The Travel & Leisure Magazine St Lucia Feature
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getting to know
Desert Island Delight Lush, small, sunny and unspoilt, St Lucia really is the perfect spot to get away from it all, says Robert Seymour.
6 The Travel & Leisure Magazine
f you’ve ever listened to Desert Island Discs on a gloomy Sunday morning and then tried to picture the kind of ideal island on which you’d like to be marooned, you’ll be pleased to discover that it’s not just a dream: the mango-shaped, junglecovered, warm-watered St Lucia could have been invented to order. St. Lucia – just under 30 miles by 14 miles in total and a particularly popular spot for cruise ships - is one of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, north of Barbados, and seems to have everything you would want on your ideal island location checklist… Dramatic location? Check. ✔ The Pitons are two 2,000ft coastal peaks covered in rainforest and home to orchids, birds of paradise and the local St Lucia parrot, which were awarded Unesco World Heritage Site status five years ago. They give their name to the local beer (www.pitonbeer.com) and are the island’s most famous landmark. You have to be pretty much a professional climber to actually climb them, the best view being from neighbouring Mount Gimie, the island’s tallest mountain at over 3,100ft, or while taking a boat trip out on the sea. But
I
protected carefully by the local government. Mildly scary volcano? Check. ✔ St. Lucia’s old French capital Soufriere not only has some gorgeous historic wooden buildings but also its own volcano. Still technically active (though we’re talking gas and heady sulphur scents rather than rivers of lava, fortunately), it’s regarded as the world’s only drive-in volcano as you can drive right up to it to explore before taking a guided tour or even try out the water which is said to ease many ailments. Beautiful waterfalls and beaches? Check. ✔ A dip under the Diamond Falls has been enjoyed by visitors since the days of King Louis XVI while the very clean beaches such as Reduit Beach are absolutely stunning. Lots of coconuts? Check. ✔ Some similar luxury island locations have been spoilt by overbuilding, but despite increasing numbers of tourists in recent decades, St Lucia has thankfully avoided going down this route and it retains a lot of its old glory (next time you watch the original Dr Doolittle film shot 40 years ago you can check for yourself as the island’s Marigot Bay featured heavily).
Traditional Fayre
there are many more walks you can take including: Barre de L’isle Rain Forest Trail, a three-hour trek around the outside of the rainforest and up to the top of Morne la Combe (1,500ft); the Frigate Island Nature Trail which concentrates on the breeding grounds of the island’s frigate birds but which is also home to boa constrictors; and
the Union Nature Trail, a network of paths which is particularly good for those interested in birds as you’ll see hummingbirds, warblers and finches. Lots to explore? Check. ✔ St Lucia has some truly glorious forest – there’s more than 20,000 acres of it - or scubadive and snorkel around its fabulous reefs, all proudly
Indeed, this is very much still a working island. Because of its volcanic soil, St Lucia is particularly fertile so you will see plenty of mangoes, papayas, pineapples, guavas, and coconuts as well as vast quantities of bananas (six different varieties are grown here). Menus are unsurprisingly then full of dishes featuring fresh fruit – particularly bananas, especially in banana bread, salad and boiled with fish - as well as fresh seafood, although the national dish is Callaloo soup whose main ingredient is a spinach-like leaf. Look out too for pepperpot stew (including squash, okra, aubergine, spinach, pumpkin, pork, beef and grated cassava) and accras (fried codfish balls in a spicey sauce). There are plenty of great restaurants around the island including The Coal Pot for fine French cuisine which overlooks the bay at the popular town of Castries (www.coalpotrestaurant.com) and The Still, in a family-run working cocoa and citrus plantation, particularly good for Creole cuisine (http://thestillresort.com). If you are interested in seeing these tropical fruits up close and personal, head for the Fond Doux Estate (www.fonddoux estate.com) which is a working hotel and The Travel & Leisure Magazine
7
Teri’s Top Tips
If you really want to experience the highs of St Lucia’s nightlife, make a beeline for one of the many weekly street parties held on Fridays known as "jump-ups" where there are as many locals as tourists.There’s plenty of dancing at these rum and reggae gettogethers as well as lots of delicious food on hand from food stalls serving freshly barbecued meat and seafood. You can also try a "sea-moss shake" which features seaweed, milk, sugar, and fruit in its ingredients and which is guaranteed to keep you jumping up all evening.The best jump-ups are at Gros Islet and Anse la Raye.
bit more developed and has a busier vibe with less spectacular scenery. However, it does have lovelier golden sandy beaches. The south-west is much more impressive in terms of landscape - the Pitons are here for a start - and has better access to the rainforest and other main sights. But the beaches are mainly grey volcanic sand. Perhaps the answer is to split your time or consider a two-centre holiday. There is a really wide choice of excellent accommodation for all budgets and don’t forget the possibility of staying in a guesthouses or smaller hotel which have some great deals and offer a very personal atmosphere. Some are even run by ex-pats who came here on holiday and liked it so much they wanted to find a way to stay for longer. Among other possibilities are: ● The Anse le Chastanet Hotel, beautifully located on the beach and hillside, close to the slightly faded grandeur of the town of Soufriere. The highly individual bedrooms have no electronic distractions such as televisions or radios but they do have plenty of original art and the plushest rooms have no fourth wall so you can really feel close to the nearby Pitons (www.ansechastanet.com).
10 The Travel & Leisure Magazine
● Ladera is very popular for honeymooners with marvellous views of the Pitons from its bar and restaurant as well as its two dozen bedrooms, many of which are also fourth wall-less. This is the place if you’re after a four-poster bed, intricate tile work and plunge pools. (www.ladera-stlucia.com). ● Another luxury choice is the Jalousie (www.thejalousieplant Plantation ation.com) which is in a great location between the two Pitons and particularly good for scubadiving. ● Windjammer Landing (www.windjammer-landing.com) is popular for families with various babysitting services, nannies, kids and teens clubs and even special spa treatments for children aged 7-12
● Less expensive but still really rather pleasant is Ginger Lily, a good budget option in the popular Rodney Bay area of the island. It has 11l large and stylish decorated rooms, some with vaulted ceilings and hammocks on the balconies. There’s also a really good swimming pool and restaurant (www.thegingerlilyhotel.com). ● La Haut Plantation is another technically ‘budget’ choice on a working plantation above Soufrière with super views of the Pitons. There are 10 simple rooms (again, some have vaulted ceilings) and an excellent restaurant specializing in local Creole dishes (www.lahaut.com). Spas and spa holidays are becoming increasingly popular too on the island. Some of the most popular packages are available at
Body Holiday in the all inclusive Le Sport St Lucia. There’s an almost Andalucian feel to the spa complex which offers a huge number of treatments. (www.bodyholiday.com). Though it’s a friendly operation, there is a varying age limit for children here so do check before signing on the dotted line. If you like scubadiving, snorkelling and other water sports such as water skiing, windsurfing and kayaking, then you are bound to love St Lucia, the more sheltered west coast in particular – the water is warm and crystal clear so it’s a step up from a murky quarry in the UK and many of the hotels offer free tuition. There are plenty of diving schools around the island which offer trips, expert guidance and full equipment for everybody from beginners to experienced
divers: the authorities are keen to encourage responsible diving tourism too and have established the interesting Soufriere Marine Management Area project to ensure that St Lucia’s coastal environment is properly conserved. So what can you expect to see? Pretty much everything thanks to a mixture of artificial reefs around sunken ships (look out for black coral trees and huge barrel sponges) as well as nurse sharks, angel fish, and golden spotted eels. And whatever your diving (or snorkelling) levels, there’s a spot for you such as the heavily corralled Keyhole Pinnacles which have four steep pinnacle tours stretching from very deep down indeed right up to just a couple of feet from the surface. Other possibilities include:
● drift diving along the gentle wall of Superman’s Flight and Anse La Raye which has enormous rocks on a shallow slope ● the Coral Gardens, with depths from 15 to 50ft ● Anse Chastenet, where reefs fall away to 140ft ● the Waiwinette freighter, at 90ft down and with strong currents only for the really experienced diver And if you do dive, keep an eye out for the marvellously-named The Thing which is a close relative of the Loch Ness Monster and usually only ‘seen’ at night around Anse Chastanet. For more details about diving, it’s well worth having a browse around the very detailed site at www.scubastlucia.com The Travel & Leisure Magazine
11
The Travel & Leisure Magazine
13
A friendly family run hotel with • Twelve spacious rooms • 2 self-catering apartments • Quality restaurant & bar • Wedding reception facilities A quiet, tranquil location with tropical gardens and a magnificent view overlooking Praslin Bay and Frigate Islands.
www.foxgroveinn.com Tel: 001 758 455 3800
ROOMS • RESTAURANT • BAR Thirteen rooms. La Haut Restaurant features a varied menu of Creole cuisine, served by friendly staff. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 8am-9pm. All with magnificent views overlooking the twin peak Pitons, Soufriere Valley and the Caribbean Sea.
Come join us Tel: 1-758-459-7008 www.lahaut.com
14 The Travel & Leisure Magazine
Desert Island Delight Lush, small, sunny and unspoilt, St Lucia really is the perfect spot to get away from it all, says Robert Seymour.
6 The Travel & Leisure Magazine
f you’ve ever listened to Desert Island Discs on a gloomy Sunday morning and then tried to picture the kind of ideal island on which you’d like to be marooned, you’ll be pleased to discover that it’s not just a dream: the mango-shaped, junglecovered, warm-watered St Lucia could have been invented to order. St. Lucia – just under 30 miles by 14 miles in total and a particularly popular spot for cruise ships - is one of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, north of Barbados, and seems to have everything you would want on your ideal island location checklist… Dramatic location? Check. ✔ The Pitons are two 2,000ft coastal peaks covered in rainforest and home to orchids, birds of paradise and the local St Lucia parrot, which were awarded Unesco World Heritage Site status five years ago. They give their name to the local beer (www.pitonbeer.com) and are the island’s most famous landmark. You have to be pretty much a professional climber to actually climb them, the best view being from neighbouring Mount Gimie, the island’s tallest mountain at over 3,100ft, or while taking a boat trip out on the sea. But
I
protected carefully by the local government. Mildly scary volcano? Check. ✔ St. Lucia’s old French capital Soufriere not only has some gorgeous historic wooden buildings but also its own volcano. Still technically active (though we’re talking gas and heady sulphur scents rather than rivers of lava, fortunately), it’s regarded as the world’s only drive-in volcano as you can drive right up to it to explore before taking a guided tour or even try out the water which is said to ease many ailments. Beautiful waterfalls and beaches? Check. ✔ A dip under the Diamond Falls has been enjoyed by visitors since the days of King Louis XVI while the very clean beaches such as Reduit Beach are absolutely stunning. Lots of coconuts? Check. ✔ Some similar luxury island locations have been spoilt by overbuilding, but despite increasing numbers of tourists in recent decades, St Lucia has thankfully avoided going down this route and it retains a lot of its old glory (next time you watch the original Dr Doolittle film shot 40 years ago you can check for yourself as the island’s Marigot Bay featured heavily).
Traditional Fayre
there are many more walks you can take including: Barre de L’isle Rain Forest Trail, a three-hour trek around the outside of the rainforest and up to the top of Morne la Combe (1,500ft); the Frigate Island Nature Trail which concentrates on the breeding grounds of the island’s frigate birds but which is also home to boa constrictors; and
the Union Nature Trail, a network of paths which is particularly good for those interested in birds as you’ll see hummingbirds, warblers and finches. Lots to explore? Check. ✔ St Lucia has some truly glorious forest – there’s more than 20,000 acres of it - or scubadive and snorkel around its fabulous reefs, all proudly
Indeed, this is very much still a working island. Because of its volcanic soil, St Lucia is particularly fertile so you will see plenty of mangoes, papayas, pineapples, guavas, and coconuts as well as vast quantities of bananas (six different varieties are grown here). Menus are unsurprisingly then full of dishes featuring fresh fruit – particularly bananas, especially in banana bread, salad and boiled with fish - as well as fresh seafood, although the national dish is Callaloo soup whose main ingredient is a spinach-like leaf. Look out too for pepperpot stew (including squash, okra, aubergine, spinach, pumpkin, pork, beef and grated cassava) and accras (fried codfish balls in a spicey sauce). There are plenty of great restaurants around the island including The Coal Pot for fine French cuisine which overlooks the bay at the popular town of Castries (www.coalpotrestaurant.com) and The Still, in a family-run working cocoa and citrus plantation, particularly good for Creole cuisine (http://thestillresort.com). If you are interested in seeing these tropical fruits up close and personal, head for the Fond Doux Estate (www.fonddoux estate.com) which is a working hotel and The Travel & Leisure Magazine
7
Teri’s Top Tips
If you really want to experience the highs of St Lucia’s nightlife, make a beeline for one of the many weekly street parties held on Fridays known as "jump-ups" where there are as many locals as tourists.There’s plenty of dancing at these rum and reggae gettogethers as well as lots of delicious food on hand from food stalls serving freshly barbecued meat and seafood. You can also try a "sea-moss shake" which features seaweed, milk, sugar, and fruit in its ingredients and which is guaranteed to keep you jumping up all evening.The best jump-ups are at Gros Islet and Anse la Raye.
bit more developed and has a busier vibe with less spectacular scenery. However, it does have lovelier golden sandy beaches. The south-west is much more impressive in terms of landscape - the Pitons are here for a start - and has better access to the rainforest and other main sights. But the beaches are mainly grey volcanic sand. Perhaps the answer is to split your time or consider a two-centre holiday. There is a really wide choice of excellent accommodation for all budgets and don’t forget the possibility of staying in a guesthouses or smaller hotel which have some great deals and offer a very personal atmosphere. Some are even run by ex-pats who came here on holiday and liked it so much they wanted to find a way to stay for longer. Among other possibilities are: ● The Anse le Chastanet Hotel, beautifully located on the beach and hillside, close to the slightly faded grandeur of the town of Soufriere. The highly individual bedrooms have no electronic distractions such as televisions or radios but they do have plenty of original art and the plushest rooms have no fourth wall so you can really feel close to the nearby Pitons (www.ansechastanet.com).
10 The Travel & Leisure Magazine
● Ladera is very popular for honeymooners with marvellous views of the Pitons from its bar and restaurant as well as its two dozen bedrooms, many of which are also fourth wall-less. This is the place if you’re after a four-poster bed, intricate tile work and plunge pools. (www.ladera-stlucia.com). ● Another luxury choice is the Jalousie (www.thejalousieplant Plantation ation.com) which is in a great location between the two Pitons and particularly good for scubadiving. ● Windjammer Landing (www.windjammer-landing.com) is popular for families with various babysitting services, nannies, kids and teens clubs and even special spa treatments for children aged 7-12
● Less expensive but still really rather pleasant is Ginger Lily, a good budget option in the popular Rodney Bay area of the island. It has 11l large and stylish decorated rooms, some with vaulted ceilings and hammocks on the balconies. There’s also a really good swimming pool and restaurant (www.thegingerlilyhotel.com). ● La Haut Plantation is another technically ‘budget’ choice on a working plantation above Soufrière with super views of the Pitons. There are 10 simple rooms (again, some have vaulted ceilings) and an excellent restaurant specializing in local Creole dishes (www.lahaut.com). Spas and spa holidays are becoming increasingly popular too on the island. Some of the most popular packages are available at
Body Holiday in the all inclusive Le Sport St Lucia. There’s an almost Andalucian feel to the spa complex which offers a huge number of treatments. (www.bodyholiday.com). Though it’s a friendly operation, there is a varying age limit for children here so do check before signing on the dotted line. If you like scubadiving, snorkelling and other water sports such as water skiing, windsurfing and kayaking, then you are bound to love St Lucia, the more sheltered west coast in particular – the water is warm and crystal clear so it’s a step up from a murky quarry in the UK and many of the hotels offer free tuition. There are plenty of diving schools around the island which offer trips, expert guidance and full equipment for everybody from beginners to experienced
divers: the authorities are keen to encourage responsible diving tourism too and have established the interesting Soufriere Marine Management Area project to ensure that St Lucia’s coastal environment is properly conserved. So what can you expect to see? Pretty much everything thanks to a mixture of artificial reefs around sunken ships (look out for black coral trees and huge barrel sponges) as well as nurse sharks, angel fish, and golden spotted eels. And whatever your diving (or snorkelling) levels, there’s a spot for you such as the heavily corralled Keyhole Pinnacles which have four steep pinnacle tours stretching from very deep down indeed right up to just a couple of feet from the surface. Other possibilities include:
● drift diving along the gentle wall of Superman’s Flight and Anse La Raye which has enormous rocks on a shallow slope ● the Coral Gardens, with depths from 15 to 50ft ● Anse Chastenet, where reefs fall away to 140ft ● the Waiwinette freighter, at 90ft down and with strong currents only for the really experienced diver And if you do dive, keep an eye out for the marvellously-named The Thing which is a close relative of the Loch Ness Monster and usually only ‘seen’ at night around Anse Chastanet. For more details about diving, it’s well worth having a browse around the very detailed site at www.scubastlucia.com The Travel & Leisure Magazine
11
The Travel & Leisure Magazine
13
A friendly family run hotel with • Twelve spacious rooms • 2 self-catering apartments • Quality restaurant & bar • Wedding reception facilities A quiet, tranquil location with tropical gardens and a magnificent view overlooking Praslin Bay and Frigate Islands.
www.foxgroveinn.com Tel: 001 758 455 3800
ROOMS • RESTAURANT • BAR Thirteen rooms. La Haut Restaurant features a varied menu of Creole cuisine, served by friendly staff. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 8am-9pm. All with magnificent views overlooking the twin peak Pitons, Soufriere Valley and the Caribbean Sea.
Come join us Tel: 1-758-459-7008 www.lahaut.com
14 The Travel & Leisure Magazine
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The Travel & Leisure Magazine St Lucia Feature
May 2020 13
