Soufrière - Morne Coubaril Estate

This working estate, growing cocoa, coconuts and manioc, is open to tourists who want to see traditional agriculture methods or ride horses around the 250 acre property.

Guides show how coconuts are opened, roasted and sent off to be made into margarine, soaps, oil and animal feed. Cocoa is fermented, dried on racks in the sun, oiled, polished by a man dancing on them, crushed and then formed into chocolate sticks. Manioc roots are grated, squeezed of excess water, dried over a fire and turned into farina and tapioca pudding also called kassava.

The grounds also house a re-creation of a farm workers village. Opening soon is Daniel's Ark, a farm tour for adults and children. Activities provided for visitors include horseback treks, organized hikes to the hot sulfurous Coubaril Falls and jeep tours of the area. Another attraction, Accro-Branche, opens in 2000, where visitors use special equipment to climb trees.

The estate also serves local cuisine at its 600-seat restaurant, The Pitt, for which reservations are required before 9 a.m.

While the concession of this tract of land was made in 1713 by Louis XIV of France, it wasn't until 1742 that the owner started working the estate. Though the original grant was subsequently split among heirs, this plantation remained in the same family until 1960. In about 1762, the owner as head of the local militia, built a fort on this land overlooking Soufrière bay to protect this village. A cannon still remains on this estate.

Over the years, crops switched to whatever was economical at the time: cotton, coffee, sugar cane, though cocoa has been grown from start to present.