On this sequence, Lonely Planet’s writers and editors reply your journey issues and supply ideas and hacks that can assist you plan a hassle-free journey. We requested veteran Caribbean correspondent Antonia Windsor to reply this West Indies–associated query.
Query: I’m searching for suggestions for the very best island for a actual Caribbean expertise. I’m occupied with avenue meals, browsing, diving, sipping rum and native chilling. Resorts and buffets will not be my factor. The place is finest for me?
Antonia Windsor: I’m going to present you a solution you may discover shocking, as a result of this island is understood for honeymoon accommodations and a few of the most luxurious resorts within the Caribbean. But St Lucia, within the japanese Caribbean’s West Indies, is a spot with a heat coronary heart and a proud native tradition. It’s an island the place you may hearken to kids rehearsing metal pan in a college yard, or watch a weaver flip a palm leaf right into a hat. Right here, you may mountain bike via the rainforest with a neighborhood information informing you of the medicinal properties of vegetation round you, or hearken to nation music in a dive bar (St Lucians harbor a secret ardour for Dolly Parton). It’s a spot the place you may hear a fisherman notify the village of the day’s catch by blowing on a conch shell or rub up towards the locals (actually) at a Friday-night barbeque.
So that you need an actual Caribbean expertise? You can see it in St Lucia.
First up, because you don’t like resorts you’ll wish to select a regionally run small lodge or short-term rental. If you wish to be within the standard Rodney Bay space and luxuriate in entry to the seashore, I recommend you take a look at the Bay Gardens group of accommodations, which all have an genuine St Lucian really feel and à la carte meals service. The Bay Gardens Inn is essentially the most inexpensive choice and feels most like a homestay. Additional alongside the bay, take into account a keep at Island Combine, a captivating place on the waterfront. (Even in the event you don’t keep right here, it’s value dropping in simply to discover the native handicrafts on sale and luxuriate in a cocoa tea within the cafe.)
In the event you don’t should be close to a seashore, and also you fancy mountain climbing the majestic Pitons – these twin volcanic plugs that you just’ve seen in all the images – then attempt Tet Rouge, tucked away on a hillside above Choiseul. Although it’s run by Canadians, the workforce is passionate concerning the island and most of their native employees have been with them because the starting.
In the event you like browsing, you may wish to have a go at kitesurfing: attempt the kitesurfing faculty on unspoiled Cas-en-Bas seashore. You can even trip a horse into the ocean right here in the event you take one out from the close by Trim Driving stables.
The diving is nice in St Lucia, with greater than 150 species of fish and 24 “no-take” marine reserves. I like diving round Soufrière, the place Scuba Saint Lucia relies. The Pitons loom over this space of the island, so you possibly can conceivably hike within the morning and dive within the afternoon for a full time out.
For avenue meals, head to the Gros Islet Friday-night barbeque (in any other case referred to as the “soar up”), the place you may attempt low-cost native specialities resembling fried mahi mahi, rotis and goat curry. If you need one thing rather less hectic, attempt the occasion in Anse La Raye, which is a little more low-key.
The place to get the very best worth rum expertise?
As for sipping rum: maybe the best-value rum tasting on the planet is at Saint Lucia Distillers, the place $12 buys you an fascinating tour of the location and a “pour your personal” tasting of a number of totally different rums. (In the event you solely need the tasting, you’ll pay simply $6.) I like to recommend a neighborhood vibe to go together with your rum – so head to Irie Bar in Gros Islet, a bamboo shack adorned with flags the place you may hearken to some reggae beats and chat with the locals.
With out an all-inclusive resort in sight.
