Villa Vanilla Spice Farm
Villa Vanilla is a family run farm that was founded in 1987 by Henry Karczynski.
Born in Germany and raised in urban Chicago, Illinois, Henry studied business and worked in commerce for several years before finding his true vocation in life. It was until 1975, when he joined the Peace Crops as a volunteer that he got involved in agricultural development. He worked as a long term project manager for several Non- Government Organizations (NGO) and as a short term consultant in a half a dozen countries in Central America and the Caribbean.
About the Tour
Our tour is completely hands-on and will satisfy the curiosity of tourgoers of all ages. You will use all of your senses to navigate the farm while identifying an interesting variety of spices such as our beloved vanilla, true ceylon cinnamon, cacao, black pepper, allspice, turmeric and variety of exotic fruits and medicinal plants.
What People Say
Superb experience at Villa Vanilla!!!!
Touring the farm at Villa Vanilla was the highlight of my trip in CR! Kris was fantastic and super knowledgeable about the spices they grow on the farm and the science behind them. Biodynamic farming is at their core, and you can certainly see and feel the love, patience and labor that is poured into this beautiful farm. The sampling tastings were refreshing and delicious (and beautifully presented). I would love to go back and maybe even be a part of the work they do at some point.
Thank you Kris for sharing your important work with us. I highly recommend spending a few hours here! It was incredibly informative and inspiring. Canβt wait to go back.
Written August 20, 2021
Fun and relaxing tour
Really fun tour! We enjoyed being able to both taste things (like the fruit of a cocoa pod or allspice) and also smelling and seeing the plants. It’s not a too long walk, so definitely good for kids or people who can’t walk too far. The lookout that you reach at the end is beautiful, and we really enjoyed the parade of treats given to us to test us on our spice knowledge! These included vanilla bean ice cream, chai tea, aztec hot chocolate, to name a few! I also bought some spices at the store at the end and can’t wait to use them in my cooking at home. Note that this place is CASH only.
Written August 13, 2021
Indescribable how beautiful!
My family and I visited Villa Vanilla Spice Farm in July 2021, and let me just tell you it was unbelievable. Joyce was our fantastic tour guide and did an amazing job. She was extremely knowledgeable and knew her stuff! We started off the tour with a presentation about cacao beans and even got to try some fresh cacao fruit and chocolate. Then we walked through the amazing farm and got to see how many spices grow. For example, pepper, cinnamon, and allspice. Oh and of course, vanilla! After being shown all kinds of plants we walked to a viewpoint to taste unique drinks and treats that contained the fresh spices from the farm. Delicious! This tour is perfect for foodies and chefs because you can see how all of the spices used in the kitchen are grown and all of the hard work it takes to keep them maintained. Thank you Villa Vanilla and Joyce for sharing your knowledge and sharing your beautiful spice farm with us.
Written July 23, 2021
Loved Visiting
We loved our tour at Villa Vanilla! The farm is beautiful and we loved seeing the different plants and spices. Christopher was our guide and he was really great, so knowledgeable and answered all our questions. The tasting at the end was DELICIOUS, seriously some of the best treats. Wish we could buy more!! We would definitely recommend this to anyone thatβs looking for a good tour and wants something more than just a chocolate tour.
Written July 20, 2021
Highlight of our trip!
We absolutely loved this tour! Our guide was very knowledgeable and shared lots of interesting and fun info. We were in a small group (just 2 couples), so felt like we were getting a real 1:1 experience. We are so inspired by their organic farm – doing things the way nature intended. The viewpoint with tastings towards the end of the tour were of course the highlight! They accept VENMO, so make sure to stock up on some amazing spices & chocolate before you leave.
Written July 2, 2021
Lovely informative visit
We really enjoyed this tour, more than we thought we would. We were trying to find something a bit different from beach and adventure. This really fit the bill. Our guide was so informative and interesting. He gave a good history of spices and a great basic understanding of the growing process for the various spices grown here. We smelled and/or tasted many as we walked through the beautiful farm area. From vanilla beans, to peppercorns, cinnamon and allspice, it was fascinating and beautiful. We concluded with tastings of several drinks and snacks prepared using the spices, while overlooking the beautiful valley below. Would definitely recommend – even on a rainy day.
Written June 2, 2021
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