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Tourism is the largest industry on the small island of St Lucia, and the feeling you get when you arrive is that you are being welcomed by old friends who are thrilled to see you. Locals are extremely proud of their island and its natural resources, which is evident in the country’s ongoing protection and conservation efforts. Everyone we met wanted to be sure we had a fantastic vacation. We flew out of Detroit and connected through Atlanta, arriving into St Lucia at 2:14 pm. I am not making this up—we cleared customs and immigration and were in a taxi on the way to our hotel by 2:35 pm. The airport is very small with just a few flights per day so it is compact, organized and efficient. St Lucia is the sort of place that Caribbean travelers dream about-a lush tropical gem that is relatively unknown. This volcanic island is 27 miles long and 14 miles wide, with the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The west coast beaches owe their natural beauty to calm, warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. On the winding mountain roads, you get the feeling that the island must have been plucked out of the South Pacific and carefully set down into the Caribbean. Its dramatic twin coastal peaks, the Pitons, soar over 2,000 feet up from the sea, sheltering magnificent rain forests where wild orchids, giant ferns, and birds of paradise flourish. Brilliantly-plumed tropical birds abound, including endangered species like the indigenous St. Lucia parrot. The rainforest is broken only by lush fields and orchards of banana, coconut, mango, and papaya trees. The island has a well-deserved reputation for its charm, and is dotted with aged fortresses, small fishing villages, and open-air markets. The hour long journey from the airport to the north coast goes by quickly as we stared out the windows in amazement at the incredible scenery, most of which seems untouched by modern civilization. The food was all local, fresh, unique and delicious. The fresh seafood, vegetables and fruits are enough to make you swoon. The service was professional yet friendly-the St Lucians seem to have perfect posture and they gracefully glide instead of walking across a room. We spent our days in St Lucia trying to follow the “Live Slow” motto of the island. The weather is sunny and hot, so spending time on some of its powdery white sand beaches is not a problem. It did sprinkle rain for about 10 minutes in the late afternoon one day, which resulted in a spectacular rainbow. I was amused the next day when one of the employees actually apologized for the “rain” we experienced and said he hoped it had not ruined our day. To make the most of our short time there, we took a one day catamaran sail from Castries (about 2 minutes from our resort) down the tropical west coast of St Lucia to Soufriere, where we went on land to visit the famous drive-in volcano. Here you can arrange a healing mud bath or marvel at the beauty of the bubbly, steamy sulphur springs. Next we enjoyed an enchanting walk in the midst of the splendor of dazzling waterfalls through the Diamond Botanical Gardens, with its huge variety of tropical plant species. We then enjoyed a lunch of local Creole cuisine, before heading back to the boat. We stopped near the black sand beaches of Anse Chastenet (in front of the resort with the same name) and then swam and snorkeled in Marigot Bay (where Dr. Doolittle was filmed) after gawking at the expensive yachts moored in the harbor there.
The people of St Lucia truly are some of the friendliest and sincere people I have met. Their philosophy was summed up by our taxi driver who told us that in all of his interactions with people, he wants to leave them feeling happy, relaxed and comfortable. He said that if he ever has a passenger who is crabby or in a bad mood, his only goal is to have them leave with a feeling of contentment and delight. He said that the world is a small place and if someone has one bad experience somewhere that is what they will remember and tell their friends about. Trust me that will not happen in St Lucia. You will return home exhilarated, refreshed and ready to incorporate the “Live Slow” motto into your everyday life. No pressure, no problems.
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In addition to the wide variety of opportunities to hike, bird-watch, and tour St. Lucia's outstanding natural attractions, the island offers a full range of recreational facilities. Tour the island at a leisurely pace by horse, chartering a yacht for an evening sail or day cruise, or relax with a round of golf amid St. Lucia's entrancing natural beauty. For those who enjoy more adventurous pursuits, there are plenty of places to windsurf, scuba dive, water-ski, or play tennis or squash. There are also a number of activities more closely related to the traditional life of St. Lucia, including deep-sea fishing, weekly "jump-ups" at Gros Islet (a Friday night street festival not to be missed), and visits to the handicrafts market in Castries.