Panama City: Make Your Own Chocolate Bar & Cocoa Tasting

You'll Make Chocolate at a Panama City Factory, Not Just Watch

You'll tour a working chocolate factory, learn the cocoa-to-bar process, make and decorate your own chocolate bar, taste seasonal varieties, and get a drink pairing. The whole experience takes about two to three hours and you walk out with the bar you made. It's educational without feeling like school, and the hands-on part is what makes it stick.

Step-by-step itinerary

Learn and make chocolate

• Visit chocolate factory
• Learn cocoa to chocolate process
• Make your own chocolate bar
• Taste seasonal chocolates

The experience

So you're standing in front of actual cocoa beans, and the person running this thing is asking if you've ever wondered what happens between the pod and the bar in your pocket. Turns out there's a whole process (fermentation, roasting, grinding), and at this chocolate factory in Panama City, you don't just hear about it. You walk through how it's done, see the equipment, smell the roasted beans, and then you get to make your own chocolate bar from scratch. It's the kind of thing that sounds like a tourist trap until you're actually doing it.

The hands-on part is where it lands. You're tempering chocolate, pouring it into molds, choosing what goes inside (nuts, dried fruit, whatever they've got that day), and watching it set. It takes maybe twenty minutes, but you leave with something you made, which is different from leaving with something you bought. They pair it with a drink while you work, and afterward you get to taste through their seasonal chocolates. The whole thing runs two to three hours, which is long enough to feel like you learned something but short enough that it doesn't eat your whole day.

The factory is walkable from central Panama City, and there's public transport nearby if you're not up for the walk. Families do this a lot (kids especially lose their minds over the hands-on bit), but it works just as well solo or with a partner. Stairs are part of the tour, so that's worth knowing going in. Infants sit on a lap, and service animals are fine.

What’s included

Your experience includes a guided tour of the cocoa process and chocolate-making equipment, a hands-on session where you make and decorate your own chocolate bar, a drink pairing while you work, and a tasting of seasonal chocolates before you leave with your finished bar.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDepartures at 11:00, 14:00 and 16:00

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 to 80 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Nomé Chocolate

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to understand where chocolate actually comes from and leave with something you made yourself, rather than just another souvenir from a shop. The factory format means you're learning by doing, which is what makes it stick.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3).

How long does the chocolate-making part take?

About twenty minutes to pour, fill, and set your bar. The full tour, including the cocoa process walkthrough and tasting, runs two to three hours.

Are there stairs?

Yes, stairs are part of the tour. It's not recommended for travelers with stair climbing difficulties.

What's included in the price?

Entry to the factory, the cocoa process tour, your homemade chocolate bar, a drink pairing, and a tasting of seasonal chocolates.

Where is the factory in Panama City?

It's centrally located with public transportation options nearby. It's walkable from downtown.

Can service animals come?

Yes, service animals are allowed.

What if I have allergies?

Mention any allergies when you book so they can advise on what's safe to use in your bar and what's in the tasting chocolates.

Do I need to book in advance?

Booking ahead is recommended, especially if you're coming with a group or on a weekend.