- Address: 129-4050 Alajuela, Costa Rica
- Phone: 011-506-2440-5152, 011-506-2440-6623
- Website: http://dokaestate.com/
- E-mail: info@dokaestate.com
- Opening hours: 7.00 - 17.00
According to some economists, Costa Rica has not, like Nicaragua, evolved into a "banana republic", mainly due to one particular industry - coffee production. It is known all over the world, because only here, thanks to the unique level of soil acidity and climate, "Arabica" can be produced of the highest quality. About one of the main coffee plantations of the country we will talk further.
More about the plantation
The most famous in Costa Rica coffee plantation - Doc - is on the slopes of the Poas volcano . Fertile soil allows you to grow anything, including the best coffee. The Dock plantation has been operating for more than 70 years, it belongs to the Vargas Ruiz family, which was the pioneer of coffee cultivation and processing in Costa Rica . Doka Estate owns 32 farms, 1,600 hectares of land, more than 250 people work here on a permanent basis.
Excursions for tourists
During the tour, you can observe the entire way that coffee makes before getting to the store shelves. You will learn about the growing of "seedlings", the soil used for germinating grains, and the soil that is most favorable for growing the highest quality coffee, about how the climate and altitude affect the taste characteristics, etc. You will also learn that the collection of grains that ripen between November and March is done exclusively by hand. You will be told about the calibration of grains and their further processing: fermentation, drying, grinding and, of course, roasting.
After the tour you can taste local coffee in a cafe or buy coffee and souvenirs in a small shop. The most original souvenir - coffee beans peaberry beans, which are not familiar to us halves, and whole grains. On the territory of the plantation there is a restaurant in which you will be offered not only a fragrant drink, but also some dishes of national cuisine . It's called La Cajuela.
To the tourist on a note
You should visit the Doc's coffee plantation in any case - no matter when you visit Costa Rica . However, if you arrive here in the period from November to March, you will have a chance to see how the coffee is collected. You should wear pants and comfortable shoes (you'll have to walk a lot) and grab a light jacket, because at altitude it can be quite cool.
You can buy a tour of the plantation in almost any hotel in the capital of Costa Rica ; if you decide to go to the farm yourself, you can take a bus that goes to the Poas volcano from San Jose , the travel costs about 3 US dollars.
Not far from the plantation is the city of Alajuela , which also has many interesting sights .
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