According to BusinessDasher’s 2024 statistics, over 1 billion people worldwide drink coffee daily. Americans especially love the tasty brew: approximately 150 million Americans drink coffee every day. That is almost 50% of the US population! If you are one of those coffee lovers, here are some of the best places to find delicious coffee around the world.
Thailand
Black Ivory Coffee is the most expensive variety on the planet. According to a study by UK company Pure Gusto Coffee, prices start at a whopping £1,800/kg ($2,300 USD).
In the rural province of Surin, Northern Thailand, Arabica coffee plants are grown at altitudes as high as 5,000 feet. The cherries are harvested and mixed into the food of family-raised elephants. The elephant caregivers pick digested cherries from the elephant’s feces, after which they are washed and sun-dried. The beans are sorted by size and only the largest are chosen for roasting. Black Ivory Coffee Company roasts to order, so every bag it sells is fresh.
It takes at least 30 kilograms of cherries to produce a one kilogram bag of Black Ivory Coffee. The limited supply and time-consuming process justify the high price tag. This super rare coffee is only available at a few 5-star hotels in Thailand and on the Black Ivory Coffee Company website.
Black Ivory Coffee is a delicate concoction that has been compared to tea. It lacks the bitterness and burnt notes of some coffees. Rather, you can savor unique flavors such as chocolate, malt, and spices. Some coffee aficionados even mention subtle hints of tobacco, leather, and grass.
If you are planning a vacation to Thailand (and have a healthy budget), you should consider tasting Black Ivory Coffee at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort.
Hawaii
Coffea arabica, more commonly known as Kona coffee, is cultivated on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Hualalai and Mauna Loa mountains range from 500 to 3200 feet above sea level, and their slightly acidic volcanic soil is ideal for growing coffee plants. With such a limited location/microclimate, it is not surprising that Kona coffee is quite expensive. According to Pure Gusto Coffee, a kilogram of Kona coffee costs around £70 ($90 USD).
Kona coffee is often described as smooth, well-balanced, and slightly nutty. It has a delightful aroma, and you may find tasting notes such as caramel, cherry, honey, and milk chocolate.
If you are vacationing on the Big Island, we suggest you take a tour of Greenwell Farms and sample the award-winning Kona coffee. Heavenly Hawaiian is another great option for farm tours and tastings.
Jamaica
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is a full-bodied brew with a refined, mild flavor. You can avoid the bitterness typically associated with coffee and enjoy this sweet, creamy drink with chocolate undertones.
An Arabica coffee-bean variety called Typica was brought over from Ethiopia in the 1700s. It has been thriving in the Blue and John Crow Mountain range (between Kingston and Port Antonio) for centuries. With elevations between 3,000 and 5,500 feet, a moist climate, and rich soil; the area is ideal for coffee cultivation.
Only coffee certified by the Jamaica Commodities Regulatory Authority can be labelled Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. It has become one of the world’s most sought-after coffees. According to Pure Gusto Coffee, Jamaican Blue costs approximately £100/kg ($128 USD).
When traveling to Jamaica, check out the Craighton Estate Blue Mountain Coffee Tour and Devon’s Coffee Tour and Ranch. If you visit at the beginning of March, don’t miss the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival in Kingston.
Panama
Panamanian Geisha Coffee, is considered to be one of the best coffees in the world, and it is very pricey — £660/kg ($845 USD) according to Pure Gusto Coffee.
Hacienda La Esmeralda (located in the Chiriquí province) is credited with discovering Geisha Coffee. Its farmers had planted the Gesha varietal from Ethiopia, and amazingly, the hearty plants were able to withstand a coffee leaf rust outbreak. In 2004, the farm wowed judges at Best of Panama (the country’s national coffee competition) with their sophisticated brew. Geisha Coffee has been in high demand ever since.
Geisha Coffee is known for its extraordinary aromatic complexity and tantalizing flavors. It has recognizable floral, citric, and fruity notes. Many drinkers report jasmine, mango, lavender, honey, and berry flavors.
If you travel to Panama you will have plenty of opportunities to try Geisha Coffee, as well as other Panamanian varieties like Catuai, Bourbon, Typica, and Carturra. You can go out to the Chiriquí region to tour plantations such as The Janson Coffee Farm and The Don Pepe Estate. Alternatively, you can stay in Panama City and check out the Geisha Experience Panama.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. According to an old legend, it was discovered by Kaldi the goatherd around 800 AD!
The country’s most famous brew, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee has a bright and fruity flavor profile, with floral, nutty and citrus notes. The beans produce a tasty light or medium-roast coffee. Refreshingly, this coffee is affordable. You can get a kilogram for as little as $10-20 USD.
Ethiopia has a warm tropical climate with moderate wet and dry seasons.
Thanks to healthy soil and high elevations, Yirgacheffe plants thrive without the need for agricultural chemicals.
The Yirgacheffe boasts numerous coffee farms and cooperatives where you can taste delicious coffee. However, if you wish to remain in the capital, Addis Ababa, you can find it at local coffee shops such as Tomoca Coffee, and Kaldi’s Coffee.
Indonesia
There is a reason “Java” is slang for coffee. Indonesia (particularly the islands of Java and Sumatra), is well-known for its delicious coffee. The country has lots of coffee varieties, but the most popular are Gayo beans from Aceh, Mandheling beans from North Sumatra, Kintamani beans from Bali, and Temanggung beans from Java. If you travel to Indonesia, be sure to visit a coffee plantation to learn about the harvesting and roasting process.
One cannot discuss Indonesian coffee without mentioning the most coveted coffee variety: Kopi Luwak. This unique beverage is also known as civet cat coffee, or even cat poop coffee. It is brewed with beans that have been digested by the Asian palm civet cat.
The nocturnal animal (that resembles a weasel or mongoose), sniffs out the best coffee berries and then excretes the beans whole. Collectors wash and air-dry the beans, remove the outer skin, and then roast them. The unusual fermentation process and scarcity of these high-quality beans makes Kopi Luwak one of the world’s most expensive coffees — around £300/kg ($384 USD).
We are hesitant to recommend trying Kopi Luwak during a visit to Indonesia, because the vast majority of plantation owners mistreat the animals. Rather than gathering feces from wild civets, coffee suppliers keep civets in tiny cages and force-feed them coffee berries. If you want to try the flavorful drink, we suggest ordering it from a collaborative that is UTZ Certified and verified by an animal rights organization such as World Animal Protection. One such supplier is Wild Gayo Luwak that collects beans from free-range civets on the island of Sumatra.
The foregoing are just a few hotspots if you are looking for the perfect cup of Joe. Guatemala, Brazil, Colombia, Kenya, and many other countries produce incredible coffee beans. Feel free to add your favorites in the comments below!
If you are a traveler looking for more food and drink focused content, please read our articles Raise A Glass: Best Bars In Mexico City, 27 Dishes: Popular Food In Each EU Country, and How To Eat Your Way Through Paris.