Big Island Bees is a family-owned and operated business. The store and museum is open to the public (including tours) and is a great opportunity to find out how honey is produced, and made into a variety of different products.
Big Island Bees is located just south of Captain Cook on the way down to Kealakekua Bay and has been operating since 1972.
The honey comes directly from the hives on the property and the hives are cared for without any kind of artificial feeds or chemicals. They produce two varieties of honey which are certified-organic (Lehua and Wilelaiki).
You can visit the store and museum and enjoy free tastings, or take a tour (there are two tours a day, at 10am and 1pm – the tour lasts about an hour and costs $30 per adult).
Each jar contains raw, unfiltered honey. They produce three different single-floral varietals. Each of these varieties comes from one source of nectar that the bees visit at different locations on the island at different times of year. The variation in each source of nectar gives the honey its distinct flavor.
The different types of honey include Lehua (from the Lehua blossoms on the ‘Ohi’a tree), macadamia nut (from the blossoms on macadamia nut trees) and Wilelaiki (from the blossoms of the Christmasberry trees) – all of which grow here on the island.
Other products containing honey include soap, balms, and even honey-flavored coffee.
The museum has a variety of beekeeping artifacts. If you take the tour you will get up close to the bees by experiencing an open beehive demonstration.
Even if you aren’t interested in the tour the store and museum make for an interesting stop on the way down to Two Steps or Kealakekua Bay.
When and where?
Big Island Bees
Store and Museum – open Monday to Friday 10am – 3pm.
Beekeeping Tours
Monday to Friday, 10am & 1pm
82-1140 Meli Road, Suite 102
Captain Cook, HI 96704
Don’t use GPS to get there, follow the instructions below:
Take Napoopoo Road off Highway 11, immediately south of mile marker 111. Continue on Napoopoo Road for approximately 4.5 miles. Turn right at the stop sign to continue on Napoopoo Road. Turn right at Big Island Bees sign immediately past Hawaiian Host Macadamia Factory and Kealakekua Estates (Meli Road). Follow winding lane 2/10 mile and turn right at our gate, where you will find a parking lot in the front.
Author: Angus Meek
