St. Lucia
St. Lucia Picture Gallery
A long time ago, in the first or second year of our
marriage, we read an article about Santa Lucia in a travel
magazine. It was instant love, and we dreamed about a
vacation on this beautiful island. The years passed, the
kids came along, and there was always something else we
wanted to do or visit, so the island destination was
forgotten. Santa Lucia came up again when Valerie
Barnhart, a Caribbean specialist from
Just Honeymoons, recommended the island and Ladera, a small resort, for our 30th anniversary.
It is a long trip from the Pacific Northwest. Late at
night, a small Japanese bus, the typical local taxi,
picked us up from the tiny airport at Castries. A newlywed
couple from Denver, who also had booked the Ladera Resort,
rode with us. The distance is only about 27 miles, yet the
road is so steep and windy, filled with potholes and
uneven pavement, that it took the driver well over an hour
to deliver us safely to our destination. We asked many
questions about the island while we drove through the warm
and lush tropical night accompanied by a concert of frogs
and crickets. It was almost 2 am when we fell into our
large comfortable bed, protected from bugs and the rest of
the world by a white and fluffy mosquito net.
Ladera, among the ten most romantic spots according to
Caribbean Hideaways, is a small, somewhat rustic resort.
Attuned to nature, it is the first property in St. Lucia
that met the strict ecological requirements to earn the
Green Globe 21 certification. Situated on a ridge about
1000' above the ocean, it is surrounded by the same
prodigal flora as the adjacent Botanical Garden:
bougainvillea, birds of paradise, and flamingo plants make
for colorful splashes in the profuse vegetation.
Each of the 19 spacious, airy suites and six villas has an
open wall to the west side with a spectacular view of the
ocean framed by the two sugar-cone-shaped pitons, the
landmark volcanic peaks of the island. The breeze from the
trade winds make it several degrees cooler than
accommodations at sea level. Since there is no direct
access to the ocean, guests can take advantage of free
transportation to the beach of the Jalousie Hilton Resort,
just below. The other beach Ladera's patrons can go to
belongs to the Resort Anse Chastanet. This is probably the
most beautiful natural beach on the whole island, with
it's fine dark sand and large rustling palms providing
protection from strong sun. Anse Castanet also hosts one
of the island's scuba diving centers.
A wonderful asset of Ladera is its award-winning,
two-story Dasheene Restaurant. It has open walls and a
fantastic view. We made friends with the chef,
Orlando Satchell, who is famous for combining local fresh produce,
meats, and fish with creative flavorful cooking and
attractive presentation. We had several excellent dinners
there, choosing mostly from the daily specials. I was
astonished by the extensive selection of excellent
international wines, which were paired expertly with the
dinners.
Everybody seemed very friendly and helpful, and everything
you asked for will be done. Maybe not quite as fast as you
expect. The first day I asked a waitress a couple of times
too often for a coffee refill, but I learned quickly,
adapting to the warm climate, the smiling people and their
pace.
We explored the island in a small Jeep we rented in
Soufrière, a picturesque town close to Ladera. The rugged,
narrow, winding roads make driving on the island quite
time consuming. Driving on the left side of these roads
adds to the difficulty. The countryside is dominated by
banana plantations, as the crop is a major contributor to
Santa Lucia's economy. Women and men offer their fruit and
vegetables in small stalls, on tables, or even on a cloth
spread next to the street. They carry their loads on their
heads and move in a slow, swaying walk that looks so
elegant. We saw many children in school uniforms and heard
on the radio how proud Santa Lucia is of its public
education system.
My favorite town was the lively Laborie in the south. The
houses huddle around a long beach shaded by coconut palms.
Nets were dried and mended there and the day's catch was
brought in by a group of fisherman and divided. Other
boats pulled up high on the beach waited for the next
outing. Two of the elegant frigate birds flew over the
ocean looking for their own special catch. Reached only
after navigating the many potholes on the narrow roads
Laborie is largely bypassed by tourism and has managed to
keep its original charm.
My favorite place is the National Historic Park on Pigeon
Island to the north. In the Interpretative Center we
learned about its eventful past, had lunch in the
Captain's Cellar, and sunbathed on one of its sandy
beaches.
Did our trip fulfill our dreams of so many years?
Absolutely! The friendly people, the warm lush climate,
and the cooling winds were very relaxing. Being together
with each other, reading a good book under the rustling
coconut palms, swimming and snorkeling in the warm ocean,
exploring the island, and talking to the locals, gave us a
vacation we will never forget.
Facts:
Santa Lucia is a favorite island for honeymoons and
destination weddings, since it is easy to get a marriage
license there.
The island is a famous spot for scuba diving and
snorkeling.
Everything you need to know about the island you will find
at the official St. Lucia website (see below).