Beautiful St. Lucia… and island that has way more than 4 things to experience. It really depends though on where you stay on the island. One thing we didn’t get to do was a sailboat excursion around the island… there were just a few where we were staying and we heard that there are LOTS more sailboat tours on the north side (we were on the west side…. close to Soufriere). When we got back, my co-workers had to hear all about it, and the question I got the most was…. “What things did you do that you would recommend?” For me, and where we stayed, there were 4 things that I still talk about today! Here is that list….
Tet Paul Nature Trail: Above the Rainbows!
This was such a great hike and very manageable. Tet Paul Nature Trail is a hillside nature trail that takes you all the way up to a look out where you can see the ocean, rainforest and mountains. It was misting in areas and there were scattered rainbows beneath us… you just don’t forget a site like that. The lookout is a perfect place for a kiss with a picturesque background behind you! We of course took advantage of this ❤️ … You can also see rainbows just floating out there like magic!! This 30 second video shows 2 rainbows hovering over the rainforest… if this doesn’t sell you on doing this hike, nothing will 🙂
On a clear day, you can see the islands of Martinique and St. Vincent…and when we came down from the lookout, there was a tiny little bar with cold beer as a reward….perfect 🙂 I highly recommend this hike. We loved it so much that we had plans to hike the big mountain, Gros Piton. It would have taken most of the day to hike, and we were certainly game, but the only day we had available the trail was closed. Next time…
Sugar Beach: Swim Between the Mountains
Sugar Beach is actually a luxurious resort that has a beach open to the public. We took a shuttle from our rainforest bungalow resort to the beach to relax for the day. When you arrive, you can either set up a towel or chair on the beach, or you can book an umbrella with two lounge chairs.
We did that and recommend it… we got pina coladas and took in the beauty of the ocean comfortably. We swam in the ocean that is surrounded by mountains which made for a pretty cool experience. Overall, the scenery is gorgeous and worth spending the day there. We had lunch at the resort and made the most of it. I will say that renting the umbrella and chairs from the resort was pricey, but, when in Rome….!
Sulfur Springs Mud Bath
If you’re the kind of person who loves the idea of smearing black mud all over your face and body for its healing properties, do this 🙂 It’s weird at first, but once you get in, it’s very relaxing. We had a lot of fun with it by taking some National Geographic-style photos… you know, cuz we’re explorers immersed in black sludge!
You can also drive through a volcano here but we didn’t get the chance to do it. Does this black mud have healing properties? Who knows. We definitely felt like a couple of kids were allowed to get dirty for once! I would suggest the Sulfur Springs Mud Bath as a must-do experience, if only to say you did it!
Soufriere
I of course had to suggest the little town of Soufriere! We explored one day in hopes to find a great hole-in-the-wall restaurant that serves amazing Caribbean food (and we did!!)
This seaside town was the original capital of the island. There is a tremendous amount of history here… it was colonized by the French but became a British colony in 1803. There are still many old estates still operating today: The Soufriere Estate, The Rabot Estate, and (drum roll….)….the Fond Doux Estate, which is where we stayed! They still grow and harvest cocoa there which we watched. We also took the tour on how they make chocolate! Definitely adventure through this town, there is so much to take in and photograph…and have an exceptional meal!
If you are thinking of booking a trip to St. Lucia, and will be close to the west side of the island, I hope this list inspires you to experience one or all of these places! You won’t be disappointed…
#GoAdventure!
Heather and Nate
Welcome to our Book of Adventures 