For coffee connoisseurs, it’s not a secret that the best coffee comes only from a handful of countries including Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Vietnam, Kenya, and Ethiopia. But, what do these countries have in common if they are all scattered around different parts of the planet? Surely you’ve guessed it by now: they all lie close to the Equator along the tropical zone, forming a band around the globe that is known as “the Bean Belt.”
This Bean Belt provides the necessary warmth and humidity for the coffee tree to reach its maximum potential. But it’s not only the latitude what creates a great coffee. Inside the tropical zone, there are unique places with the perfect conditions for the coffee beans to grow as rich and tasty as you know them. The soil, for example, provides nutrients that are absorbed by the plant and are different in every region of the world. That’s why coffee is grown in the volcanic territories of Kenya will never taste the same as the one produced in the limestone soil in Guatemala. The altitude, on the other hand, influences on how much cold the beans receive during the nighttime, which determines their acidity. Los Andes region in Colombia is known for its high-altitude strong-flavored coffee beans, while Brazil’s coffee has a mild and sweeter aroma.
Original from tropical Africa, coffee started to be consumed in the 10th century in the Arab world, traveling to Europe and finally reaching the Americas in the 16th Century. Until today, it remains one of the most consumed drinks in the world, with over 2250,000,000 cups being brewed worldwide daily. If you are a coffee lover, you’re in for a treat when traveling to Tropical Latin America. This region is the largest producer in the world and contains some of the major exporters of coffee, including Brazil, who produces one-third of the total supply of coffee on the planet. And if you’re interested in visiting a coffee plantation and try the most delicious beans, our Espíritu Santo Coffee tour — included in our Costa Rica package — will give you a fragrant and informative morning experience about how this whole industry works.
Unfortunately, many factors are threatening the coffee production in this region. Climate change is modifying the rain patterns that make the Bean Belt so unique, and the demand for lower prices is pushing farmers to prioritize quantity over quality in their plantations.
One of the advantages of you visiting Tropical Latin America is that you’ll be able to try for yourself the best quality coffee in the world, giving you the chance to support the local economies and learning about the work involved behind a cup of this delicious beverage.
We hope to see you soon here to share with you a morning cup of one of the most valued tropical treasures!
