Cellbees Beekeepers
Golden Rock's golden jar — organic honey, beeswax and a hands-on hive tour on the slopes of Statia.
Why Go
On an island where 'shopping' usually means a quick loop of Oranjestad's dry-goods stores, Cellbees is the rare stop that sends you home with something genuinely made here — jars of raw Statia honey, beeswax lip balm, cocoa, neem oil and handmade soap, all produced by a family of beekeepers who treat sustainability as a way of life rather than a marketing line.
The Experience
Cellbees is small, personal and refreshingly unpolished — more working farm shop than boutique. The storeroom on Korthalsweg doubles as the meeting point for their signature beehive tour: you suit up in a beekeeper's jacket and gloves, drive out with the team to the hives tucked into Statia's green interior, and get an unhurried, English-language walkthrough of how the colony works, how they harvest, and why keeping bees on a small volcanic island is its own kind of puzzle. Back at the shop you cool off, taste fresh comb straight from the frame, and browse the shelves: golden honey in several textures, honeycomb, beeswax, soaps, balms, teas and small-batch wine, alongside cocoa products and neem oil. The vibe is warm, chatty and educational — you leave knowing the beekeeper's name and the story behind every jar.
What to Try
Raw local honey (the hero product — get an extra jar for home), a bar of the handmade beeswax soap, and the lip balm, which travels well in a beach bag. If you're on-island long enough, book the 1.5-hour beehive tour — the fresh-comb tasting at the end is the real souvenir. Keep an eye out for their pop-up stall at the weekly LVV market and the monthly Taste of the Cultures event, where they often sell tea and wine alongside the honey.
Insider Tip
Book the tour for the afternoon and skip Saturdays — they don't run then, and rain will cancel it. Wear closed shoes (high walking boots and long socks are ideal) and go easy on the perfume and scented deodorant, because strong smells make the bees defensive. Bring cash: the tour is $30 for adults, $20 for kids 4–11, with a $60 minimum, and payment is settled on arrival, not online. Groups of six or more get 15% off, so it's worth rallying fellow guests from your apartment or dive group.
The Practical Stuff
Retail base and tour meeting point are on Korthalsweg in the Golden Rock area, just outside central Oranjestad (plus code F2P8+WVG). Contact ahead by phone (+599 319 4661 or +1 721 580 6518) or email info@celbees.com to confirm shop hours and reserve a tour — opening times are informal and often shift around market days and hive work. Free delivery is available on-island if you're stocking up before a flight. Cash (USD) is king; card facilities are not guaranteed. The tour involves a short walk over uneven ground to the hives, so it's family-friendly from age 4 up but not suited to anyone with a serious bee-sting allergy.
Pair It With
- Alvin V Courtar Park Guide — A shaded, easy stroll five minutes from the Cellbees shop — a good place to picnic with a fresh jar of honey and something from a nearby bakery before or after your visit.
- Baby Beach Guide — Rinse off the afternoon heat at this calm, sheltered swim spot on the north side — a natural cool-down after the warm walk out to the hives.
- Aquarium Dive Site — Statia is a dive island first: pair a morning underwater at this reef site with an afternoon at Cellbees for a 'sea and land' day that shows off both sides of the local ecosystem.
- Bacchanalia Guide — Round the day off over dinner nearby — a relaxed spot to open that bottle of Cellbees honey wine or simply swap notes on the day's tour.
- A Quiet Getaway – One-Bedroom Apartment — Basing yourself here puts you within walking distance of the Korthalsweg shop, making early pickups of fresh honey and last-minute tour bookings effortless.
