With romantic sunsets, mesmerising flavours and fiery soca-filled summer nights, the beautiful island of St. Lucia offers a sensational escape for lovers. The island has secured its title as the World Travel Awards’ Leading Honeymoon Destination for 15 years, offering unmatched charm, cuisine and natural beauty to her visitors. Having grown up on the island, I would wholeheartedly recommend the location to newlyweds seeking the perfect honeymoon location. Here is a comprehensive guide that provides all the best locations to savour the island’s beautiful views and rich culture from a local’s perspective.
Jade Mountain Resort
Tropical charm abounds from the spectacular 5-star Jade Mountain Resort, with one of the best views of our iconic landmark, the twin Pitons, the island has to offer. Owner Nick Troubetzkoy’s architectural masterpiece embraces the elements with its open concept, inviting the islands lush beauty into its 3-walled sanctuaries. Surrounding the stunning infinity pool finished with a rainbow of glass tiles is the Jade Mountain Club, a guest-only dining experience featuring the elevated St. Lucian culinary creations of James Beard Award-winning chef, Allen Susser. The hotel embraces its Caribbean heritage with an exciting culinary events calendar, celebrating the region’s rich culture from rum tastings to live steel pan performances. Honeymooners will delight in the hotel’s all-inclusive Total Romance Package, offering accommodation, meals and delicious cocktails, airport transfers, resort activities and divine spa treatments. The attentive staff and surreal beauty are sure to bring the elements of romance to
your escape.
Windjammer Landing Resort and Residences
The serene beachside Windjammer Landing Resort and Residences offers beautiful Mediterranean-style villas sprinkled through the hillside of Labrelotte Bay. From holistic spa treatments to watersports and live entertainment, the luxury resort offers a fine selection of experiences to fully embrace the laid-back island life. This idyllic location offers sweeping views of the bay and a large stretch of beach, with a beach bar, shady palapas and sparkling clear waters. The on-property dining offerings are extensive, with everything from Caribbean fare, to Italian to fine dining. Enjoy deliciously fresh seafood at Dragonfly, Indian cuisine at Masala at
Embers and delicious steaks at Upper Deck. For more relaxed dining, enjoy Jammers, Embers, Papa Don’s and The Perch at Dragonfly. Catering for all, Windjammer is the perfect spot to enjoy a family holiday or romantic couples retreat.
Local Cuisine
For those who also consider good food their love language, here are some of my top restaurant picks beyond the hotel to spice up your culinary experience. From delicious fresh fish and spicy pepperpot to bold rums and cocoa tea, the island hosts an array of sensational dishes to indulge in on your stay. For upscale dining, Treetop Restaurant and Bar in Soufriere features fantastic
Indian-Caribbean fusion dishes in an equally divine setting. For water-side dining, the Rodney Bay Marina offers an array of restaurants and bars, a popular spot among locals and boat guests for a chill Friday evening. While you’re in the area, I would suggest stopping by the Gros Islet for authentic street food offerings. Duke’s Place, my personal favourite, serves delicious fresh grilled fish and rice, a great option when exploring Gros Islet on Friday nights, where a weekly street party invites locals and tourists to a night of music, drinks and dancing soca, dancehall, calypso and the island’s own Dennery Segment.
The island’s cacao beans produce some of the most delectable chocolate in the world, a sensual treat to enjoy with your partner. Indulge in rich local chocolates at Jade Mountain’s own Chocolate Laboratory, where guests can experience chocolate sensory tastings, truffle-making classes and learn more about the process on an estate trip. Thomazo Bakery is a must-try before you leave, a perfect stop-off on your way to the airport. Renowned by reputation, the bakery with no name has come to be known as Thomazo Bakery, named after the area. Located in Dennery, the bakery is famous for its stone oven creole bread, freshly baked daily and served plain or stuffed with saltfish. Ask your taxi driver to stop off at this perfect road trip pit-stop on your journey home, where you will find many locals doing the same.
Activities
From stunning beaches to exciting outdoor adventures, the island is full of sites to behold and one-of-a-kind experiences. Home to the world’s only ‘drive-in’ volcano, visitors can dive into the detoxifying volcanic mud baths. This stimulating experience allows bathers to coat the body in hot mud and soak in geothermal heated pools, comparable only to the waters of Baden Baden,
revealing loosened muscles and smoother, glowing skin.
Soufriere is also home to the island’s best waterfalls, a divine way to spend an afternoon beating the heat. The popular Toraille Waterfall is easily our most beautiful waterfall, a common stop for Soufriere tours to cool off after the mud baths. Latille Waterfalls is a stunning hidden gem in Micoud, where a quaintly beautiful waterfall and dipping pool are worth the trek down the stone
staircase. Visitors can dip their feet in the fish pedicure pond and experience the tickling sensation while little fish exfoliate their feet. The beautiful Pitons are even more breathtaking from their peak! For active honeymooners, challenge yourself to a hike up Gros Piton, a 3-hour experience with a spectacular view to greet you at the end of your journey. Though guides abound, its worth while asking for the legendary Shaka if you can book her. For a less rigorous path, the nearby Tet Paul Nature Trail guides hikers through the diverse local flora and fauna revealing a stunning view of the Pitons rising above the Ocean.
What better way is there to celebrate the beginning of your new life together than riding off into the sunset? Sandy Hooves St. Lucia offers private horseback riding along the scenic North Eastern coast beaches, and on calm days, the guide may take you for a refreshing dip on horseback, to cool off the horse and riders. Possibly the most enthusiastic horse rider and nature lover, you cannot help but be charmed by owner Josh DeFreitas’ infectious personality. For a full experience, I’d recommend booking the picnic experience and enjoy a leisurely waterside lunch before riding back to the stables. The ride is a perfect way to spend an equal parts adventurous and leisurely afternoon.
St. Lucia invites you to embrace its natural wonders, thrilling adventures and lovingly prepared dishes as you experience the unmatched romantic splendour of this Caribbean gem.
Rhyan Chastanet
