Chocolate factories in Bali. Pod Chocolate Factory Bali Kuta Hotel Specials
On the Bali seashore, under tall palm trees, there is a small clearing with fabulous bamboo houses, as if moved from the book "Alice in Wonderland", or from Hobbiton :)) Meet Charlie's Chocolate Factory. The name is like a movie with Johnny Depp :))))
Charlie is a 50-year-old factory founder who fulfilled his dream by moving from California to Bali for surfing and chocolate :) He has been living on the island for more than 17 years.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to communicate with Charlie, but the general manager turned out to be very cheerful and talkative. He gave us a taste of all types of chocolate, gave us a short tour of the factory, took us on an unusual swing and told us stories about shamans :) Here are 3 of the brightest of them:
- In Bali there are shamans who “negotiate” with the weather. Since there are many religious holidays during the rainy season, shamans have to work so that local residents can carry out their rituals in peace. When all the necessary religious activities are completed, the shamans stop holding the rain. Or, for example, when there is no rain for a long time, but it is necessary for a good rice harvest, local residents come to the shamans asking for rain. By the way, the manager said that if we want to meet the shamans and try to control the weather ourselves, we can arrange a meeting with them for a certain “donation” :)))
- There are also shamans on the island who can turn into animals, and the manager’s friend is one of them :)) He can turn into a monkey :)))
- And, of course, where would we be without the battle of good and evil. Recently, a fight took place in Bali between a good shaman and a bad one. We still don’t fully understand whether it was an energetic or physical battle, but goodness triumphed. For the dark shaman, everything ended fatally and before his death, his appearance was disfigured beyond recognition.
And now, about another entertainment at the factory: a large wooden swing tied to palm trees. To gain altitude and accelerate, you need to start from a platform on a tree. The feeling is indescribable: you are soaring under palm trees over the sea... What else do you need to be happy? But you can only ride it in the presence of a manager. The rest of the time the swing is tied.
Here's a video for the full immersion:
This unusual factory, of course, produces the most delicious chocolate (I have never tasted anything tastier). There are only 3 types:
- Chocolate with goji berries "Gojiberry Charlie" (67% cocoa) - 50,000 rupees ($4);
- Pure black "Narkabo big" (85% cocoa) - 65,000 rupees (>$5);
- Chocolate bars with cashews "Bali Krunch" - 15,000 rupees each (>$1).
For those interested, you can drink hot chocolate for 35,000 rupees ($3). In general, the prices for Charlie's products are high, but quite reasonable for organic products. By the way, in the organic store "Down to Eath" in Ubud, all of Charlie's products (except soap) are cheaper.
Another interesting thing that is produced at the factory is soap. It is made only from organic materials. There are many flavors: chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, rose, herbal, volcanic (black). It is packaged in beautiful organic packaging. The prices are different: 40 grams - 6,000 rupees ($0.5), 120 grams - 12,000 rupees ($1), but gift boxes are more expensive: 65,000 - 75,000 rupees ($5 - 6). In addition to the soap variety, they produce sunscreen (55,000 rupees - small, 150,000 rupees - large), body lotion (40,000 rupees) and body butter (50,000 rupees). Of course, it’s simply impossible to resist buying fragrant and beautiful soap :)))
There is no constant production at the factory, since supplies are made in limited quantities to specific stores on the island.
A cafe ship is being built next to the house where soap is packaged. It will be very unusual and pleasant to drink a cup of hot chocolate here...
It so happens that this is not the first time I have been to Bali. Therefore, most of the attractions there are already familiar to me. But you still need to have fun somehow! So we decided to experiment and go to a chocolate factory called “Pod”. The factory is located near the town of Ubud. You can get to it from the center in 10-15 minutes. Theoretically, the factory can be found even without using a navigator, since in the vicinity of Ubud I often saw signs with the factory logo. And local residents will be happy to show the direction of travel with their hand, since this place is known to everyone. We arrived at the factory at about four o’clock in the afternoon. And I must say, we are very lucky, since their last chocolate-making session starts no later than four. Knowing the Balinese, this time can be safely reduced by an hour. So, if the road is not close, you should take care of the time in advance and calculate everything so as not to come in vain.
Arriving at the place, I could not think about anything other than chocolate. Its sweet aroma wafted everywhere! At the reception desk we were shown cocoa fruits, told about their types, differences and methods of preparation for making chocolate. Of course, I tried each of them. The taste was very different from the chocolate everyone is used to, but the aftertaste remained exclusively chocolate. 
Next, we were asked to fill out questionnaires and choose materials for making candies: milk or dark chocolate and three fillings to choose from - from all types of nuts to coconut flakes and marmalades. My choice was milk chocolate with peanuts, cashews and hazelnuts. And while the confectioners were preparing our sets, we could watch the chocolate being made. The guys poured it over surfaces and shapes so carefully and soulfully that it seemed that their chocolate would come out even sweeter and more pleasant than usual. Still goods self made very different from the factory ones. Having mixed the chocolate on the table to the desired consistency, the confectioner measured its temperature with a special device-gun and poured it into small bags. 
Watching this process was so unbearable that I ran to a local cafe-shop, where you could buy everything that could be made from chocolate. Armed with a chocolate bar and a mug of hot chocolate, I went back to waiting for my tools. 
After a couple of minutes, my molds arrived and I began to carefully place the nuts in the molds and fill everything with chocolate, periodically tapping them on the table. The activity is both incredibly simple and exciting. And if you take into account the fact that periodically chocolate ended up in my mouth, I would have been doing this all day! 
We had one child with us and it is worth noting that he was completely captivated by this entertainment. We used the leftover chocolate to draw mustaches and beards on each other and coat our hands. And now the forms are filled, the fillings are eaten and it’s time to give the candies away for freezing. Despite the fact that the freezing lasted only about 15 minutes, we were out of sight for half an hour, or even more. The fact is that there are wonderful places for walking around the factory. 
The chocolate factory in Bali is located in the eastern part of the island. It is located in a palm forest on the ocean - a wonderful place. Here you can immerse yourself in childhood - eat plenty of real delicious chocolate and swing on a huge swing overlooking the Indian Ocean! Also here, in addition to chocolate, you can buy incredibly delicious-smelling handmade soap. We combined the trip with this most beautiful place with a visit to the main temple of Bali - .
It is best to get to Charlie's Chocolate Factory on your own by moped or car, or by taxi or as part of a tour. This is not a very popular place, so you won't often see it as part of any tour. We got to the chocolate factory on our own on a moped. We drove here for about 2-2.5 hours from Kuta, Legian on a bike from our hotel Bliss Surfer Hotel. The path leading to the chocolate factory is quite inconspicuous. At the end of the article I will leave the coordinates and you can easily find it yourself.
Our visit to a chocolate factory in Bali
To be more precise, the name of the factory is “Charlie's Chocolate Factory.” A man, as you may have guessed, named Charlie came to Bali 19 years ago from California and decided to build his chocolate factory here on the ocean, where there is also a surf spot.
So he decided to combine his two hobbies - making delicious chocolate and surfing. That's why the chocolate factory is located right by the ocean. How cool it is - you sit in your house, eat chocolate and look at the waves, or you can do it another way: go surfing and look at your chocolate factory, from which fresh chocolate emanates. Mmm, dream!
We arrived at the chocolate factory around one o'clock in the afternoon - there were practically no people there. I expected there to be some kind of mini-tour of the house explaining how chocolate is made. Perhaps such an excursion is actually offered on other days or times, but we explored everything on our own. So, the first thing that impressed us was, of course, the extraordinary beauty and shape of the chocolate factory houses! They are made in a wonderful cone shape - entirely wooden and with interesting round doors. There are several of them, 3 houses, and there are also a couple of houses, also made in an interesting form.
1 house is located almost by the water - it is designed in the shape of a ship; there is a small cafe on the 2nd floor. And there’s also a house located at the entrance where the locals make soap. Yes, you can also find handmade soap at Charlie's Chocolate Factory.
The second thing that impressed me very much was the huge wooden swing! There are 3 swings nearby, some of which are 2-3 times larger than the others! This is some kind of happiness! You swing on a swing, the ocean stretches out in front of you, surfers catch the waves, there is a palm forest all around and the smell of chocolate (although it didn’t seem to smell like chocolate 🙂) and the feeling that all these components transport you to a joyful childhood without worries and problems - just you, swing and ocean! And you can swing like this for a long time - until you get tired of climbing the stairs with a swing in your hands in order to jump from there :) Yes, in order to swing high and far, on the largest swing, you need to climb the stairs with the swing and from there push off and soar over the ocean. Feelings of happiness and free flight are overwhelming. I pumped probably 7 times. My husband only 1 time :) We were lucky that there weren’t many people there. Before us, only a couple of Chinese were swinging on the large swing, and we waited about 25 minutes for our turn.
While waiting, you can walk around the territory of Charlie's Chocolate Factory and make beautiful pictures— the area is small, but very beautifully and comfortably furnished. There is a round table with seats, round wooden paths. As you already understood, here you can order chocolate for yourself, and various chocolate foods, or buy chocolate as a gift. We ordered hot chocolate and bought Krunch candies as gifts for our relatives (which we ate almost all of on the way back to Kuta 🙂) and dark chocolate candies, the percentage of cocoa in them is as much as 85%!
After we left the Charlie's Chocolate Factory area, between it and the main road there is a very beautiful palm forest. The palm trees are just right - slightly curved, beautiful and bright green. Beautiful place for a small photo shoot - it’s not a shame to put such photos on your “desktop”, especially since there is practically no one around, just us and palm trees - a connection with nature.
Hotel deals in Kuta
Charlie's Chocolate Factory in Bali on the map
A small landmark - if you are coming from Kuta or Bukit, then on the main road before turning onto the small road in the palm forest, there will be a red gas station on the left, you will need to turn right, and then there are signs on the trees - 10 minutes and you on the spot! 🙂
Read other articles on the island of Bali:
Do you think hobbits live here? But no! They make dark chocolate here and the soap is not hobbits at all... And the smells are such that you want to eat both!
This fairy tale for adults and children was created by the enterprising American Charlie. His name is Charlie. He had been looking for something all his life and when he got to Bali, he found it. He fell in love with this place and first built a small soap factory here 15 years ago; about 5 years ago he began making chocolate from the fruits of the chocolate tree grown on the island. Then coconuts from palm trees began to fall into his hands, and he set up the production of coconut body oil and “tasty creams.” But they say that he fell in love, for the most part, with a beautiful surf spot in the Ocean))
And it’s a fairy tale not only because it’s delicious, but because there are houses all around with bizarre broken shapes: either huts or spaceports made of dark wood. Charlie himself calls it BAMBOO PYRAMIDS. You don’t immediately understand where you are. His friends helped him build his first pyramids; now he is building a ship-cafe to pamper tourists with hot chocolate overlooking the waves.
Fabulous, because every respectable guy can jump off the swing between the palm trees and fly towards the waves, even with a big belly!! The swing is simply huge! To climb them, they even made special steps. They forced me to ride twice to overcome fear and have fun. Happened.
Unlike the swing on the lookout above the Buyan and Tamblingan lakes, where I posed, frozen over the cliff, here you do what we called in childhood, “Moon”. You swing 180°. And one boy in the yard was doing “Sun” and broke his hands, but that’s a completely different story...
It’s nice that no one fusses over anything here, but they willingly show the production of chocolate with 65% cocoa content, I talk about “my Nutella-Nuteresa,” and the workers bang with hammers, tearing down architectural patterns.
Soap from Charlie 
In my hands I have the fruit of a chocolate tree 
The same chocolate
It's a pity that Charlie himself was not at home - he went to Jakarta. I was very interested to know how he came up with the idea of packaging soap in this romantic story "A Soap Story By Salvador BALI" It would seem that there is no greater pop - handmade soap in Bali, but all the supermarkets are overwhelmed! And he managed to present it so subtly and creatively! And the prices are quite reasonable.
You can see not only how soap is made, but also how it is packaged. In total, the factory employs 14 people. And it seems that half of them are Balinese, who hand-pack every piece of fragrant, while their babies crawl around. Very old-fashioned - homely.
Both adults and children dream of visiting a real chocolate factory. This opportunity is provided by the island of Bali, within which there are two chocolate workshops. You will have the opportunity not only to see the process of producing chocolate products, but also to taste them and purchase the delicacy you like. Therefore, if you are a chocolate lover, then do not miss this opportunity.
Charlie's Chocolate Factory
Located on the ocean coast among palm groves, Charlie's Chocolate Factory is one of the most interesting and visited places in Bali. It received its name in honor of its founder, Charlie, who arrived on the island from California itself. He was so amazed by the beauty of the tropical region that he decided to rent land here and open his own business.
The fabulous design of the factory territory will appeal to both adults and children. Here a feeling of another reality is created, which is why time flies simply, unnoticed. Near the factory there is a soap factory, where soap is made using coconut and aromatic oils.
The territory of the factory is thought out to the smallest detail. Fairy-tale houses, reminiscent of hobbit houses, are surrounded on all sides by tall coconut palms.
At Charlie's factory, chocolate is made only from natural ingredients, which makes it one of the most delicious. There is nothing unnecessary in the composition, no dyes or flavor enhancers. At the entrance to the territory there is a cafe where you can order chocolate and coffee drinks, the average cost of which starts from 35 thousand rupees.
A wooden ship is installed near the coast, which serves as an excellent decoration and goes well with the dark volcanic sand. Anyone can walk along the deck of the ship or look into its cabins.
It is best to visit the factory on weekdays, as the number of tourists increases significantly on weekends. Entrance to the territory is only 10 thousand rupees, and this is if you do not plan to purchase anything in factory stores. If your goal is to bring some kind of memorable gift with you, then you can get to the factory completely free. It is open from 9 am to 5 pm.
What can you buy?
The range of chocolate products produced at the factory is presented in a local cafe. There you can buy several types of chocolates or enjoy a glass of aromatic coffee. The establishment sells:
- chocolate bars with cashew nuts;
- chocolate spread;
- hot and cold chocolate;
- various types of coffee;
- coconut syrup and milk.
Note! Charlie chocolate can be bought not only at the factory, but also in company stores located in Ubud. The cost of products in such shops is sometimes lower than in the factory itself. Product prices start from 35 thousand rupees.
Soap factory
On the territory of Charlie's factory there is a soap production workshop. The soap products are also completely natural; no artificial additives are used. Soap from Charlie's factory is especially popular not only among tourists, but also among local population. Balinese often come here to buy proven natural products.
The range includes about 10 varieties of soap. Each product differs in both smell and weight. Due to the fact that only natural dyes are used, all soap products have a certain shelf life. The following products can be purchased at the soap factory:
- soap with a variety of scents, including chocolate, coconut, cinnamon, and various herbs;
- sun protection cream;
- oils and lotions.
All purchased products are wrapped in organic packaging. The only drawback of the soap factory is the relatively high cost of the goods.
How to get there?
Charlie's factory is located in the eastern part of the island. That is why the road to it will be long. It takes at least 1.5 hours to get from Denpasar by your own transport, and about 2-2.5 hours from Kuta. Excursion tours are organized here every day. To go on such a trip, you can book an excursion to east Bali on this website.
See the location of Charlie's factory on this map.
Chocolate Factory Pod
The Pod factory is located among tropical forest, which is why there is always a quiet and calm atmosphere here. There are never many people here, which allows you to fully explore the territory and get acquainted with the chocolate production process. You can observe this procedure through glass. You will witness what ingredients are added to chocolate, how it is all mixed and poured into molds. During the tour you will have the opportunity to taste 4 types of chocolate. The most interesting thing is that on each tasting jar it is indicated what and in what quantities is included in the chocolate bar.
In front of the chocolate factory there is a cafe where you can not only taste different types of products, but also purchase the option you like. There is also an aviary with a bear and a cage with birds. Another interesting service of the factory is elephant riding. It is, of course, not provided for free, but it is guaranteed to give a lot of positive emotions.
The Pod factory is open every day; it welcomes its first visitors at 8 am, and at 4 pm its doors close. Price entrance ticket is 95 thousand rupees. And if you decide to order sightseeing tour for the factory, you will have to pay 250 thousand rupees.
What can you buy?
Today, the Pod factory produces more than 20 varieties of chocolate. These can be products made from cinnamon, mint, chili pepper, cranberry, sea salt, rosella flowers, cloves and others.
The cost of chocolate products starts from 48 thousand rupees. For this price you can buy regular chocolate bars with various fillings. The cost of the gift package, which will contain 6 different chocolate bars, is 200 thousand rupees. The price of a kilogram of chocolate is 300 thousand rupees.
At the Pod factory they can prepare chocolates according to your special order. You need to choose what kind of chocolate (dark or milk) they will be prepared from, and then decide on three types of fillings. There are a lot of them at the factory, these can be various types of nuts, marmalades, coconut shavings, etc.
Note! The entire process of producing chocolate products is done by hand. You will feel the difference in taste with machine-made devices after the first tasting of the products.
How to get there?
The Pod factory is located 19 kilometers north of Ubud. Finding her will not be difficult, as there are signs with her logo throughout the city. But even if you take a wrong turn, you can always turn to local residents who will show you the way.
You can go to the factory as part of organized tour, and independently. In the first case, you need to contact any excursion agency and select the date you like. During the tour there is usually a Russian-speaking guide who will tell you a lot of interesting and useful things.
Solo travel also has a number of advantages. You will not depend on anyone for time and will be able to stay at the factory as long as your heart desires. See the exact location of the Pod factory on this map.
A visit to chocolate factories can significantly diversify your leisure time in Bali. These are the places where you can taste truly delicious natural chocolate and see the chocolate production process with your own eyes.