The island hosts three Sandal’s resorts and can provide a pampered experience for lovestruck individuals looking for a romantic getaway or girlfriends wanting to escape it all. However, there is another side to this island located in the Lesser Antilles that many never experience- one full of charm and beauty that will make your heart yearn to return. For those who like to get off-the-beaten-path and mingle with the locals and experience the culture and environment, a St. Lucian experience could be just the thing for you!
Local Cuisine
The food is unique; meat dominates many menus, with such options as octopi, seafood caught right off the coast, and beef rotis. The soups are delicious- callaloo and pumpkin are some of their specialties. And on any side street one will encounter a family- owned roof-top restaurant for two overlooking the sea- it doesn’t get much more romantic than that! It is possible to forget that anyone or anywhere else exists in the world as the owners proceed to wait on you, often times their only customers, hand and foot.
Traveling Around the Island
The island has a fantastic mini-bus system that makes it easy to travel from one tip of St. Lucia to the other as well as anywhere in between. Although the drivers are somewhat gruff, the buses afford a great chance to mingle with the locals, who are extremely accommodating and helpful when asked, and an inexpensive alternative to taxis. For only $7 E.U. (approximately $2.25 US) you can get from the northern to the southern tip of the island.
Lodging and Activities
There is a selection of small guesthouses located around St. Lucia which offer inexpensive rates and are often located on the ocean with their own beach and lawn to relax upon. It truly becomes your own private getaway, as you leisurely meander into the ocean to do a bit of snorkeling off your own “private” beach. While there are some locations, such as Anse Chastanet, that offer fabulous snorkeling opportunities (guests regularly see barracuda, octopi, and seahorses among the smattering of brightly colored tropical fish), you are likely to see fish and urchins most anywhere you decide to go in for a quick look.
In addition to beautiful beaches St. Lucia holds lush rainforests that contain some endemic species, such as the Saint Lucia Parrot and Saint Lucia Racer, touted as the world’s rarest snake. Hiking opportunities are abundant on the island, as are waterfalls that are so cold and refreshing they will steal your breath away! St. Lucia boasts a drive-through volcano and sulfur springs, as well as several plantations one can tour. There are beautiful botanical gardens dripping with nectar feeders like Purple-Throated Carib Hummingbirds and various butterfly species.
For history buffs, one can spend a day touring Pigeon Island National Park, a historical landmark telling of the island’s tumultuous past. And for those interested in culture and nightlife, there is the famous weekly Gros Islet jump-up, a street party in which people travel from all over the island to partake in. Saint Lucia has something for everyone, from those who want the pampered resort life to those who want to “rough” it in the rainforests with the locals!
Sara Wittenberg - My passion for wildlife and environmental ed led me to obtain my BS in zoology and MS in biology.
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