpse into the important history of coffee production in Panama, and a lesson in how a big, successful business can also be incredibly environmentally and socially responsible. I would highly recommend this tour to every person visiting the Boquete region.

It must be said that we actually booked Han's coffee tour after two other experiences with he and his wife's tour company, Coffee Adventures. We first booked the Bocas adventure transfer sightseeing tour from Almirante to Boquete as it looked like an interesting alternative from taking a flight from Bocas to Boquete. It was so much more. Our day trip was filled with amazing sightseeing, at least a dozen stops, and a complete history lesson of the country. We asked a ton of questions and Hans had a remarkable grasp on all different aspects of Panama. Some of the highlights included stopping at a Panamanian roadstop restaurant that served the freshest and tastiest Chinese food we have had to date, visiting a Ngobe Bugle Indian village where we were shown an organic cacao farm and invited into the owner's home to learn how to process raw chocolate from fruit to bar, crossing the Continental Divide and witnessing the dynamic changing weather patterns, and seeing so many inspiring aspects of daily Panamanian life. It was, without a doubt, one of the major highlights of our trip.

We then decided - upon our arrival to Boquete - to see if Hans would take us hiking in the cloud forest. Thankfully, he obliged. Upon waking early, we went on a half-day hike with Hans where we were blessed with clear weather and had amazing views. Again, Hans impressed with his vast knowledge of both the history of the cloud forest and the various fauna, birds and other wildlife that we saw there. On the way back to town, Hans gave us fantastic recommendations of what to do in Boquete... including the idea to dine at what would be our favorite place to eat in Boquete - Ou La La.

I cannot find one negative thing to say about Hans and Coffee Adventures. They are one of a kind and an absolute delight to work with. They are reliable, fun, very informative, and so much in love with Panama. I would highly recommend that anyone going to the area look them up. Also - while we did not stay at their guesthouse, Tinamou Cottages, I would definitely look into staying there if/when we return. After our adventures with Hans, I am more than confident that one would find the highest level of accommodation there.

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OFIUSA
Madrid
1 review
“Si quieres saber sobre el mundo del café, son tu mejor opción!!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 November 2009
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