Switzerland,
July 2017
Our group trip began in Zürich, with some delicious food and confectionery as we walked the city, enjoying everything from Läderach to Sprüngli, and marveling at the incredible drinking fountains and beautiful river and lake views. We then drove to Ibach and had an incredibly unique tour of the legendary Felchlin factory before settling in the prealps of Gruyere and visiting Cailler, as well as Choba Choba and Garcoa in Bern.
And whoa...I almost forgot Neuchatel! Sunita's dad was born and raised in Neuchatel, and overall this was absolutely a trip celebrating the sheer beauty of Switzerland, and enjoying all the chocolate and cheese we could handle. Don't miss the soon-to-be-released episode over at our Chocumentaries page!
Oahu, Hawaii,
March 2017
Since fully half of our guide team (that's Seneca :) lives in Hawaii, this trip was simply a must. (And no doubt we will be offering more Hawaii travel and activity, so keep an eye out!)
For this group trip we stayed exclusively on Oahu, visiting farms and factories alike, with a particular focus on Manoa Chocolate and Lonohana. We got to spend time with some of Hawaii's rapidly growing cacao and chocolate community, as well as some incredible island food and drink. And of course there was some beach time allocated too, as the sunset below attests...
Cuba,
December 2016
This was a totally amazing trip, and sadly (due to the political climate here in the US), one we may not be repeating anytime soon. We travelled practically the breadth of Cuba, visiting everywhere from the cacao and coffee growing region of Baracoa, to Santiago de Cuba, Viñales, and of course la Habana.
Sadly, this trip happened mere months after hurricane Matthew ravaged eastern Cuba (the eye passed directly over Baracoa), but our intrepid travelers got to experience the incredible hospitality and resilience of the Cuban people, even in the face of distress and destruction.
All in all, we had an incredible time, sharing Cuban rum, chocolate and cigars all along the way. We hope that politics will get back to a more positive engagement and that we can make a return...
Nicaragua was our first Happy Chocolate Experiences trip, and it's also the first destination that we are repeating, with a return trip in April, 2018! We're super excited to get back and see our friends in Matagalpa, Managua and Grenada, and see a couple new tree-to-bar projects that have cropped up within the past two years.
Nica is an amazing and beautiful country, absolutely full of cacao and chocolate knowledge, culture and history. We swam in lakes and waterfalls, drank absolutely delicious rum, visited cacao farms that are cutting edge, and had some a precolumbian feast that was out of this world. Can't wait to go back!
