We would like to buy vanilla beans on one of the islands we are visiting: St. Thomas, St. Martin, St. Lucia, Tortola, Barbados. Any idea which one would be the best place to look? Thanks

I have never seen just vanilla beans. You can buy vanilla extract, but read the label and make sure its pure. A well known line from Tortola is the Sunny Carribee line. They sell lotions and spices and I think they have a vanilla extract, but I have never seen beans.<BR><BR>St. Lucia may be your best bet since it is in a region of the southern Caribbean that is very tropical and lots of spices are grown. In St. Lucia, they sell these half coconut shells that have a cocoa stick, cinnamon bark, and a variety of other spices and it is very fragrant and a neat thing to buy.<BR>Bannana ketchup is a great buy too.<BR><BR>Vanilla is grown in Mexico and when I go to Cozumel, I buy extract. If you do find beans, make sure you compare them to prices in the States to make sure it is a savings.

PattD<BR>I don't believe vanilla beans are grown anywhere in the Caribbean - could be wrong, of course. St. Lucia would be the closest to the type of weather they need the other islands are too arid. Mexico and the South Pacific are the only places I know of that grow them. They are not a very easy a crop.

I would guess only Grenada (The spice Island) might have them in the Caribbean. The nicest ones and cheapest ones I've ever seen, were in Tahiti (or some other islands in the South Pacific). And then they were not THAT cheap there! I think about $4-5.00 a pod. Scape that baby clean at that price!!<BR> Enjoy your search and your cruise!!

I bought vanilla beans in Guadalope.<BR>I never saw them in St. Lucia, St.Thomas or St.Martin. <BR>

You got me intrigued about vanilla beans, so I did a little research. Seems vanilla beans grow in rain forests and the best ones are imported from Madagascar, Indonesia and Tahiti. Now you have some new places to add to a future itinerary.

My husband and I buy vanila beans in St. Martin on every trip (2X a year). You can find them at the Marigot flea market. As you look toward the water, the center area of the flea market is clothes. To the left are a group a small gazebos. To the right is a building. You can find vendors selling the vanilla beans either by the building or in the gazebo area. Wednesday's it is the open market day, so if you are there on Wednesday, there should be no problem. Any other day, chances are you will find someone there selling all types of spices and vanilla beans.