Ahhh, beautiful St. Lucia. This southern Caribbean island captured my heart. I spent a week in St. Lucia touring a variety of resorts and exploring some of their top excursions.

St. Lucia is the perfect destination for a honeymoon, but I also discovered some great family resorts.

 I learned a lot along the way & wanted to share with you.

ST. LUCIA OVERVIEW

St. Lucia is often referred to as the Hawaii of the Caribbean & I can see why. The mountains, rainforests, volcano & beaches make for a spectacular backdrop that resembles Hawaii!

This Caribbean island offers world-class hotels and breathtaking scenery. Honeymooners can bask in Saint Lucia’s quiet romance while families can enjoy an abundance of land and water activities. You’re sure to fall in love with the colonial French ambiance of this stunning island paradise.

GETTING TO KNOW THE ISLAND

St. Lucia is a volcanic island with lots of mountains and twisty roads. The international airport is on the southern tip of the island. Many resorts are located all the way up north and it takes about 90 minutes to reach your resort. 

The resorts up north near Pigeon Island and Rodney Bay have gorgeous white sand beaches. However, most of the beaches in St. Lucia are volcanic, so the sand is darker.

If you want to wake up to the gorgeous Pitons every day then you’ll want to stay near Soufriere. 

Many St. Lucia resorts are built into a cliff, so you can expect to get your workout with all of those stairs! Don’t worry, there are some resorts on flat ground, if that’s more to your liking.

It’s popular to do a split stay between 2 different resorts so you can experience more areas of the island. 

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WHEN TO GO

This is a typical Caribbean island, so hurricane season runs June-November. If you travel during this time you can expect more rain.

The high tourist season is December-April during the driest season. You can expect to pay higher rates during these months.

From October to February, sperm whales, humpback whales, and pilot whales make their way from the cold Atlantic to the warm waters of St. Lucia to breed and mate.

St. Lucia has different festivals throughout the year, you can see a full list here: https://www.stlucia.org/en/experiences/festivals-events/

GETTING THERE

You’ll fly into Hewanorra Airport (UVF), which is on the southern tip of the island. There is a second airport up north (SLU) & you can take a quick helicopter transfer there & cut your transfer time down significantly. Plus, those aerial island views are pretty amazing!

I purchased the Fast-Track VIP Service and it was worth every penny! I stepped off the plane and found a representative holding a sign with my name on it. I was whisked to the front of all lines, expediting the customs process. Since we traveled in 2021 we were also rushed to the front of the line for all the COVID checks. This service easily saved us an hour, likely more. $65 well spent!

UNIQUE BREATHTAKING ACCOMMODATIONS

While you’ll find a few larger, traditional all-inclusive resorts in St. Lucia, I love all of the smaller, unique resorts. Most of these only include breakfast, but there is usually an optional all-inclusive package.

For instance, imagine a private room tucked into the hillside with a missing 4th wall so you have a full, unobstructed view of the gorgeous Piton mountains. Of course, with your own private pool.

Or perhaps your own cottage with a large front porch where you can sway in the hammock and stare out to sea?

How about a luxury resort with its own hiking trails that deliver Piton views, a treehouse and a Flintstones-style outdoor gym?

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In other words, St. Lucia offers some truly unique and breathtaking accommodations. If you’ve been here a while, you know I love a good traditional all-inclusive resort. And, as mentioned above, you can find those here. However, I highly recommend checking out some of these smaller, more boutique resorts. You’ll feel much more connected to the destination and you won’t be sorry!

WHAT TO DO

There’s no shortage of activities to enjoy in St. Lucia! Here are just a few of my favorites:

DRIVE-THRU VOLCANO & MUD BATH

This is a don’t-miss in St. Lucia. Soak in the volcanic mud bath & your skin will be refreshed & you’ll look years younger! I did this and had so much fun. Plus, my skin felt so soft afterwards! Make sure you wear a dark bathing suit because the mud will stain lighter suits.

HIKING

If you’re in great shape & enjoy a challenge then you can climb the famous Pitons. During my visit to Ladera I got to experience one of their hiking trails. Two thumbs up!

SUNSET CRUISE

Head out to sea and enjoy the magnificent sunset while sipping champagne. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll catch the green flash.

SCUBA & SNORKEL

With several shipwrecks off the island, you’ll find the diving and snorkeling to be pretty great in St. Lucia. While I loved everything about my stay at Ti Kaye, one of my favorite things was their privileged location on a bay with 2 shipwrecks. The offshore snorkeling was fantastic!

Click here to explore even more St. Lucia excursions.

GOOD TO KNOW

St. Lucia is a very popular destination for honeymoons and romantic getaways. Many resorts cater to this demographic, so if you’re traveling with friends or family, make sure you’re choosing a resort with the right vibe.

The roads are hilly and winding. I do not recommend renting a car here. I have a fantastic driver I can hook you up with.

It’s an island. There are bugs. Sometimes lots of them. Many resorts provide bug spray for your room. I learned to spray the doorways before I headed out & make sure I kept all the lights off. 

A legal destination wedding ceremony is pretty easy in St. Lucia. Check out the requirements here: https://www.stlucia.org/en/experiences/weddings-honeymoons/wedding-requirements/

If you like spicy foods, be sure to try their yellow hot sauce. It’s delicious! I’m almost out of the bottle I bought to bring home. Oh darn, guess I’ll have to go back now!

Also don’t miss chocolate from cacao grown in St. Lucia or their local rum. Yum and yum!

Most electrical outlets are 220V, though many resorts also offer 110V outlets. Bring an adaptor, just in case. They don’t have outlets in the bathrooms, so I was always drying my hair in the bedroom!

St. Lucia is generally a more expensive destination. Especially if you want some of those WOW-factor Instagrammable accommodations. Budget accordingly. It’s worth it!

READY TO PLAN YOUR DREAM ST. LUCIA VACATION?

So what do you think? Is St. Lucia on your vacation wishlist? (Hint: It should be.) With so many different resorts and areas of the island, I definitely recommend working with a trusted travel advisor to book your dream vacation. I’d love to chat with you more about this magical island! Just schedule your free planning call here. I look forward to sharing my experience with you!