Coconut Sugar Plantation

At the coconut sugar plantation and production stop, we are going to learn about how coconut sap is turned into sugar. Upon stepping out of the van, you will inhale the sweet and pleasant aroma of coconuts.

Our guides and the owner of the plantation will take us through the grove of coconut trees that seem to stretch on for miles. They will point out the young trees and explained that they would take about 7 years before they were ready for harvesting.  We will watch as the grandmother will climb up one of the trees using nothing but a homemade bamboo ladder. With an incredible dexterity, she will maneuver her way up the tree, cut off a bunch of coconuts, and then descend safely to the ground. It is fascinating, yet suspenseful to watch.  

The sap is extracted from the flowers of the tree. The grandmother deftly cuts the flower to reveal a small receptacle that looks like a mini-trophy cup. She then inserts a bamboo tube, and the sap flows into a small container. It is an incredible sight to see the white liquid oozing out of the tree, like a life-giving serum.  

During the production process, which you will have an opportunity to participate in,  the sap is boiled and strained until it is reduced to a dark, granulated form - coconut sugar. There are large vats of boiling sap  that are stirred constantly. 

Coconut sugar is healthier than other sugars as it has a lower glycemic index and retains some of the nutritional value of the coconut tree itself.  

The coconut sugar plantation and production process is one that everyone should see, and it's one you will always remember.