(Visited 12/18/24 WE @ 10:00am): On this island thrives bees and their hives!…read more
A friend and I were on Day 5 of our 12-Day Southern Australia Explorer cruise with Princess Cruises when we arrived by water shuttle into Pennington Bay for our second official port day, boarded our tour bus, and headed to our first shore excursion ("Tempting Tasting Trail" $374.95AUD pp) stop - Island Beehive. "The Kangaroo Island Ligurian Bee Co. was a family-owned and operated business with deep roots on Kangaroo Island. Since the 1940s, the Davis family has been dedicated to beekeeping, a tradition now passed down to the fourth generation. Their commitment to excellence led them to become one of the first certified organic honey producers in 2001. Today, they managed over 800 hives, strategically moving them across Kangaroo Island to align with the island's unique flora and seasons. This careful selection ensured that their bees forage exclusively on native plants, producing small batch honey with a flavor found nowhere else in the world. Declared a bee sanctuary in 1885, Kangaroo Island safeguards the purest strain of Ligurian bees remaining in the world, renowned for their gentle temperament and exceptional productivity. At the heart of the operations is Island Beehive, where they extracted and hand-packed their premium raw honey. More than just a production site, it's where they shared the remarkable story of the Ligurian Bee Sanctuary and ongoing efforts to protect these incredible bees through sustainable practices and biosecurity measures." Would I love the honey made by these bees on this island!?
PURCHASE
Chocolate Honeycomb Candy 12pc ($4.65AUD): Sweet honeycomb wrapped in milk chocolate, this was a lovely treat that I barely shared with anyone, and the slight crunch was a nice touch. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=NT2ifrTzSJrHSsoBC8EPIQ
Organic Pennington Bay Honey Small Jar ($8.35AUD): A sampler to try, I used this as a spread on toast, and would've easily just ate it straight from the jar; it was so good! https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=Tqg5M2NcvQ6MRHQekvwgqA
Honey Lollipop ($1.50AUD): I was a sucker for this stick of candy! https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=sTLmOqb7gSJa_Ryz-r5Qpg
Cup Gum Ice Cream Cup ($5.65AUD): Buttery, feathery, and sweet with hints of toffee, this was a frozen treat that needed to find a home back in the U.S. ASAP! https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=gp234F79pSL1BQZv7kCM9g
SERVICE
We were initially greeted by a friendly woman who offered a honey tasting https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=0&select=-CAJiBPookKri3yqn6GfPg before we began the tour. I believe the tour guide https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=0&select=RnjILDXPzVfdgAzfWyB8IA was a happy, informative older gentleman presumably the owner of the establishment. He enthralled us with stories as he led us through the entire facility before we were led back to the shop for a chance to buy souvenirs. Thank you for teaching us about your bees!
PARKING (FREE)
They had their own private lot where the tour bus parked - 'nuff said. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=0&select=357PdUBIcaxsEimYFP2v9Q
ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE
A spacious interior https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=lchJwsJIuk6YcVcaTDP6aw stocked with myriad products where you bought souvenirs, some posted information, and a beehive https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=0&select=fO6pE9uM5ANy6t2MouRJCQ that assisted with the tour. In the back was the equipment https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=0&select=kjG6VJ-J7ezJu1ugiYewQA used to gather and produce the honey. Plenty of natural lighting entered through the many large windows while a ton of bright electric ceiling lights filled in the rest. There weren't any TVs nor background music. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=0&select=bc2D_cmjyO7O0NKvhjYp_A
ATTIRE
Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
OVERALL
Island Beehive was a fun and informative way to start our tour, and I would recommend it on its own or as a package. The prices were very reasonable, the products tasted very good, and the staff was very accommodating and nice. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $20.00AUD / $13.00USD BEFORE any discounts/tip). And, although they accepted credit cards, not mine of choice... AMEX! 4.0 STARS
