Forget the North Pole. When it comes to luxury gift-giving, the Big Island should be your first stop. Check out my holiday gift guide – featuring local artisans, businesses, and more.
Kona Coffee
The first recommendation on my list is pretty obvious, and for good reason. Kona coffee is very local, very tasty, and very lauded in the specialty coffee world.
If you really want to please the coffee lover in your life, look for the exclusive 100% Peaberry Kona Coffee. This rare harvest produces an indulgent bean known as the “champagne” of coffee.
Local tip: only purchase coffee labeled 100% Kona Coffee. Coffee listed as single-sourced or estate-grown is your best option for the purest taste and richest flavor profile. Kona coffee “blends” won’t give you the true experience. (And they might not even contain many Kona beans.)
Rare Hawaiian Honey
Hawaii produces one of the rarest honeys in the world: white Kiawe honey. If you thought honey was honey, think again. This Hawaiian delicacy will wow the foodies in your family or friend groups.
What makes this honey so special? Bees in the Puako forest collect nectar almost exclusively from Kiawe trees. Monoflower Kiawe honey is white, smooth, and creamy with a unique flavor.
Kiawe honey is perfect as a sweet treat or as a gourmet ingredient. The Rare Hawaiian Honey Company also offers exquisite honey blends with additions like lilikoi, lavender, and macadamia. Mouthwatering decisions – fortunately, they also sell gift baskets.
Christmas Spirits
Thirty minutes north of Kona, Kuleana Rum Works distills high-quality rum that’s sure to impress even the Scroogiest of Scrooges on your list.
Gift the Hawaiian Rum Agricole for ultra-local flavor. One of the rarest rums in the world, this signature spirit uses fresh juice from estate-grown Hawaiian heirloom sugarcane. Perfect for sipping or mixing into world-class cocktails.
Need something special for the office party? Pick up a mixed case from Kona Brewing Co. Having achieved worldwide popularity, these craft beers blend exceptional brewing with ultimate drinkability.
Experience
Not sure what to get the person who has everything? Or the person who simply won’t tell you what they want? (We’re looking at you, dads.)
Give them an experience, Hawaii style. For the thrill seekers, gift them a zipline through a rainforest or a helicopter ride over lava fields.
Pro tip: buy them multiple tickets and let them know you’re happy to keep them company.
For folks who like to sit back and relax, a meal at one of Kona’s finest restaurants never goes amiss.
A Piece of Paradise
Don’t forget to grab a little something for yourself. If you’re gifting these Hawaiian delights to your friends and family, I can only assume you have a soft spot for island life.
Why not use the season of gift-giving as an excuse to buy that vacation home you’ve always wanted? Give me a call to start shopping for Big Island property. Let’s make this holiday season one to remember.
Aloha, and welcome to Hawaii.