Hello and welcome to my St Lucia blog. St Lucia is a mountainous island famous for their iconic twin peaks, the Pitons. Between the beaches, hiking trails and waterfalls to explore, you can't get bored on this island. I had arrived at the airport late in the afternoon and it took about 1.5 hours to get through customs and the health screening, which I later learned you can pay ~35 USD in advance to have a guide escort you to the front of the line. If renting a car, pack some patience, because that also took some time...island time (If you know, you know). When all said and done, it was also an hour drive to get to the resort. By the time I made it to home base it was already dark, so I just relaxed at the resort, had dinner and enjoyed two umbrella drinks.
Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar
Helpful tip: ATMs are few and far between and not everyone accepts card. If staying in Soufriere, there are two ATMs but there was always a continuous line and one of the mornings it was under repair. Rather than waiting, I went about my day and figured I would run into another ATM in a neighboring town on the way to the beach. Out of the 3 towns I drove through, none of them had an ATM, not even the beach resort. Luckily, I had just enough to ride the water taxi to get the beach resort. So, with that being said, I highly suggest getting your money from the airport.
Transportation: Rental Car
Taxis are extremely expensive on the island. If driving on the left side of the road doesn't freak you out, I would suggest renting a car. This will also give you the freedom to explore at your own pace.
Taxi Cost: ~80-100 USD from Hewanorra International Airport to resort in Soufriere
Rental Car Cost: ~150-200 USD for 72hrs
Where I stayed: La Haut Resort
Cost for 3 nights: $409.09
The biggest decision on deciding on where to stay on the island is whether or not you want a beach resort or be up in the hills to have breathtaking views of the Pitons. I ultimately chose to be up in the hills since there's beaches all around but if you're not renting a car you may want to consider a beach resort due to accessibility. This resort was one of the more affordable options to choose from and to be honest, they offered some of the better views of the Pitons. If you choose to stay here try to get 1 of the 3 Cashew rooms. Each have a mini kitchenette, a spacious room and balcony over looking the Pitons.
Helpful tip: If using Google Maps, make sure that you put in La Haut Resort and not La Haut the town. The resort is a 50 min drive from the airport. I made a mistake and drove to the hilltop town of La Haut, which is no where close to the resort. If Google Maps is not recognizing La Haut Resort put in Lush Restaurant, which is on the same property as the resort.
My dinner from night 1 at Lush Restaurant (resort restaurant)
Cost: $54.81 USD or $148 Eastern Caribbean (drinks are not reflected in the price)
Day 1: Exploring Soufriere
In typical Anna fashion, I got up early to pack it all on in. However, with views of the Pitons, I sat on the balcony for a good hour sipping some coffee and watched the sunrise. For breakfast, if feeling adventurous, do as the locals do. I went to downtown Soufriere and hit up one of the local stands for some fresh chicken. There are several breakfast establishments downtown but they didn't open until 0930/1000. Now off to do some adventuring....
Activity 1: Diamond Falls Botanical Garden
Cost to enter: $7 USD/$17.50 ECD
Baths: $7 USD/$17.50 ECD
St Lucia is famous for their volcanic mineral baths. If you have time definitely fit this in.
Where I ate lunch: Marie's Local Cuisine
Cost: $10-20 USD
Location: Next door to Diamond Falls Botanical Garden
I had Marie's on my list of restaurants to try and it just so happened to be next door to the botanical garden. I chose to go with their buffet so I can try a little bit of everything and trust me, you'll want to do the same. Everything was delish and I even got served by Marie herself.
Activity 2: Soufriere Beach
Parking: Free
This is more of a locals beach, so there aren't many amenities but there is a beach bar.
Day 2: Beach Day at Marigot Bay Resort and Marina
Cost: $5 USD for water taxi from parking lot to resort (parking is free)
Drive Time: 50 min from Soufriere
Helpful tip: Beach access is only available for use if you purchase from the bar/restaurant on site. Drinks were reasonably priced, considering it's a remote resort, so I definitely partook in some umbrella drinks.
Where I ate dinner: Bayside Restaurant at Sugar Beach
Cost: $$$$
For the last night, the hubs wanted to dine on the beach. This restaurant is part of a Viceroy resort, which I didn't know at the time. It's tucked right in between the two Pitons and let me tell you, this place is swanky, so it's going to come with a cost. Overall in my travels I've had some pretty good meals, this was not one of them. I've had some better food from a road side stall, so it goes to show that higher cost doesn't necessarily mean the food is going to be good.
Day 3: Airport Day
I had a few hours to spare before heading back to the airport. On the drive back I made a stop at one of the look out points to grab a few more pictures of the Pitons and made a stop at the Chocolate Plantation, chocolate in hand. If I had more time I would had loved to do a tour. Next time...
Alternate activity suggestions near Soufriere:
Alternate restaurant suggestions near Soufriere:
