After a year of stay at home orders due to COVID - a much needed trip to a beautiful tropical island was in order to ring in the New Year!
My gift to Lynn for Christmas was a trip to St. Lucia. Neither one of us had been there before and it had been on our list for some time. I researched the Covid situation and although there were a lot of restrictions, St. Lucia was open for out of country tourists. These restrictions certainly were going to make this a much different trip, but we really needed a vacation so we jumped right in. We would arrive on December 26th, and head back home on January 2nd.
The first hurdles were set in motion right after booking the trip. We were planning to cross Hawaii off of Lynn's bucket list and had that trip planned and rescheduled twice in the last year and it still wasn't open to travel there, so we were willing to jump through the hoops that it took to get to St. Lucia.
Restrictions included:
- A Covid test taken and showing a negative result within 7 days of travel (sort of stressful!!)
- Submit a travel authorization request to the St. Lucia Ministry of Health and Wellness in order to receive an approval letter. This was mainly to ensure we were booked at an approved resort (Covid certified), understood the local restrictions, and agreed to all requirements in place on the island
- We were required to present the travel authorization approval letter upon arrival at the St. Lucia airport
- No interaction or free roaming with locals and local areas
- Pre-booked outings only to venues approved by the St. Lucia Board of Tourism. This sounds restrictive but in reality all of the tourist attractions that you might book are open for business and Covid approved by the Board of Health and Wellness. You just have to book ahead of time to ensure your spot and in our case transportation.
- Individual travel only, meaning no group transportation
These restrictions also had benefits, however:
- Covid certified private driver provided daily by our villa for transportation to and from activities
- Private bookings for water activities (no crowds, no groups)
- Less tourists in general during this time allowed us to do more than we might have otherwise
Having been so long since we did any significant travelling we were overly excited to start this adventure (masks and all)!!
The day finally arrived and here we are at the international terminal waiting to board. Normally the Charlotte airport would be packed on December 26th, but travel restrictions during this time made the airport somewhat of a ghost town.
And here we are on the plane waiting for take off. Same thing, lots of empty seats.
Finally in the air!
You can see in the photo the villas on the hill across the bay. Ours was top center in this photo. The property consists of 12 individual villas but due to the impact that Covid had on travel only 3 of the Villas were occupied during our stay. We met our neighbors, of which one couple comes to the same villa every year from New Jersey and apparently never leave the bay. I can understand that given how beautiful the property is and with on site restaurants and a spa it really has all you need.
Once you get to the other side of the bay there is small rail car stairway that takes you to the top of the hill. Luggage up first as in the picture below then we followed. The rail car can seat 4, or it can take luggage and the porter. We opted to wait behind.
Then once you are at the top it is a short walk to the villa. These are 1 bedroom units, with a bedroom and bathroom downstairs and a kitchen and living area upstairs. The balcony opens up from the living area on the second floor and there is a patio that opens up from the downstairs bedroom. Perfect for a couple with all the conveniences of home.
Another benefit of the local restrictions was that we could not shop at the local market. We were asked by the concierge at the villas to fill out a pick list prior to arrival and they would stock the kitchen and refrigerator with whatever items we needed from the local market, Koudmen Provisioning (including local liquor & beer). This is a service that they offer upon request anyway, but with restrictions in place it became mandatory. We were not complaining.
Therefore our first order of business was to crack open a local beer from the pre-stocked fridge and check out our surroundings...
As part of the pre-stocked kitchen situation I thought it would be nice to have a sample of the local rum on hand. This was waiting for us in the pantry...
Yeah! Inner soul healed. Sun is shining. All kidding aside, you can see that Lynn and I had a great time taking part in this local tradition. I get thoughts of a "tropical Burning Man" when I look at these photos. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon in a tropical paradise.
On our way back to the bay we could see that a rain shower was moving in. This photo may not do it justice but if you look closely you will see a double rainbow.
We enjoyed a lazy afternoon watching the rain, which was soon followed by a gorgeous sunset which we enjoyed as we cooked and ate on the balcony.
After dinner we could hear the music starting at Dolittle's, so we opted to head down for some drinks and mingling with other villa guests. Another great day winding down.
A great pic of the sailing yachts moored in Marigot. Ours is the one to the left with the blue canvas, aptly christened Rx because a day out will cure whatever ails you.
Weather dictated that we would be under power likely most of the day. You can see by the calm water that there was a significant lack of wind. We also noticed many other boats out in open water with sails down. We were just happy to be out on the water with our new friends!
Once underway the scenery was awesome, and Gemma's rum punch was keeping us hydrated since that was the only liquid on the boat...
After lunch we were ready for some snorkeling in a nearby cove. In this cove is a rock formation known as Bat Cave, because, well, it is full of bats. Lots of bats.
After snorkeling we did some more cruising, enjoying the scenery and the open water, hugging the coast of the island. Captain Kim dropped a fishing line behind the boat as we cruised, and amazingly hooked a 4 foot barracuda (bummed that we didn't get a pic of that monster)! He offered some to us, but with no knowledge of how to prepare it properly, we declined and were happy to hear that he and Gemma would prepare it for their families that night.
Heading back to Marigot Bay after a day of sun and peace on the water, the Rx was exactly the correct name for our vessel. Captain Kim and Gemma treated us like family and if you find yourself in St. Lucia looking for a sailing adventure, we recommend looking them up.
First run, ready to go!
Our guides were excellent.
After breakfast we wanted to enjoy the property, spend some time on the beach, and just chill for the day. We hadn't explored the property itself , so this was the perfect opportunity, and as always, Lynn tries to capture the feeling in her pictures. The island is so lush and peaceful with a soft tropical breeze blowing all the time.
After the glowing reviews of Chateau Mygo, we were excited that we were able to get a reservation to check it out!
Friday - News Years Day - was to be our Gros Piton climb. This climb was not just an easy hike for amateurs. Locals advised us to set aside a day after the climb for recuperation and recommended we keep an eye on the weather since it could be hard to get your footing if it had rained recently at all. I hate to say we "chickened out", so I will opt for the phrase "thought better of it". It had rained a little in the hills the day before and we were flying out the next day so the thought of being stiff and sore (or worse) on a long trip home wasn't something we thought was wise - so we opted to hike the bay area instead.
With the vacation winding down we had one more sunset before heading home. One last dinner at Doolittle's enjoying views and some fresh seafood was the ticket. As always, having a wonderful trip coming to an end is bittersweet, but we were also looking forward to getting home.
As we loaded up the next morning to meet Sylvester to get to the airport, we reflected on our time on this magical island in the middle of a global pandemic. It surely wasn't the same as it would have been otherwise, but we believe in some ways we had an even better experience without the crowds! We thanked the staff for their help and hospitality and headed down to the water taxi one last time.
With the sun beginning to set we were ready for dinner. Learning how to follow the restrictions was a big part of our experience. Any restaurant or retail shop on Marigot Bay was open to tourists who are staying at the villas. We could not, for example, go to the next town over and sample restaurants there. This is the cost of travelling during Covid. We did not mind and were just happy to be at such a beautiful resort.
Dinner at Doolittle's was fantastic, and just at the bottom of the hill. Basically right at the foot of the rail car stairway so it was part of our resort. Water front with excellent views. It is also the hub for a diving excursion that leaves from Marigot Bay.
The food was excellent, the experience fantastic. A great meal at an outdoor water front table was a great way to end day one. We were not feeling too restricted at this point. If we stayed in the bay all week, we would be just fine. More adventure in store though!
Another Covid restriction was pre-booking any activities you may want to experience. Our concierge had provided us with a list of the approved attractions for us to select from prior to traveling.
Out of 13 major activities and attractions that were certified and approved by the Board of Tourism, we selected 5. The concierge booked them and provided all of the required documents to allow us to attend:
- Diamond Waterfalls and Botanical Gardens. This was high on Lynn's list as she is a big fan of botanical gardens
- Gros Piton Nature Trail. This is the hike to the top of Gros Piton. A challenge and worth it from what we had read and heard so we checked this one.
- Island ATV St. Lucia tour. Hell yeah! This one was of my choosing. See the island from places not accessible by car? Off road? Count me in.
- Rainforest Adventures. We were both a little on the fence with this one but decided to go for it and let me tell you, we were not disappointed.
- Sulphur Springs Mud Baths. Umm, OK. Let's give it a go.
Our first island adventure was the Sulphur Springs Mud Baths scheduled for today, which meant taking the railcar down the mountain and meeting the water taxi driver to get to the main dock on the other side of the Bay to meet our personal driver - so time to scoot!
As we started down to the bay I realized that the previous photos did not give the proper perspective to this precarious rail car stair way. Wow! Reminded us of a county fair roller coaster! We could have taken the stairs down, but by now you likely understand our adventurous spirit!
The trek to the Sulphur Mud Baths turned out to be a journey worth taking in its own right. The scenery was astounding and our driver kept us informed on all landmarks and local history along the way. The bummer was passing roadside tiki bars that we would otherwise have ABSOLUTELY stopped at! Part of our journey is meeting locals and learning about their native place.
A view of Soufriere and the Pitons from a roadside stop that our driver was kind enough to accommodate.
Me, the geek tourist. Whew boy...
More scenery on our way to the Sulphur Springs.
Local town that we could only enjoy from the car, but we were certainly already contemplating a trip back to this incredible island when we could explore more local flair.
Having a personal driver for the day had lots of perks - along with lenient local laws. Local beer flows while in transit...
We weren't sure what to expect of Sulphur Springs Mud Baths. Lynn had researched and felt like it was an experience that we should check out. Good for the skin, healing properties, blah blah. "When in Rome...." is a philosophy we invoke often! What strikes me is the number of people there (so much for restrictions, right?). Once I think it through I realize that of course everyone there has gone through the same rigorous protocols that we have gone through in order to be international visitors in this great island nation, or so we assume. Oh well - we were there - so we jumped in! Skin care is a multi step process, right? :) Step one was getting in the pool. This wasn't a normal clean, chlorinated pool - it was a lava filled mud bath! Hmmmmm. Still in Rome - ha! Step two is slathering on your body the black sulfur (or in most cases there - writing notes on each other!), all meant to heal your body and skin! Good times had by all. I will let the photos tell the story.
Yeah! Inner soul healed. Sun is shining. All kidding aside, you can see that Lynn and I had a great time taking part in this local tradition. I get thoughts of a "tropical Burning Man" when I look at these photos. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon in a tropical paradise.
Our next adventure would be the Botanical Gardens. We scheduled this for the same day. This allowed us to see different parts of the island and to take full advantage of having a driver. Once we cleaned up from the mud bath we headed over to the gardens. The scenery along the way was just as grand as the trip to the baths.
Some highlights from the Diamond Waterfalls and Botanical Gardens:
We spent about an hour in the Botanical Gardens and were fortunate to meet a local guy who knew so much about the flora and fauna of St. Lucia. What a treat as he wasn't an employee of the Gardens! We tipped him well for sharing his knowledge with us! The drive back through Soufriere Beach was equally stunning.
Our water taxi (teal cover) coming over for us once we got back to the Marigot Bay dock. We were a little skeptical the first time we saw him pull up to pick us up and wondered if this water taxi was sea-worthy, but he was awesome and was usually just hanging out in the Bay and zipped over to get us when we arrived on either side.
After such an adventurous day we were ready to chill and have a low key evening. We relaxed by the pool for a while, followed by a spinach linguine dish with local shrimp and vegetables from the groceries we had. We dined on the balcony and enjoyed another sun set, as well as some island rum...
The next morning and breakfast at Dolittle's before heading out for the day. Another gorgeous day was upon us.
Monday's plan was the ATV tour. As I have mentioned before, part of the Covid restrictions include no group tours. This means that we were the only people on a dedicated tour. We had 2 tour guides and just us. Fantastic! I would think that under normal circumstances you may have a group of 8 or 10 and that would be a completely different experience. We were enjoying the exclusivity that restrictions imposed.
So we took the water taxi over the bay and met our driver for the day, then headed out to the ATV tour. This was located more central to the island, which was new for us. Most of our experience previously had been along the western coast. Upon arrival we were fitted for helmets and given the safety talk, a quick riding test to be sure we were comfortable and they could see that we were competent riders, informing us there may be times that we would be on the road with other vehicles (yup) - and we were off!
We geared up and fell in line. Our guides were in front and behind us and we took off down the road for what felt like a few miles over curvy, mountainous roads before turning off onto the trail. This was a fantastic way to experience local atmosphere with houses and farms along the way. People would wave and smile as these guides must do this several times a day and everyone knows everyone. These guys appeared to be quite the popular pair.
Once we turned off onto a trail, our first stop was an old abandoned mill. Our guide was quite knowledgeable on the history of the place and of the island in general. From there it was a pretty steep ascent up to the mountain ridge that runs along the eastern coast, passing isolated mountainside homes, farms and through some heavy forest and eventually stopping at the top of the ridge. The view opened up and we could see Grand Anse Beach on the eastern shore from there.
In the image below I have highlighted with orange arrows Marigot Bay where we are staying, Fond Assau where we picked up the ATVs, and a pin drop where we stopped on the ridge overlooking the eastern shore.
The view from the ridge...
On our way back to the bay we could see that a rain shower was moving in. This photo may not do it justice but if you look closely you will see a double rainbow.
Once back at the resort, we ran into some locals that were caring for the coconut palms on the property (what a coincidence that he was wearing a Charlotte Hornets cap)! They were harvesting coconuts and trimming the palms. They insisted that we take some fresh coconut and coconut water with us to enjoy later.
As soon as we got to the villa the rain caught up with us and we were treated to a tropical afternoon rain shower.
We enjoyed a lazy afternoon watching the rain, which was soon followed by a gorgeous sunset which we enjoyed as we cooked and ate on the balcony.
After dinner we could hear the music starting at Dolittle's, so we opted to head down for some drinks and mingling with other villa guests. Another great day winding down.
We were really leaning into island time already and realizing it was only Monday - we still had plenty of things to experience. Our next outing would be the following day on a sailing excursion. We would be the only passengers with a crew of 2 on a yacht that normally carries 12. We were looking forward to seeing more of the island from the perspective of the sea and snorkeling was on the agenda as well.
The next morning we were up and ready to get sailing. The yacht was moored in Marigot Bay so it was just a dinghy ride over in order to get on board.
A great pic of the sailing yachts moored in Marigot. Ours is the one to the left with the blue canvas, aptly christened Rx because a day out will cure whatever ails you.
All aboard and ready to go! Captain Kim and his first mate, Gemma, would be our crew for the day. These two are cousins who have lived on the island their entire lives. We really enjoyed getting to know them and learn more about the island from them .
Heading out of the bay for open water...
Weather dictated that we would be under power likely most of the day. You can see by the calm water that there was a significant lack of wind. We also noticed many other boats out in open water with sails down. We were just happy to be out on the water with our new friends!
Once underway the scenery was awesome, and Gemma's rum punch was keeping us hydrated since that was the only liquid on the boat...
Sun and gorgeous scenery never gets old - but made better when you are the only ones on the boat! It was soon time for lunch. Captain Kim and Gemma had adapted well to the Covid restrictions and had a solid plan. We would moor at Soufriere Beach and Kim would take Gemma to shore in the dinghy to pick up our lunch that we would enjoy on board. We particularly enjoy experiencing local cuisine and were happy that we were still able to experience that with the restrictions in place! We credit the Board of Tourism for pivoting to allow for such a wonderful experience while keeping everyone safe and healthy.
After lunch we were ready for some snorkeling in a nearby cove. In this cove is a rock formation known as Bat Cave, because, well, it is full of bats. Lots of bats.
After snorkeling we did some more cruising, enjoying the scenery and the open water, hugging the coast of the island. Captain Kim dropped a fishing line behind the boat as we cruised, and amazingly hooked a 4 foot barracuda (bummed that we didn't get a pic of that monster)! He offered some to us, but with no knowledge of how to prepare it properly, we declined and were happy to hear that he and Gemma would prepare it for their families that night.
Heading back to Marigot Bay after a day of sun and peace on the water, the Rx was exactly the correct name for our vessel. Captain Kim and Gemma treated us like family and if you find yourself in St. Lucia looking for a sailing adventure, we recommend looking them up.
We had reservations at Doolittle's again that evening and were treated to the most gorgeous sunset as we headed to dinner.
Once we got to the bottom of the hill we could see the moon coming up over the bay.
Having such a fabulous restaurant at the bottom of the tram was like having the Cheers bar right around the corner from your house! Doolittle's is an excellent restaurant and as I said before if we never even left the bay we would have had a wonderful vacation.
We were scheduled to meet our driver at 8:00 am the next morning to head out for the Rainforest Adventure, so we bailed early and left our friends to enjoy the band that was gearing up as we left.
Early morning water taxi ride to meet our driver for the day and we were ready for the day. The Rainforest Adventure St. Lucia is located adjacent to the Castries Waterworks Forest Reserve on the eastern side of the island, so it was a bit of a drive. Our ride over allowed us more exposure to local scenery and we passed a lot of homes and small farms on the way. We don't typically think about "our next visit" to a spot we have been previously, but we believe that another trip to St. Lucia would be worth taking when we can rent a car and explore more of the local experience on our own without restrictions.
Getting suited up. The staff really enjoys their job and do not mind adding some humor to the experience.
The adventure is described as a zip line tour through the rain forest canopy. Lynn had always said that she was saving a zip line experience for somewhere unique - so she was really looking forward to her first zip line experience! Once fitted with all of the requisite safety gear and given an overview of what to expect. The starting point is taking a cable lift up the mountain, then zipping from point to point through the tree canopy to platforms built as stopping points. After every 3rd or 4th run you have a short walk to the next series then go again.
View of the forest as we ascend on the cable lift.
Our guides were excellent.
Humor must have been a prerequisite for all employees, as it was evident and added a lot of laughter and fun to the day. Our guide was quite the prankster and apparently Lynn seemed an easy target. At the beginning of one of the runs, he asked Lynn to grab a key that should have been hanging "behind the padding on the tree" next to where she was standing. She unsuspectingly obliged and pulled back the padding a bit. This does not look like a key to me! I've never seen her jump so fast or so far!
OMG! Her reaction was priceless. And loud. Once it was explained that these tarantulas are harmless and they like to remain hidden it smoothed things over. Apparently these pads that they put on the trees for safety at each platform all contain tarantula populations. Out of site and harmless. Yikes. We can now say we have seen a tarantula "in the wild". Check that box!!
Another view from the cable lift. We took mostly video of the zip runs which are too large to post here, but we might put them up on YouTube at some point.
Taking the cable car back down the mountain was cool as well! Seeing native Purple Throated Hummingbirds was such a treat and one of Lynn's highlights of the trip.
Back to Marigot Bay and Doolittle's was the perfect stop for a mid-afternoon snack of coconut shrimp and some cold beverages. You can't really pass it without stopping for at least a cocktail! We are on vacation after all!
With another adventurous day coming to and end we chose to take full advantage of our balcony view and my love of experimenting in the kitchen. Our kind of day. The Rainforest Adventure was more fun (and less cheesy) than we anticipated and we are thankful that we included that in our itinerary.
One sunset dinner, coming up!
New Years Eve was here and the concierge at the villas recommended Chateau Mygo across the bay for a festive dinner. Doolittle's was having a New Years Eve party - so our day was set! Fresh omelets to get us started as we close out an awesome year together!
After breakfast we wanted to enjoy the property, spend some time on the beach, and just chill for the day. We hadn't explored the property itself , so this was the perfect opportunity, and as always, Lynn tries to capture the feeling in her pictures. The island is so lush and peaceful with a soft tropical breeze blowing all the time.
After the glowing reviews of Chateau Mygo, we were excited that we were able to get a reservation to check it out!
Cleaned up and ready to go down to the dock! We have to catch a water taxi over to the other side of the bay to get to the restaurant.
Open air waterfront seating, funky island vibe, and the food was excellent (although the portions were over the top)!
After dinner it was back over to Doolittle's for the New Years Eve shenanigans. And there were shenanigans going on for sure! The weather was perfect for open air celebration and we brought in the New Year with new friends. What a great way to start 2021...
Friday - News Years Day - was to be our Gros Piton climb. This climb was not just an easy hike for amateurs. Locals advised us to set aside a day after the climb for recuperation and recommended we keep an eye on the weather since it could be hard to get your footing if it had rained recently at all. I hate to say we "chickened out", so I will opt for the phrase "thought better of it". It had rained a little in the hills the day before and we were flying out the next day so the thought of being stiff and sore (or worse) on a long trip home wasn't something we thought was wise - so we opted to hike the bay area instead.
There was a hiking trail behind the resort that led from the villas to the top of the mountain overlooking Marigot Bay. We had our usual leisurely breakfast and then headed up the hill.
With the vacation winding down we had one more sunset before heading home. One last dinner at Doolittle's enjoying views and some fresh seafood was the ticket. As always, having a wonderful trip coming to an end is bittersweet, but we were also looking forward to getting home.
Our final water taxi ride...
We really enjoyed the trip and would recommend St. Lucia to anyone that enjoys the Caribbean. While we were heavily restricted due to Covid lock downs, we found everyone on the island to be extremely welcoming and helpful. We hope to return again at some point when we are able to explore on our own and see more of the local life. Until then we will close this page.
Safe Travels!!
"TRAVELING - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller." lbn Batutta
Please feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below. Also, I can be reached at Rocky@Rocklyns.com should you feel the need to reach out.
No comments:
Post a Comment