Hacienda Cacaotera Jesús María

The Hacienda Cacaotera Jesús María is a working chocolate plantation and visitors center some 20 minutes to the south of the center of Comalcalco. It's one of the best places to get to know the inner workings of the ancient Tabasco chocolate and cocoa industry, plus it's a fun place for people with kids, families, and just people set on exploring and learning. 

The Hacienda is also a center for learning about the local Chontal Maya people, their long history cultivating the plants, and raising big chocolate beans. The cultivation and maintenance of the chocolate orchards is an important part of the story, but there is time, too, for experiencing the local food, artisan works, and culture. 

The site is known, especially for chocolate production, but as the Hacienda's reputation has spread, it's evolved into a modern center for learning, for agricultural and botanical husbandry, and as repository of tremendous historical and cultural heritage. Staff here are only too happy to fill you in on details. 

The Hacienda is operated by CACEP Chocolates. They produce the actual chocolate products on site using harvests from more than 80 local producers and cultivators. And they're increasingly making the same products available across Tobasco and in other parts of Mexico. Trips through their jungle orchards and rows of trees make for an exceptional journey and a fulfilling adventure. 

The Hacienda recommends arriving early (9-10 a.m.) to get the most out of a day here. They frequently host groups and student visitors, but everyone is welcome and reservations are not necessary for smaller groups. The vast majority of visitors are going to arrive after a visit to Comalcalco and the archaeological sites there. But the Hacienda Cacaotera Jesús María is actually less than an hour northeast of the state capital at Villahermosa. A whole variety of transport operations are available from there.