02 May 2024

St Lucia

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My Caribbean dreamland

From palm-shaded hammock to the deck of a pirate galleon, Konnie Huq found St Lucia perfect to unwind

St Lucia - Relaxing on the beach in St Lucia

St Lucia - The Pitons make fabulous vantage points

1 Relaxing on the beach in St Lucia 2 Taste the local produce 3 The Pitons make fabulous vantage points

ST LUCIA IS THE IDEAL PLACE, not only to relax and unwind but also if you fancy a few distractions to keep you occupied in between lazing on the golden sandy beaches or sipping fruity cocktails from a palm-treeshaded hammock by the pool.

You can begin to suss out the island on the drive from the airport as you pass villages, ports and towns and some of the lush, dense rainforest that covers 70 per cent of St Lucia.

Having stayed in a secluded spot between the Pitons – the island’s two towering peaks – on my last visit here, I soon realised I had missed out on the attractions you get in Rodney Bay, with its superb restaurants, cafes and nightlife.

It has been known for people not to set a foot outside their resort, which is fine if that’s what you want, but it’s always nice to have the option and you certainly do here.

My hotel was handy both for the main street and glorious Reduit Beach by the Caribbean Sea. Reduit is arguably the best beach on the island, with loads of watersports and organized trips from the marina.

These include sunset cruises on the Brig Unicorn or the Black Pearl, which is the ship from the Pirates Of The Caribbean films, as everyone on the island is keen to point out.

Complete with food, drink and live music - including that Caribbean favourite, the steel drums - you can even lie down and daydream on the mattressed upper deck. Very atmospheric and relaxing, though beware: I managed to nearly doze off and miss the whole sunset.

Another relaxing place to visit from Reduit is Pigeon Point at the far end of the sandy stretch.

Amazing views of the coast

This former island is now linked by a causeway and feels a bit like undiscovered terrain that as a child you’d have had real adventures on, believing you could find treasure buried in the undergrowth.

Perfect for a tropical version of The Famous Five. The quaint beaches are ideal for picnics and are overlooked by groves of lush, exotic trees and huge banyans.

If you make it to the peak of Pigeon Point, there’s an old fort offering amazing views of the coast and nearby Martinique.

If you’re not that adventurous, a very chilled cafe/restaurant at the bottom serves tasty snacks. I loved my chicken and avocado salad, chomping happily in the sun while sitting on higgledypiggledy wooden seats and tables looking out over the sea.

All beaches on St Lucia are public, so the odd hawker may try to sell you fresh aloe vera stems for sunburn, beaded jewellery or coconut - but in a friendly, not overly hassling, way. You get to meet some entertaining characters.

There is also a ‘fruit seller’ offering tempting goodies, a bit like the authentic version of the Man from Del Monte.

It would have been all too easy to spend the whole holiday in a partially comatose state, lazing on a lounger or in a hammock, sipping fruit punches at the pool bar or having them served to me on the beach.

Spa treatments added to the blissful lethargy - a fantastic deeptissue massage left me decidedly floppy for a good day afterwards.

Excursions are also a good way to see different parts of the island

However, you shouldn’t overlook just how much there is to do on the island. If snorkelling and the numerous other watersports do not appeal, you could always hike up the Pitons - a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Gros Piton is the more commonly visited, with many organised excursions (a guide is a stated requirement), while Petit Piton, its little brother, apparently has even more stunning views.

As you may have surmised, I unfortunately missed out on this two-hour miniexpedition. Next time perhaps.

I did manage, though, to go zipwiring through the rainforest. To my mind this is a much better way to be adventurous; you just sit back, relax in a harness and let gravity do all the strenuous work... genius.

It is a great way to see the rainforest and some of its wildlife - I spotted local birds, tortoises and even a sleeping snake.

Having once fallen off a Royal Marines death slide when filming (a terrifying, humiliating experience never forgotten due to the footage still being used in their training video), I thought this would be a doddle by comparison.

I assumed the first ride would be a really easy, low one and we’d work up to the higher ones. Wrong.

The drops increase to about 150ft and the first one is by no means just a few yards. I felt the fear of the Marines’ assault course return as the friendly, laid-back guides clipped me on to the wire and let go, but the terror quickly turned to exhilaration. Other trips I’d recommend include beach horse-riding (no experience required) and a visit to the volcanic area, which has mud baths and hot sulphur springs.

The latter are a bit stinky but this is a great way to check out St Lucia’s beautiful greenery; plus you get to bathe in some of its pretty waterfalls and pools.

If you suffer from aching limbs or a bad back, take a dip in the sulphur pool and hope its healing properties work their magic.

These excursions are also a good way to see different parts of the island, such as sleepy, pretty Marigot Bay in the west, which is perfect for a drink, especially if you’re a boat spotter - the bay is definitely not short of a superyacht or two.

The town of Soufriere on the south-west coast is also worth a visit and has some good restaurants and places to stop for a drink.

Just south of Marigot Bay, Anse La Raye holds the island’s famous Fish Fry every Friday night, when you can eat delicious, freshly caught fish cooked local style right before your eyes.

Gros Islet, just up the road from Rodney Bay, offers a similar event every Friday night called the Jump Up.

Good food is not scarce in St Lucia

The roadside is lined with stalls selling chicken, cobs of corn, vegetables, rice and other goodies, and people sit out late eating, drinking and whiling away the hours. There are also souvenir, trinket and art sellers and, of course, a huge sound system. From about 10pm, people start dancing and - later - bumping and grinding to the music booming out from the massive speakers.

This goes on till the early hours and can get a bit fruity! But it is a fabulous way to experience proper Caribbean life with a 50-50 mix of tourists and locals.

Good food is not scarce in St Lucia and each evening brought a new challenge: where to eat.

If sushi is your thing try The Edge, and Big Chef does some of the biggest, best steaks around. The Coal Pot in the nearby capital Castries is in a beautiful setting by the marina and has an unfussy menu serving super-fresh local fish.

Charterhouse offers fab waterside dining and then there’s Rituals, a popular coffee shop that looks suspiciously like a Starbucks.

With its perfect balance of relaxation, friendliness, escapism and adventure, St Lucia is hard to beat. I’ll definitely be back.

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