My wife's grandparents lived there for quite a while. They are alays talking about how they 'lost everything in the revolution'. So if there's a revolution, expect to lose everything. Hope this helps.
Stayed at Windjammer Landings near Rodney Bay a couple of years ago, beautiful island, trips to Pidgeon Island, the Volcano and of course the Pitons are well worth it. Try hiring a boat and taking a trip along the coast, you will see some amazing coastline and the locals will take you to a village where there will be a beachside barbeque etc. to eat lunch at. The northern end of the island has a couple of nightspots and most of the best restaurants, and this is where Carnival also takes place, though you may have missed carnival season. Castries is the capital and has a big craft market as well as a couple of tax free shopping centres if that's your thing, and is also where many of the huge cruise ships dock for a day or two. The Ladera resort tothe south offers up amazing views of The Pitons Bay and some great food as well, it's well worth a lunch there, and can be tied in to a trip to the botanical gardens near Soufriere. If I can remember anything else about it I will let you know on here soon, my girlfriends family have holidayed there every year for the past decade and know the Island inside out by now!
Stayed at Morgan Almond Bay, absolutely loved it. Well worth taking a trip around the island with a driver/guide. Anse le Ray very nice and if you go down south take a trip up to the Vieux Fort Lighthouse, it's the second highest in the world and the views are stunning - on one side the The Atlantic and the other The Caribbean. Agree with sam re Pigeon Island and the Pitons. Only place I wasn't impressed with was Castries, which was a rather poor town with nothing much to recommend it. That said, if you want to see how the locals live and perhaps help them out financially I guess that'd be the place to go. If I could afford it, I'd go again tomorrow.
Went there in February ... great place, terrific food, friendly people ... make sure you go around the island, quite a few things to see. Enormous cruise ships at Castries, and normally very crowded.
Anyone been? Just booked a holiday there in October? Any recommendations would be appreciated.
I've never been - but a good cricketing island so maybe one day...
But isn't October hurricane season in the Caribbean?
Hurricane season can be any time from July onwards I think but it is decades since St. Lycia has been hit by a full-scale hurricane and the odds of one occurring during any particular 2 week stay are not worth considering.
Having been in St. Lucia during a near miss a few years ago (it veered south at the last minute and hit the Grenadines and Grenada) I can also say that the professionalism as the contingency plans were put into operation was exemplary and I would have no fears about having to endure one.
Thanks for your responses guys, much appreciated. Everything I have heard about the place so far has been positive so I'm glad I chose St Lucia over Barbados which was the other option. I'm staying in the Rendezvous which looks very nice. I go in the second week in October so I'm hoping the hurricane season has finished!
We arrived in the middle of the night at the George FL Charles airport (the smaller of two on the island). The customs guy gave us a huge smile and said, "Welcome to paradise"! You don't get that at Gatwick.
We arrived in the middle of the night at the George FL Charles airport (the smaller of two on the island). The customs guy gave us a huge smile and said, "Welcome to paradise"! You don't get that at Gatwick.
The Rendezvous is a Couples Resort and very nice I hear. Haven't been there but have stayed with Couples on Jamaica and that was great. I've been to St. Lucia twice. The Island is volcanic so the beaches aren't the powder white sand that you get on other Islands. If you want that go to the Virgin Islands or the Grenadines. Also, the sea isn't the turquoise blue that you get on other islands, again mainly because it's a volcanic island. Having said that the Island is beautiful and one of my favourites. I've stayed at both the north of the Island and the South and they are entirely different. There's more going on up the North, especially around the Rodney Bay area. However, the South of the Island has a lot more of the old Caribbean feel. If you get a chance try and rent a car and drive around the Island. You can do that in a day. Soufriere in the South is a great little Caribbean town and it's close to the Pitons which are spectacular. The Sulphur springs (Volcano) are also down that way. On your way down you'll go through Anse La Reye and Canaries, a couple of picturesque fishing villages. You'll then hit Soufriere. It's definitely worth stopping there and having a look around. Pretty little church right in the middle. After Soufriere you'll go past the Pitons (you'll drive right by the Ladera, well worth a stop for a drink and the view) and drive on to Laborie. This is a real authentic Caribbean village and worth driving through. I could go on and on but I won't. :-) Oh, I forgot - on Friday nights they have a 'jump up' at Gros Islet just across from Rodney Bay. Well worth a visit and lots of fun.
The Rendezvous is a Couples Resort and very nice I hear. Haven't been there but have stayed with Couples on Jamaica and that was great. I've been to St. Lucia twice. The Island is volcanic so the beaches aren't the powder white sand that you get on other Islands. If you want that go to the Virgin Islands or the Grenadines. Also, the sea isn't the turquoise blue that you get on other islands, again mainly because it's a volcanic island. Having said that the Island is beautiful and one of my favourites. I've stayed at both the north of the Island and the South and they are entirely different. There's more going on up the North, especially around the Rodney Bay area. However, the South of the Island has a lot more of the old Caribbean feel. If you get a chance try and rent a car and drive around the Island. You can do that in a day. Soufriere in the South is a great little Caribbean town and it's close to the Pitons which are spectacular. The Sulphur springs (Volcano) are also down that way. On your way down you'll go through Anse La Reye and Canaries, a couple of picturesque fishing villages. You'll then hit Soufriere. It's definitely worth stopping there and having a look around. Pretty little church right in the middle. After Soufriere you'll go past the Pitons (you'll drive right by the Ladera, well worth a stop for a drink and the view) and drive on to Laborie. This is a real authentic Caribbean village and worth driving through. I could go on and on but I won't. :-) Oh, I forgot - on Friday nights they have a 'jump up' at Gros Islet just across from Rodney Bay. Well worth a visit and lots of fun.
I wish I were you. :-)
Cheers Rob. Some good pointers there & I defintely think I'll hire a car & drive round the Island one day. As you say, the Rendezvous is a couples resort which is exactly what we wanted & it looks amazing on their website. I'm really looking forward to seeing the Pitons.
I stayed at the Jalousie Plantation for Christmas/New Year's about 9 years ago...set right between the pitons, fantastic place. Snorkelling, sailing, eating, drinking and lazing around....every night was 'rum night'... Ladera for food and views up above us was great...
Bit extravagant, but had heard that transfer times from the airport to the various hotels was a bit of a nightmare, so we took the helicopter shuttle service which was awesome and well worth doing for a great view of the island (if your hotel has somewhere to land the thing.)
The Rendezvous is a Couples Resort and very nice I hear. Haven't been there but have stayed with Couples on Jamaica and that was great. I've been to St. Lucia twice. The Island is volcanic so the beaches aren't the powder white sand that you get on other Islands. If you want that go to the Virgin Islands or the Grenadines. Also, the sea isn't the turquoise blue that you get on other islands, again mainly because it's a volcanic island. Having said that the Island is beautiful and one of my favourites. I've stayed at both the north of the Island and the South and they are entirely different. There's more going on up the North, especially around the Rodney Bay area. However, the South of the Island has a lot more of the old Caribbean feel. If you get a chance try and rent a car and drive around the Island. You can do that in a day. Soufriere in the South is a great little Caribbean town and it's close to the Pitons which are spectacular. The Sulphur springs (Volcano) are also down that way. On your way down you'll go through Anse La Reye and Canaries, a couple of picturesque fishing villages. You'll then hit Soufriere. It's definitely worth stopping there and having a look around. Pretty little church right in the middle. After Soufriere you'll go past the Pitons (you'll drive right by the Ladera, well worth a stop for a drink and the view) and drive on to Laborie. This is a real authentic Caribbean village and worth driving through. I could go on and on but I won't. :-) Oh, I forgot - on Friday nights they have a 'jump up' at Gros Islet just across from Rodney Bay. Well worth a visit and lots of fun.
I wish I were you. :-)
Cheers Rob. Some good pointers there & I defintely think I'll hire a car & drive round the Island one day. As you say, the Rendezvous is a couples resort which is exactly what we wanted & it looks amazing on their website. I'm really looking forward to seeing the Pitons.
A simple tip: Assuming you are flying to Hewanorra and not Vigie (i.e. if you are flying on a big plane rather than a small one) then try to get a window seat on the port (left hand) side of the plane. Because of the prevailing trade winds planes invariably land west to east and that affords you a wonderful view of the Pitons as you come in to land. It's a wonderful "welcome to St. Lucia"
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Hope this helps.
But isn't October hurricane season in the Caribbean?
Definitely go to the volcano, but prepare your nose, as the sulphur smell is incredible.
Having been in St. Lucia during a near miss a few years ago (it veered south at the last minute and hit the Grenadines and Grenada) I can also say that the professionalism as the contingency plans were put into operation was exemplary and I would have no fears about having to endure one.
I've been going to St. Lucia for over 25 years and I haven't enjoyed it once (I'm planning on going back in July just to see if it's improved any)
I wish I were you. :-)
Bit extravagant, but had heard that transfer times from the airport to the various hotels was a bit of a nightmare, so we took the helicopter shuttle service which was awesome and well worth doing for a great view of the island (if your hotel has somewhere to land the thing.)
Possibly the best holiday I have ever had.