Vanilla Paradise Tours

Discover Nevis through vanilla, heritage & flavour.

🌸 Vanilla Farm Tours — Fully booked: 12, 17 & 19 Mar | Limited spots 13 Mar | No tours 26–27 Mar (AgriExpo) | Sugar Mill Tours — Good availability all dates ✅ | Vanilla Café closed 26–27 Mar — come find us at AgriExpo! 🌾🌸

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🌸 Vanilla Farm Tours — Fully booked: 12, 17 & 19 Mar | Limited spots 13 Mar | No tours 26–27 Mar (AgriExpo) | Sugar Mill Tours — Good availability all dates ✅ | Vanilla Café closed 26–27 Mar — come find us at AgriExpo! 🌾🌸 〰️

Where Nature, Heritage and Flavour Come Alive

At Vanilla Paradise Nevis, every visit is a journey. Discover two unique experiences: explore the island’s sugar-making heritage, or step into the world of vanilla cultivation and tasting.

Our Two Signature Experiences

The Vanilla Tour

Step into the world of vanilla cultivation — the first of its kind in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Explore our shade houses, learn about the “ice cream orchid,” and discover how this prized spice is grown and, of course, taste it!

The Hamilton Estate Sugar Mill Tour

Visit the historic Hamilton Estate Sugar Mill and explore the remains of one of Nevis’s once-active sugar mills. Learn how sugar was produced using steam-powered machinery and discover the stories of the people and communities connected to the estate and the island’s past.

Book Your Tour

Read the article about Vanilla Paradise Nevis that appeared in the June 2025 edition of National Geographic.

Our Tours & Experiences

The Vanilla Farm Tour – Vanilla Cultivation & Tasting Experience

Duration: 2 hours • Guided farm tour • Includes vanilla tasting

Explore our shade houses, home to over 3,000 thriving vanilla orchids.

Travel back in time to discover the story of vanilla from its ancient origins to its place as the world’s favourite flavour.
Explore our sustainable farming practices that nurture healthy vines and protect the surrounding ecosystem.
Watch hand-pollination demonstrations (seasonal).
Understand how much vanilla influences our life — is there anything that does not use vanilla? — a sensory and tactile experience.

Enjoy “Liquid Gold” — the vanilla drink once enjoyed by Montezuma, King of the Aztecs — together with our vanilla-infused desserts, at the Vanilla Café.

You will also meet our four-legged Vanilla Team — Toni the Ridgeback and kittens Vani, Nilla, and Cupcake — who love greeting visitors!
Discover unique art pieces crafted by local artisans, celebrating the island’s creative heritage.
Groups are limited to 10 persons: Planning a private or larger group visit? Please email us at info@vanilla-paradise-nevis.com
NB: Does not include a guided tour of the Hamilton Estate Sugar Mill (see below for this tour)

Price and Timings

Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (approx.)

Adults: US $60
Includes “Liquid Gold” beverage and two vanilla-infused desserts
Children under 10: Free (includes vanilla ice cream)
Residents: 20% discount

Book Your Tour

Please note — Change of plans for March 27–28

We had hoped to attend the AgriExpo Fair in Charlestown this year; however, as the event is now fully subscribed, we will no longer be taking part.

Our Farm Tours will therefore run as usual on March 26–27, and the Vanilla Café will remain open on both days.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Photo: @eriknissen

The Hamilton Estate Sugar Mill Tour – Heritage & Steam Power

Duration: 45 minutes • Historic mill site • Small group experience

Visit and explore the historic Hamilton Estate Sugar Mill, an important site along the Nevis Heritage Trail.
Visit the remains of both the wind- and steam-powered mill.
See how innovation shaped the island’s sugar industry.
Understand how the estate was once operated and why it remains important today.
Visit Remembrance Outlook, honouring the enslaved people who worked on the Estate at the time of emancipation.
Visit our Vanilla Café, built on the ruins of the former Estate Manager’s house.

Your Hamilton Estate Sugar Mill Tour is guided by a tour leader who knows the site well and shares its history with enthusiasm and care!
Groups are limited to 10 persons: Planning a private or larger group visit? Please email us at info@vanilla-paradise-nevis.com
NB: Does not include entry and tour of the Vanilla Farm (see above for this tour)

Please note — Change of plans for March 27–28

We had hoped to attend the AgriExpo Fair in Charlestown this year; however, as the event is now fully subscribed, we will no longer be taking part.

Our Farm Tours will therefore run as usual on March 26–27, and the Vanilla Café will remain open on both days.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Price and Timings

Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays
09:00 AM – 09:45AM (approx.)

Adults: US $20
Children under 10: Free
Residents: 20% discount

Book Your Tour

An elderly woman wearing a pink hat, white shirt, and pink skirt standing in a garden between green and yellow colorful panels with the words 'VANILLA' and 'PARADISE' on them.

Your Tour Leader

Gina and her team personally welcome visitors, sharing the journey of our vanilla farm and the history of the Hamilton Estate Mill, and how both connect to the island’s heritage and the beloved “ice cream spice.”

“Every tour is a conversation — full of insight, laughter, and that unforgettable aroma of the world’s favourite spice!”

— Gina Empson, Vanilla Paradise Nevis Founder

A woman, a woman with a hat, a young boy, and a dog are gathered around an old, rusty mechanical device outdoors. The woman is crouching and pointing at the device, while the woman with the hat and the dog observe. The boy looks on, and there is a fe

A group of people sitting outdoors on a bench and a person standing in front of them, listening to a woman sitting on a yellow structure. The setting is a lush, green area with a small yellow building, trees, and potted plants.

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A smiling woman wearing a large blue hat and pink shirt holding binoculars, standing outdoors at a gathering with a yellow structure and other people around.

Tourists entering a ginger shade on a farm, wearing hats and casual clothing.

A person holding a young child while standing in a plant nursery or farm with rows of plants and a shaded canopy overhead.

A young child with curly hair walking on a path through a cornfield surrounded by green plants and corn stalks, with a structure in the background.

A woman wearing a large blue hat and a pink shirt, smiling and laughing while standing among green leafy plants and wooden poles, outdoors in bright sunlight.

A man giving a tour or instruction to a group of people on a farm or plantation with tall green plants and wooden support structures.

An elderly woman wearing a blue hat and pink shirt smiling among green leaves and wooden sticks, with people in the foreground.

A man wearing glasses, a baseball cap, and casual clothing speaking and gesturing during an outdoor tour in a lush cornfield with several women listening, some wearing hats.

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Plan Your Visit

Vanilla Paradise is located at Hamilton Estate on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean, offering guided tours that combine vanilla cultivation, heritage, and local flavour.

Where: Historic Hamilton Estate, near Charlestown, Nevis

Group size: To ensure an optimal experience for everyone, we limit the maximum number of participants per tour to 10. Please contact us for group bookings exceeding this number.

For the Vanilla Tour:

Please note that the vanilla farm is a delicate environment — the vines are easily damaged, so we kindly ask parents to keep a close eye on their little explorers and ensure everyone walks carefully and respects the plants.
Accessibility: The Vanilla tour involves light walking on gentle terrain, with opportunities to rest beneath the shade of our Ginep trees. Please bring a sunhat and sun-lotion as well as water. Sturdy shoes are recommended if it has been raining. Our team is happy to assist visitors who may need extra time or support.

For the Hamilton Mill Tour:

Accessibility: The Mill tour involves light walking on uneven terrain. Please bring a sunhat and sun-lotion as well as water. Sturdy shoes are recommended if it has been raining. Our team is happy to assist visitors who may need extra time or support.

Age guideline: Children of all ages are welcome. Our gentle canine host Toni and the farm cats adore meeting young visitors.

Parking: Available at the Hamilton Estate entrance

Directions: Detailed directions will be provided upon booking confirmation

Weather: Tours may be rescheduled in the event of severe weather. All booked guests will be informed

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