Welcome to Montecristo Vainilla

I am Alfonso Agustín Llanes, the owner of Montecristo Private Reserve, where I cultivate the orchid Vanilla pompona in Río San Juan, Nicaragua. What began as a hobby gradually became a passion. I started by learning the basics of propagation, growing from just a few specimens to hundreds of thriving plants.

In the beginning, I used fruit and cacao trees as natural tutors for the cuttings. Slowly, the vanilla vines began to spread, climbing almost every tree around our lodge. It has become part of the landscape—blending into the forest while adding a touch of purpose and fragrance.

Now, I’ve started implementing techniques to cultivate vanilla more intensively and improve productivity, while still respecting the rhythms of nature and the spirit of this land.