The Island of St. Lucia

With the recent good news that the island of St Lucia is opening back up to American tourists beginning in June, it might be a good time to at least start planning travel again. Airfares are at historic lows and many of the carriers are allowing free changes and cancellations for the next 12-18 months. But before we begin making new plans, it’s time to finally post about our last trip.

Shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic took over the world Brenda and I had a handful of destinations planned for the first half of 2020. We started the year off in Barcelona in January and then St. Lucia in February. We also booked travel back to Costa Rica and then on to Panama and Cartagena during March and April. But that all came crashing down when nation after nation started closing their borders to international travelers. 

So we were really fortunate to get in that one last trip. I’ve been wanting to go to St. Lucia for many years and when our son Benjamin, started texting me about wanting to travel with us, he and I started putting a plan together. St Lucia has long had a reputation for being one of the desired locations for honeymooners and romantics, but the island has so much more to offer. Tranquil beaches, lush botanical waterfalls, volcano-exploring, and energetic city markets. Along with a multitude of wonderful restaurants offering local and international cuisine, St. Lucia should appeal to all travelers.

Probably the most important part about planning a trip to St. Lucia is determining which side of the island you want to stay on. Choosing which side is somewhat important since the island, to a certain degree, has a bit of a split personality. The Northside is certainly busier. Multiple markets, narrow streets, and traffic jams with late-night parties reflect the nonstop action of this side of the island. To the South, life slows down a bit. Remote resorts wrap guests in a tranquil atmosphere, and the rainforest invites visitors to slip into a more natural way of sightseeing.

We chose the Northside and rented a beautiful house on a hillside overlooking Rodney Bay and Gros Islet. The town of Gros Islet offers tourists a wonderful mixture of local shops and restaurants. Inside of Rodney Bay is Reduit Beach, known as one of the best beaches in all of St. Lucia. With a handful of options for a snack and a drink right on the beach, it’s a hot spot for grabbing a rum punch and enjoying the sun and surf. Pigeon Island, which is just to the north offers an opportunity to explore Fort Rodney and hike up Signal Peak for some of the best views on the island.

If you decide to rent a car to explore the island as we did, be prepared for an experience. Driving is an adventure all on its own. St Lucia is fairly large and the terrain is mountainous which makes driving a bit slower. A lot of twisting turning roads to get from one side of the island to another. And, not only do you drive on the left side of the road, the steering wheel is on the right. I was never able to get used to it. Ben spent most of the time in the passenger seat and thought his life was in danger multiple times. I had a tendency to drift left a bit too much so he was often looking down the side of a cliff.

The three of us spent a week traversing the island and taking in as many sites as possible. We checked out the famous Pitons and volcano, visited multiple beaches, and stopped at a few of the posh beachfront resorts for a beverage and stroll through the shallows. We hiked to many of the wonderful waterfalls and experienced the biodiversity that St. Lucia is known for. This truly is a unique and beautiful island.

Another amazing characteristic of the island is the warmth and hospitality of the Lucians. I kept reserving judgment because I couldn’t get my arms around how friendly and helpful people were. I kept assuming that we were just experiencing some random acts of kindness but they weren’t random. Everywhere we went people were incredibly friendly and engaging. St. Lucia certainly is the friendliest island we’ve been to.

The highlight for us was the Friday evening street party in Gros Islet. Every Friday evening there is an event called Jump Up where residents set up shop to sell barbecued meats and fish and ladle out rum punch to revelers. It’s a huge gathering that has been going for 50+ years and is on most people’s to-do list when they come to St Lucia. Because it is such an attraction some people can be disappointed that they see more tourists than they see St Lucians. But, the locals tend to join the party late when they’ve finished their shifts at the surrounding restaurants and bars. So if you want to get the local vibe at the Gros Islet Jump Up, then it is best to show up past 11 pm, when the families of tourists have gone to their beds and the locals are ready to lime it up.