This is the first "attraction"that I have been to that makes no effort to attract. To be honest, I can not review the tour itself it may have been great if we had actually managed to go on it. Our experience with this coffee plantation was not a positive one however. According to posters in Kotowas own visitor center on approach to Boquette, the tour started at 2pm, we inquired at the tourist visitor center desk about taking this tour and were told that we should call ahead and were given a phone number. As we did not have a phone, we asked if they had one we could use, the lady who was talking on a phone at the time said they did not. I asked if she could call for us, while still on the phone she said that she could not. The young woman then gave us a map and drew a rough sketch on how to find the place. This was at 11 am. After having a strawberry smothie con crema in the kotowa cafe there, which was by the way to die for, we headed out so that we could get there well ahead of time. This is a long story but after driving back and fourth many times up and down a very bad gravel and rock road and asking many people for directions, we finally arived 30 mins late for the tour. A worker there told us that we had only missed a few minutes and to go ahead and join the group but the guide who was stuffing her mouth with coffee beans or something and continued to talk to us with her mouth full, was obviously angered that we had not called ahead even though we had tried to book through their own visitor center and had been told by them how to get there. I explained that we had passed by the gate many times, but as there was not one sign anywhere indicating where the Kotowa farm was we had missed the entrance repeatedly. The woman then said that the owner valued his privacy, which made me wonder why have tours at all then, amyway we decided not to stay and the next day took a very enjoyable tour at Cafe Ruiz which by the way is right in the town of Boquette, well signed and very easy to find, we were able to walk right in and book a tour for that afternoon.
My recomendation, if you are going by yourself make sure to call ahead if you have access to a phone as this place is not user friendly and is almost impossible ti find, but save yourself the trouble and go to Cafe Ruiz

We did the Bocas tour with Hans from Coffee Adventures. He was extremely nice, flexible, and knowledgeable, which made our tour a big success. I was amazed at how much there is to know and learn about coffee! Hans asked us questions and picked up on things we said to make sure he showed us things that we were most interested in. He was also a great resource on Panama in general and gave lots of great advice and tips along the way.
We used the tour as a way to get to Bocas, which was our next destination - we were so glad we did. It was a much better use of our day than flying around to get to Bocas or spending many hours on the bus. This is definitely the way to go.
We didn't stay at the cottages he and his wife run, but I can only imagine that they are also fantastic.

Our tour was amazing. Hans picked us up at the Hotel, and drove us up to the Kotowa farm. We toured the coffee plants and then he walked us through the processing plant. He explained in great detail all of the intricate parts of the Kotowa process. Then he brought us to the original mill that was used to process the coffee when the farm was first established.

The best part of the tour is the tasting at the end. The tasting room was built off of the old mill and feels like you have stepped into an old wood cabin. Hans started brewing some coffee and we all sat at the bar. He went through each different type of roast, along with smell tests. His attention to detail and his vast knowledge of coffee makes the experience even better. Once the coffee was brewed he poured a sample of each roast into a cup for you to smell, slurp, and sip. This is when it all really made since, the different levels of acid and bitterness are really exposed through the slurp. Hans said "he only needed three hours to ruin your old cup of coffee," he was right. We ended up buying a bunch of coffee and everyone we have given it to has said it is the best they have ever had.

If you are a coffee snob or a coffee novice (like myself) this is a great tour for you. Hans can walk you through the process or talk great detail with the aficionados.

My husband and I went on the Kotowa Coffee Tour with Hans. We were left not being able to drink coffee the same way – which is a good thing!! Not only is the Kotowa coffee plantation and processing mill an intriguing lesson in coffee - it is also a glimpse into the important history of coffee production in Panama, and a lesson in how a big, successful business can also be incredibly environmentally and socially responsible. I would highly recommend this tour to every person visiting the Boquete region.

It must be said that we actually booked Han's coffee tour after two other experiences with he and his wife's tour company, Coffee Adventures. We first booked the Bocas adventure transfer sightseeing tour from Almirante to Boquete as it looked like an interesting alternative from taking a flight from Bocas to Boquete. It was so much more. Our day trip was filled with amazing sightseeing, at least a dozen stops, and a complete history lesson of the country. We asked a ton of questions and Hans had a remarkable grasp on all different aspects of Panama. Some of the highlights included stopping at a Panamanian roadstop restaurant that served the freshest and tastiest Chinese food we have had to date, visiting a Ngobe Bugle Indian village where we were shown an organic cacao farm and invited into the owner's home to learn how to process raw chocolate from fruit to bar, crossing the Continental Divide and witnessing the dynamic changing weather patterns, and seeing so many inspiring aspects of daily Panamanian life. It was, without a doubt, one of the major highlights of our trip.

We then decided - upon our arrival to Boquete - to see if Hans would take us hiking in the cloud forest. Thankfully, he obliged. Upon waking early, we went on a half-day hike with Hans where we were blessed with clear weather and had amazing views. Again, Hans impressed with his vast knowledge of both the history of the cloud forest and the various fauna, birds and other wildlife that we saw there. On the way back to town, Hans gave us fantastic recommendations of what to do in Boquete... including the idea to dine at what would be our favorite place to eat in Boquete - Ou La La.

I cannot find one negative thing to say about Hans and Coffee Adventures. They are one of a kind and an absolute delight to work with. They are reliable, fun, very informative, and so much in love with Panama. I would highly recommend that anyone going to the area look them up. Also - while we did not stay at their guesthouse, Tinamou Cottages, I would definitely look into staying there if/when we return. After our adventures with Hans, I am more than confident that one would find the highest level of accommodation there.