Fodor's Expert Review Domaine de Vanibel

Guadeloupean coffee is considered some of the best in the world. Joel Nelson will tell you all about it if you take one of his tours around the grounds of his estate, perched 1,200 feet above sea level. Dress comfortably, as you will be going into the bush to pick vanilla and coffee beans from the trees. Nelson's enthusiasm and passion for what he grows and produces makes what could be a ho-hum walk through the woods a pleasurable learning experience. After some 30 minutes or more, you will be brought back to the stone cottage that is the Habitation Sucrerie for a coffee tasting and fresh tropical fruits. You might want to buy a bag or two of coffee or some of the precious vanilla beans and vanilla powder. Also on the estate, there are simple gîtes (cottages) for two to four persons. Tours are in the afternoon, two tours a day from January through April and one tour a day from May through December.