Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitor Center

Plantation and garden tour of the world’s most famous producer of Macadamia nuts.

The only negative thing we can say about the Mauna Loa Macadamia plantation and factory tour is that they do not give away any free samples. This is quite forgiveable because of the high cost of growing and processing these nuts as well as the high retail value. Nonetheless, there are some really great "freebies" to be had at Mauna Loa.

Factory Tour
Right across from the store is the factory where the nuts are received, shelled, and packed. The factory tour, which we highly recommend, does not actually take you into the factory. Instead, you are able to look into the factory through huge picture windows lining one side of the facility. Alongside the windows are signs that explain each part of the process that you are witnessing. You get to see everything from the area where raw nuts are received to the conveyor belts that whisk the sealed cans to the truck loading bays. Probably the most remarkable aspect of the factory is just how labor intensive the process is: much of the nut inspection and certain packaging functions must be done by hand.

Don't Miss The Nature Walk
The most interesting thing at Mauna Loa was the nature walk right behind the factory store. This walk has little to do with Macadamia nuts. Instead, the Mauna Loa folks have planted trees and other plants that produce some of our favorites foods, including bananas, sugar cane, pineapples, ginger, star fruit, guava, breadfruit, coconuts, and taro (used to make poi, an important part of traditional Hawaiian cuisine). In many ways, this little grove is superior to the botanical gardens at Nani Mau Gardens because you are able to see the trees in a relatively natural setting rather than in a very artificial setting reminiscent of Disneyland. The free admission, of course, beats the $7.50 cost at Nani Mau. On the other hand, Mauna Loa planted few flowers here, so you would have to go to Nani Mau to see our flowering friends.

Orchard Tours
Mauna Loa offers 45 minute tram tours of the Macadamia Tree grove at a cost of $5 for adults and $3 for children. The tour is fun, but we recommend that you pass on it, especially if you are pressed for time, because you will see plenty of Macadamia trees as you drive the mile long private road from the highway to the factory. Mauna Loa livens up this drive through the grove with signs that tell you interesting fun facts, such as:

• The Macadamia nut (like the pineapple) is not indigenous to Hawaii. It originated in Australia.
• The grove has 2,500 acres and includes 225,000 trees
• The Mauna Loa company sells 23 million pounds of nuts each year.

Another fun part of the drive to the factory is the names the company gave to the company’s private roads, such as Nutcracker Drive and Honey Roasted Lane. (Actually, if Mauna Loa is like any corporation that we have ever worked for, they should have called their corporate offices "The Nut House." Unfortunately, we found no such place.)

Getting There
The visitor center is located on Macadamia Road off Highway 11 in Hilo, The Big Island of Hawaii. It is approximately 5 miles south of Hilo and 20 miles north of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. If you keep your eyes open for the sign for Macadamia Road, you can’t miss it. Hours: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, daily. Call 808-966-8618 for more information.

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