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KONA FOODIE TOUR

Our Holland America excursion “The Kona Foodie Tour” would depart from the pier at 12:30 PM.  Not having to rush in the morning to catch an early tour makes for a more pleasant start to the day.

Kona is a tender port, and tender tickets were distributed according to the protocol established during our first port call to Avalon.  Four- and five-star Mariners would assemble in the BB King Lounge while everyone else would get tickets at the Billboard on Board showroom.  We have yet to get a tender ticket as we have always left the ship late enough that tickets were no longer required.

By the time we are ready to go ashore, around 10 AM, they had already called for open tendering, which means tickets were no longer required due to low demand.  The tender ride from the ship to the pier was less than 10 minutes.

Our tour wouldn’t depart for another hour after we arrived ashore.  Many restaurants and shops line the waterfront near the tender pier and we browsed several of the nearby shops.  You can easily spend your day just wandering from one end of the harbor to the other.

Walmart is about a mile away.  I didn’t see any signs about a shuttle bus, but one has been available on past visits.

At 12:30 PM we returned to the tent on the tender pier and met the rest of the group that we would be joining on the Kona Foodie Tour.  The tour is operated by a company called “Kona Tasting Tours”.  Here is a link to their website.  If you are here on a cruise ship day all the capacity will be booked by the ship and you’ll pay a premium for the convenience offered by Holland America.  If you are ever here independently then this is a great activity you can book on your own.

Experiencing a port by visiting several restaurants, accompanied by a knowledgeable and interesting guide, creates lasting memories.  As we casually walk between restaurants, we enjoy meeting and mingling with fellow passengers and travelers.  Whenever I am planning a day’s activities, I always look for food or cooking tours.

Here is the official description for the Kona Foodie Tour from the Holland America Excursion Catalog.

Set off from the pier on a walking tour to experience the best restaurants in Kona, some of which were featured on the show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives! Kona is a foodie’s paradise; immerse yourself in the Kona food scene, with stops at restaurants on beautiful Ali’i Drive. Each restaurant will be serving a delicious dish that will delight your senses. The focus is on local, fresh ingredients, with an emphasis on the fresh fish that Kona is known for.

Enjoy wonderful drink pairings with your tastings, featuring Hawaiian cocktails, local beer and fabulous wine.

In addition to tasting fabulous food and drinks, you will also learn about Kona’s fascinating and colorful history, focusing on the powerful Kings and Queens of the past and the interesting stories behind the origins and successes of the restaurants you will visit.

Your tour will end approximately one mile from the pier, allowing you time to explore on your own as you make your way back to the ship at your leisure.

The head guide, Kris, met us under the tent near the tender pier and introduced his assistants Ani and Keli.  There were 12 guests in our group.

We would visit seven restaurants.  Here is the handout listing them along with the featured items we would be sampling.  We covered about 1 mile at an easy walking pace over level sidewalks.  Elevators were available when we visited Fosters Kitchen which was on the second floor.

The tour ends at Gypsea Gelato, about 7/10 of a mile from the tender landing.  Keep that in mind as you plan your day.

After some opening remarks and a brief history of Kona and Hawaii, we headed to the Fish Hopper to enjoy their Clam Chowder which won the award for the Best Chowder on the Island four years in a row.  At each stop, Kris would provide some insight about the food we would sample along with information about the history of the establishment.  We spent about 15 minutes at each stop.

On the way to Tasty Kona, Kris briefly stopped at Moku’aikaua Church – which was the first church in all of the Hawaiian islands.

Tasty Kona wasn’t a restaurant, but a boutique that specializes in artisan-made treats and gift items from Hawaii and intentionally selected items from small businesses around the world.  We sampled some chocolate and iced tea – which were fresh and delicious.  Judy bought some Honey Vanilla Macadamia Nut Butter.

Many Mai Tai’s have a lot of sugar and are quite sweet. The Kona Inn’s Mai Tai’s use dark rum and fresh juice which form a delicious combination producing a fresh, clean taste.  The warm and welcoming lobby is decorated with large fish hung near the ceiling with information on the weight of the fish and who caught it.  The Kona Inn has 20 rooms and is usually booked months in advance.

The Pa’akai Poke Deli is a block off the main street and features Ahi Poke, Mac Salad, and Rice.  We enjoyed a small sample plate that had an interesting combination of fresh flavors.

Continuing down Ali’I drive we enjoyed Kona Coast Avocado Fries at Papa Konas.  Spectacular views in an open-air setting created a relaxing environment to enjoy the deep-fried Avocados with a crisp coating.  A fresh Ube-be cocktail made with coconut rum and Ube syrup was a perfect compliment.  Judy enjoyed a non-alcoholic Ube-be cocktail and pronounced it tasty.

Our final hot food stop was Fosters Kitchen, located on the second floor.  They served craft beer with a sample of their fish and chips.  The fish was perfectly cooked with a light batter that had a slight crunch.   The craft beer was crisp and fresh, and the combination was clean and refreshing.  If you want some of the best Fish and Chips anywhere – head to Fosters Kitchen.

Our tour ended at Gypsea Gelato which featured a nice selection of homemade Gelato made with local ingredients.  I enjoyed the salted caramel and mint chocolate chip.

On the way back to the tender pier we stopped by the Kona Farmers Market.  There was one stall with fresh produce with the remainder selling locally made handicrafts.  Worth a stop.

Quilt Passions sells quilting fabrics and a little yarn.  It’s a couple of blocks off Ali’I drive and there is a sign which will direct you down a path to the shop.  Running short on time, we made a quick stop.  The shop has a big selection of Hawaiian print & batik style fabrics to accompany their Tropical quilt patterns.  Definitely worth a stop for quilters.  The yarn selection in the back of the shop was limited.  Not too much need for cool weather sweaters in Kailua, Kona.

Tonight’s entertainer was British comedian Martin Beaumont.  We have seen him several times over the years and he always puts on a great show.