Customizing my own chocolate the Malagos Chocolate Laboratory

I just finished an 8-part series on my Davao City food trip (you can start reading here). So I’m taking a break from food articles and feature 2 museums in the city. I wrote about D’Bone Collector Museum last Tuesday (read it here). Today, I’ll feature the Malagos Chocolate Museum.

But let me share a back story first. I first went to Davao City on March 2017. I organized a vacation with my friends and we stayed for one night at the Malagos Garden Resort, where the museum is located. The museum was already built at that time but wasn’t operational yet. We were a few days short from its opening. Fortunately, we were still allowed to tour around the premises.

The Malagos Chocolate Bar, where you can sample food using Malagos Chocolate, and the Malagos Chocolate Laboratory, where you can customize your own chocolate, weren’t also operational yet. I told myself that I will come back for it and have the complete Malagos Chocolate experience; I just don’t know when. When I visit a city or a country, I don’t usually go back too soon (with exception to Baguio and Singapore). Maybe I’d return in a decade.

Fast forward to February 2020 where COVID-19 pandemic was beginning to bloom. I was supposed to have a vacation at Hong Kong but the government banned travel. I thought of flying to Bangkok but the cases were rising there. So the wisest thing to do is to fly local. Time to return to Davao. And almost 3 years later, I’m back at Malagos, the area where the resort and the chocolate got its name.

Malagos Chocolate

But before I share my Malagos Chocolate Museum experience, let’s talk about Malagos Chocolate. It all started in 2003 when Roberto and Charita Puentespina leased a farm land in Malagos, which already had cacao trees in it. Mama Charita, as she is fondly called, began rehabilitating the trees and soon harvested cacao pods. She would harvest the cacao beans, roast them, grind them, and mold them to produce tablea or tableya (chocolate tablets).

A Cacao Pod at the Malagos Garden Resort

But Mama Charita didn’t just rehabilitated cacao trees but revived the cacao industry. She received multiple awards and recognition for her incredible work. By 2012, they started producing a single-origin chocolate liquor. In June 2013, they commercially launched Malagos Chocolate, widening their product line.

Today, Malagos Chocolate has garnered local and international awards. Truly world-class, the chocolate has become a favorite pasalubong (souvenir) item by tourists. It’s my default pasalubong whenever I visit Davao.

The Museum

The Malagos Chocolate Museum opened on March 8, 2017, the first of its kind in the Philippines. It aims to educate guests on the history of chocolate, the state of the industry (local and international), and the process of chocolate making. It’s divided into four parts: The Museum Section; the Interactive Section where kids and kids-at-heart can play with Beanie, the mascot’s museum; the Malagos Chocolate Bar where you can sample chocolate treats; and the Malagos Chocolate Laboratory.

Here are 5 things I liked about the museum:

1. The Fascinating History of Chocolate

Prior to my first visit to the museum, I have zero knowledge about the history of chocolate. I learned that it originated from Central America, namely the Mayan and Olmec civilizations, and was brought to Europe, specifically Spain, by the Italian Christopher Columbus. And the rest is history.

I also learned that Ghirardelli, Lindt, and Van Houten aren’t just brands but people who made an incredible contribution to the history of chocolate.

2. Multi-Sensory Learning

Not only does the museum employ audio-visual means of learning but also makes use of the senses of smell, taste, and touch.

This exhibit allows you to smell the different aromas of chocolate

3. Family-friendly

I’m pretty sure that the kids may get bored in the museum. But the Interactive Zone makes learning about chocolate fun through activities and games.

As a kid-at-heart, I played some games and enjoyed! LOL.

4. Chocolate Treats at the Bar

I’m pretty sure you’ll be craving after learning about chocolates. At the bar, you can try their chocolate drink, cake, and ice cream.

I got hot chocolate paired with Suman (rice cake wrapped in banana or coconut leaves). Dip the suman in the hot choco and it’s the perfect afternoon snack!

Houseblend with Suman (P170) — Houseblend with *Suman* (P170)

5. Make-Your-Own Chocolate Experience

After missing this in my first visit, I wasn’t going to miss this the second time around. For P450 (comes with 200 grams of chocolate), you can customize your own chocolate at the Malagos Chocolate Laboratory.

After putting on my apron and gloves, I started making my chocolate:

First, I chose my preferred mold. Here’s a tip: Select the ones that can hold more chocolate.

Second, I chose my ingredients. I got chili flakes, dried cranberries, durian candy, marshmallow, rock salt, and walnuts. I experimented on different combinations and my favorite turned out to be chili flakes and rock salt.

Third, I poured the chocolate and sprinkled the ingredients midway.

Finally, I had it chilled for 20 minutes and voila:

I may have laid down the steps in simple terms. But believe me, it’s challenging for a first-timer. I made quite a mess making my chocolate. Thankfully, a staff is available to assist (and take photos for me).

Where to Buy Malagos Chocolate?

You can buy Malagos Chocolate products at the resort or the museum. If you missed buying there (or you need more like what happened to me), you can go to the Puentespina Compound at the city proper where the Malagos Chocolate’s head office is located (see address below). While you can find Malagos Chocolate in souvenir shops (even those at the airport), I believe it’s better-priced at its source.

Malagos Chocolate’s Shop at the Puentespina Compound

I was supposed to try the Tree-to-Bar Experience, which is a guided tour that starts at the cacao farm and goes through the museum, bar, and laboratory. It comes with a lunch or a snack, depending on your choice. However, it wasn’t available according to its website. So I just opted for the free walking tour of the resort, which brings you to the resort’s bird sanctuary, the outdoor art installations, and the chocolate museum. If I’m not mistaken, there’s no guided tour in the museum (unless you signed up for the Tree-to-Bar Experience). But my tour guide was kind enough to tour me inside the museum as well, albeit a quick one.

And because I didn’t get to do the Tree-to-Bar Experience, was it a sign that I need to go back to the resort? Maybe it is!

Have you been to the Malagos Chocolate Museum? How was your experience? Comment them below!

Address: Malagos Garden Resort, Calinan-Baguio-Cadalian Rd., Malagos, Baguio District, Davao City | Operating Hours: ? | Resort’s Entrance Fee (which includes access to the museum): Adult: P250 (weekday), P300 (weekend); Kids: P125 (weekday), P150 (weekend) | Resort’s Facebook Page | Museum’s Webpage

Malagos Chocolate Head Office: Puentespina Compound, Bolcan St., Agdao, Davao City | Operating Hours: Monday-Saturday, 8:30AM-5:30PM | Facebook | Website

Musing at Museums: Malagos Chocolate Museum (Davao City)