St Lucia which is aptly named “The Queen of the Caribbean” is a sunshine destination that has a little of everything to suit everyone. On my recent trip to the island visiting our St Lucia Villas, I discovered a lush island bursting with beautiful beaches, stunning scenery, vibrant nightlife, luxury villas, 5-star resorts, and friendly, laidback locals.
1. Helicopter tour
After an enjoyable 7 hr flight from London, I had pre-booked a helicopter (shared with others) to take us from Hewanorra airport to George Charles airport up in the north of the island. It took 15 minutes by air (90 minutes by car) and it was worth every cent of the US$170. The sights were spectacular, and you get a bird’s eye view of this beautiful mountainous getaway. We flew around the “Pitons” and up along the coast taking in all the amazing beaches, cliffs, and ocean views. A great way to start the vacation.
2. Sulphur Springs
The mud baths at the Sulphur Springs Park is a crazy yet invigorating way to revitalise your body and mind. I was a little naive at first at the thought of covering myself from head to toe in volcanic mud and sitting in a warm sulphur spring, but the experience was surreal and is a “must-do” when in St Lucia. Your skin feels extremely smooth and soft after you have showered off the mud, and you leave the park very satisfied.
3. Making Chocolate
On my 3rd day in St Lucia, I traveled to Hotel Chocolat for my next adventure. It is located in Boucan overlooking the town of Soufrière and is a working cocoa plantation that also has accommodation.
There were 10 of us in the class and we were going to make our chocolate from scratch. I never thought pounding Cocoa beans into a paste was such a satisfying thing to do but it was! During this experience, our guide Merle told us the history of the Chocolate in St Lucia and how it had been revived when the Banana trade collapsed back in the 90’s.
Once the hard work was done, we poured the contents of the bowl into a plastic mould and it was taken away to be refrigerated. We went to the bar for a well-earned cocktail and while there were presented with our very own bars of chocolate.
Also read: The Best Remote Destinations to Visit
4. Segway Nature Tour
This was another great adventure and a wonderful way of exploring Rodney Bay, Mt Pimand, and learning more about the history of St Lucia. We met in Rodney Bay at 9am and did a 1-hour practice course before being let on our way. Once the penny drops, Segway’s are very easy to manage, and your confidence builds as you go along.
The trail we traveled was about 3 km long, full of amazing views of Rodney Bay and Pigeon Island. We stopped many times for photo opportunities and while our guide told us about the history of that area. We came to a freshwater pool which was beautiful and full of little fish. It has an interesting “rock feature” at the back, which was of a face looking at you !!
Some in the group could make it out while others were left scratching their heads. I can highly recommend a Segway tour; the guides are passionate about their island and there are some fun surprises along the way.
5. Zip Lining
There are several different Ziplining companies in St Lucia, I choose to go with Morne Coubaril Estate Zip Lining Experience. I had 2 main reasons for picking this company, one is because I was told the views would be amazing … and they were just that. The second reason is that it doesn’t take up a full day.
You will be collected from your accommodation and brought to the Estate, where you will undergo a demonstration of what to do. There are 8 lines and it takes about 2 hours to complete (we were behind a large group). Zipping through the forest is exhilarating, to say the least, but when the trees clear away and your views of The Pitons become clear… Well that is just astonishing !!.
The guides are professional and the safety equipment looked new. One thing that is good to know is that there is a weight restriction of 260lbs.
6. Gros Islet Street Party
If you get the chance to go to the Gros Islet Street Party which happens every Friday night in Rodney Bay, please do so. It is a wonderful night of great street food, dancing, singing, street entertainers, and where locals and visitors mingle till the early hours of the morning.
If you don’t like large crowds, then maybe come early around 6 pm to sample the amazing food and atmosphere but do visit. There are tables, chairs, picnic benches for everyone to avail of and the food is very tasty and cheap to buy. I had a wonderful night there !!.
St Lucia is an amazing island with so much to see and do. I have just picked a handful of adventures that I thought you will enjoy when you visit. It also has wonderful scuba diving, fishing, hiking, and much much more.
If you fancy a two-center vacation, check out some luxury Barbados Vacation Rentals.
Also read: Cheap Caribbean Vacation Guide
