Mandoo tours

[I Fly]

I have been reading how wonderful Mandoo's tours are, but on his website there are at least five different tours. Mandoo can not lead all of the tours. Is it possible to work it out to get on the one tour that Mandoo actually leads?

 

Thanks,

Steve

[OBX-Cruisers]

I have been reading how wonderful Mandoo's tours are, but on his website there are at least five different tours. Mandoo can not lead all of the tours. Is it possible to work it out to get on the one tour that Mandoo actually leads?

 

Thanks,

Steve

 

We took a tour with Mandoo in October after arriving on the Maasdam. Mandoo tours IS a one man operation as far as I could make out and Mandoo is the man.

 

I think he prebooks tours and has a morning or afternoon tour or an all day tour if there are enough people and he prebooks among those various choices you saw. When we toured there was supposed to be one other couple that did not appear so we had a private tour with Mandoo and went to most if not all of the places mentioned by others.

 

I found that if you want to buy nutmegs in Grenada........their specialty spice.........wait until you get back to town and go to through the shops into the city and off to the left there is a local outdoor market with people selling nutmegs and spice neclaces for a fraction of what you will be offered at various stops on the tour.

[Sundae]

We did the Spice Plantation Route with Mandoo and just got back on the Ruby Princess earlier this week. Mandoo was our driver and we were 16 people in total. He's very, very informative and kept a running commentary on the drives.

 

Our first stop was the Annandale Waterfall, then to the Grant Etang Reserve to see the crater lake. Mandoo brought bananas and was able to call the mona monkeys out to the parking lot and we had plenty of time to pet them and photograph with them. The soaps made of cinnamon and nutmeg here are cheaper than the exact same soaps sold in the mall at the pier. I didn't get a chance to buy them at the Reserve and missed out. Then we had quite a long drive to Grenville, the opposite side of the island to visit a spice plantation. On his website it says Douglaston but the one we went to was called something else. Mandoo then took us to a beach bar called The Estuary on the Atlantic ocean and bought all of us drinks. On the drive back, we stopped at Grand Anse Beach for a photo op before returning to the pier. The total trip was 5 hours. Longer than expected because of traffic in town and because a couple of the girls in our group caused some delays at various stops along the way.

 

I didn't have trouble with the meeting time as I made sure to confirm the reservation and time with him before my cruise departure.

[Fancy_Goods]

Hands down, Mandoo is the best tour I have ever been on anywhere! You can tell he loves his home, his Grenada and has had a huge impact on the little island nation's tourism business. In 4 very short hours we learned the history of the island, of the people, of the culture and of their economy (past-present-future). The good, the bad, Mandoo presents it all in a way that makes you fall in love with this beautiful island. No worries. Be happy!

[limaklimra]

I just noticed there are several half day tours and also a full day tour offered by Mandoo...

 

Which tours did you do? I am wondering about the best tour for a first time visitor interessted to see waterfalls and also Grand Anse Beach...

 

Thanks.

[Fancy_Goods]

We did the 1/2 day Spice Plantation Route which included:

1. A tour of a former nutmeg receiving station which depicts the authentic history of the nutmeg and the Grenadian plantation system incorporated with the spice depot and original artwork from the nutmeg prints collection. Scarves, Bags, wraps, tops, etc. Complimentary local drinks were available: juices, rum punch, spicy liquor/rum, old grog, lime rum, Hot local chocolate tea. Very clean bathrooms to use.
   
   
2. Douglaston spice depot. Mandoo does a great presentation on the cultivation of nutmeg and chocolate.
   
   
3. Drive through the lush volcanic mountains to see the spices, cocoa and bananas plantations. Great photo stops.
   
4. The Grand Etang crater lake. Mandoo called for the Mona monkeys and once came to eat our bananas. Lots of local artisans and handicrafts for sale here. Buy your spice necklaces here...3 for $10. These necklaces are very full, very fresh and the nicest ones I saw all day. Very clean bathrooms to use.
   
5. A stop and walk to the Annandale waterfall. Very lovely waterfall with, unfortunately, too many Jamaicans trying to peddle their "crapwares".
   
6. Back to the docks.
   

Mandoo's tour van was immaculate and the air conditioning was actually "too cold!" The cost was $45:00 per person inclusive of various entrance fees and complimentary drinks.

[Babygirlsmom]

I have to say that I read all the great reviews on Mandoo before our Christmas Cruise 2009. I had high hopes. Much of what people said is true IF you get MANDOO himself. We had an assistant who sat silent in the car for 30 minutes at a time unless we asked questions. He was nice, but didn't give us a "tour guide" kind of tour. We had done a tour in St. Lucia and it was amazing--many stops to "taste" the island, etc. This was tons of driving and not enough time at the places we would have liked to see. Be very clear that you want MANDOO not anyone else. We did a private all day tour---don't do that either. Going with others is fun, and all day is too long. Be sure to research the exact things you want to see from other posters and mention those. Going to the top of the island past the spice plantation is not necessary. Not anything that unique up there. Stick with the bottom half of the island.

I would do the spice plantation(note the spices are cheaper at the actual plantation not the tourist stop--first one--although not as pretty of packaging);rainforest---but be sure to go when the monkeys are actually there (we saw none); actually STOP at the falls--=our guide pointed to it and drove past it; beach: and maybe that sugar cane thing-which we never got to. Top it off with a request for some beach time someplace. Bring a drink---we only got one sip of punch the whole day.

 

Again I think overall Mandoo is fine====just be clear that you get HIM!