Days Out in St Lucia: Onboard Calipso; Courtesy of Barefoot Holidays

Before reaching St Lucia I had been liasing with a lovely lady called Shiryln, from Barefoot Holidays. I had briefed her on what my objectives were while on the island and we met up once I had settled in. Barefoot Holidays specialise in excursions; they help tourists uncover the island's gems, be it by jeep, helicopter or boat.

I had an array of questions for Shirlyn (and her colleague Allison), and they were happy to answer them, plus give me additional suggestions on activities I could do during my trip. They suggested places to visit; specific estates, reserves and beaches, all of which were welcomely received.



They also arranged for us to take a catamaran trip along the west side of the island onboard 'Calipso', a lively party boat. On the day in question we were picked up by a courteous driver and taken the short distance to Castries Port. After a small shower of 'liquid sunshine', we set sail, out of the Port and in to the Caribbean Sea.



The 'baby-maker' rum punch was soon flowing, even if it was only 10.30, we were on holiday :) From the sea the land could be seen in all its seductive glory. Lolling, fertile peaks, with the odd beach-side town or dwelling making an appearance as we motored south to Soufrière. Just sitting back watching the island unfold was an adventure all on its own.



It didn't take long to reach Soufrière; from here we boarded comfortable minibuses and were shuttled inland to the only 'Drive in Volcanoe' in the Carribean. A small site which smoulders foul-smelling hydrogen sulphide gases, it is no longer active. There are also accessible springs here and even though we wanted to revisit and lather ourselves with the grey-brown mud, we didn't get the chance.





Next stop - Diamond Botanical Gardens! Just a short drive away, this was one of my favourite parts during the whole time on the island. The gardens offer a mesmerizing encounter with flora; along the snaking trail a kaleidoscope of colours and textures pop out of the greenery.





The trail peaks at the Diamond Waterfall, a small opening among the towering trees. Streaky brown and yellow sides produce a stark contrast to the forest, and reminded me of Willy Wonkers chocolate factory!



The circular route led us back to the minubuses through more awesome vegetation, along the way signs pointed out various plants such as Orchids, Heliconia and Hibiscus. The last land stop was to the Val de Pitons restuarant, to munch on some traditional Caribbean fare and recharge the batteries.

I'll admit, by the time we got back onboard Calipso, I was fairly sozzled! The planned snorkelling stop was highly anticipated as the humidity was making many lethargic - but we had a great time bobbing along to the reggae being played and making new acquaintances. We stopped halfway between Soufrière and Marigot Bay, a location I would revisit later in the trip whilst scuba diving.



The snorkelling was ok, it was our first time doing it on the island so I was just happy (but a little dissapointed at the lack of variety) to see some fish! We were the last ones back onboard Calipso and after a quick peek at Marigot Bay (where Dr. Doolittle was filmed), we returned to Castries Port - slightly wobbly, but very fulfilled after an exciting day on and around the island.



(Captain of Calipso with the Captain of Serenity - my husband!)

For more information on Barefoot Holidays go to: http://www.barefootholidays.com/index.htmlro

Resorts in St Lucia - The Jalousie Plantation

The Jalousie Plantation was the last place we stayed at in St Lucia. A five-star resort, it has been winning many awards this year including the Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Travel Awards 2010; "Favourite Leisure Hotel, The Americas & the Caribbean."

It is a luxurious resort, spread out over 100 acres of rainforest between the Pitons. We stayed in a new luxury villa and as soon as we stepped in I could see that every last detail was finished to the highest standard; my favourite parts were the fabulous four-poster bed and spacious double shower. Our location presented awesome views of the Petit Piton, which looked great from our private plunge pool.







Eager to explore and check out the sports facilities, we were quick to dump our bags and get down to the beach. I could have cried at the view. For me, this was paradise.



The resort had a lot of activities on offer, although many were not complimentary as at Rendevous. Wakeboarding, tubing, water skiing and scuba away from the beach are all extra; Hobie Cat dinghy’s, snorkels, windsurfing, kayaking, archery, yoga and pedalos were included.



A shuttle bus service is used for guests to move around the resort as it is fairly spread out in the forest, our villa was located at the top of a steep hill. Although all of the drivers were smiley, friendly and courteous; the service itself needs some attention. On a regular basis the shuttles took 30 minutes to pick us up from our villa, which is quite annoying when you have dinner reservations or a water taxi waiting.

The food was great, we mainly ate in the beach-side restuarant, with great views across Anse de Pitons. For one meal we dined in the Great Room, a new restuarant on site with live piano music, soft lighting, impressive chandeliers and a gorgeous dark wood bar. We ate sashimi, Parrotfish and an open seafood lasagne; which were all divine. Only on half board at the time, we had to pay for drinks, and two glasses (of very good) wine cost $23 including two lots of taxes!

Although there are various board options at the Jalousie, one needs to be careful how they plan to stay there. All-inclusive is a simple, if pricey option, coming in at $123 p/person, p/day. Ever the entrepid explorers, we decided to take a mixed approach; booking part all inclusive, part half board and part with no package; choosing instead to visit local restaurants and stock up the fridge in our room with food and drinks. Alcohol is expensive here, but many people use the local shops to buy local Piton beer and rum. Mind you, the resort cocktails are just the best!

The Jalousie is currently undergoing a huge revamp, with the all older villas being replaced with the new luxury ones like we stayed in. The new villas have all the modern technologies and luxuries one would need. However, the revamp means there is constantly work taking place and the main areas are a buzz of builders, vehicles and materials. Not really what is needed when trying to make the most of paradise!

For us, the best part to the Jalousie is the snorkeling and scuba (although such fine accommodation did make it very difficult to leave!). This will be covered further in a separate post, comparing sites visited here with others on the island.


(Essential island kit)

Apart from making the most of the sports facilities, my favourite way of enjoying The Jalousie Plantation was from a sun lounger, on the beach, watching the sunset with a Pina Colada and loved one to hand; life can be beautiful.





For more information on The Jalousie Plantation please go to: http://www.jalousieplantation.com

Days Out in St Lucia: En Bas Saut Rainforest Trail

During our stay at Crystals, we asked Monica about guided rainforest walks and she offered one of her staff, Pas, to act as our guide. The next day we set off after breakfast and.... got a flat tyre straight away! Once replaced we continued our journey, through small towns then further in to the countryside, bound for the Edmund Forest Reserve.



Again the road turned to track, we bounced around in the 4x4, which was bouncing around on the dirt tracks. Slithers of concrete slabs changed to rocky, bumpy, holey sections, which occasionally made small offerings of smooth, concrete slabs. The journey took around 40 minutes from the last small town (Fond St Jacques) to our destination, high up in to the rainforest and to the En Bas Saut trail. This same area is home to St Lucia's highest point, Mount Gimie (958 metres above sea level).


Mount Gimie)

The En Bas Trail is deep in the Edmund Rainforest, comfortably protected in a reserve , there are no dwellings or farming allowed by law. The entrance is marked by a small, wooden hut. We ditched the 4x4, donned a big stick and followed Pas in to the green and pristine ecosystem.



I would consider myself fairly fit, and we walked the length of the trail in about an hour. The walkways are well maintained, although a little slippy in parts. Pas was an informative and chilled out guide, he showed us and explained about different trees; like Mahogany, Gomier, Blue Ma Haut and Giant Chatannier.



After a short time it began to rain, and it rained for the rest of our time in the forest, which put a dampener on things, although we could then appreciate why the environment was so green. I was a little surprised about the level of biodiversity; although we were surrounded by trees, the only fauna we saw were fresh water crabs. We heard the St Lucian parrot, but did not see one during our stay in St Lucia. During the journey into the reserve my face had been glued to the windows as I watched a vibrant selection of flowers go by, but there was none of this along the trail in the reserve.



We made our way up and down steps, and along muddy paths, we hopped across stepping stones in small streams and gaped at the texture of the forest; steep slopes and cavernous gulleys. The real treat awaited us, Pas had led us to the En Bas Saut Waterfall. As we walked down some creaky and half rotten steps, the landscape opened up to share with us a magical kingdom. Even though I was soaked through and disappointed that the rain was stopping me taking a million photo's, I managed to hide under a stowed towel and take this:



We didn't stay long and it was too chilly to swim in the fall water; but I'll go back again one day. The hike back up to the car was easy going, I had wrongly presumed that the trail would be harder work, so was pleasantly surprised.

Soaked through but fulfilled and happy, we made our way back down the track to civilisation. We could have picked a better day to go but regardless, it was a beautiful insight in to what make up the lungs of our planet.

Resorts in St Lucia - Crystals

Located a mere 10 miles away from Rendevous, it took us over an hour to drive to Crystals! The road snakes through rainforest and hills, and in some places is in awful condition. However, in my mind this adds to the adventure and the views along the way were stunning.

The sun set around 18.30 and it was quick to get very dark (no lighting along the roads), we found the track that led us to Crystals, and were extremely surprised by its awful condition. It is not a good introduction.

Crystals has a bohemian-chic feel to it; a small number of quirky cottages make up the development, all of which have fantastic views of the Pitons. Artistically decorated inside and out, it is a colourful, interesting and stimulating, yet a relaxing place to rest your head. The owner Monica is a mine of information and so very helpful, an eccentric lady who makes a mean rum punch!



There is no activity programme at Crystals, however, we hired a 4x4 (essential for getting about in St Lucia) from Benny at Red Tiger and explored! The town of Soufrière lies at the bottom of the valley between Crystals and the glorious Pitons, and visiting it was our first excursion out.





Soufrière is a small coastal town; as with many other urban centres on the island, it is poor and most of the people live a simple life. As with many other urban centres across the globe, they have their fair share of problems with drugs. Upon my first visit in to town, it was visible straight away, we came across quite a few hustlers and were frequently approached in the car. I'm not going to lie, it was scary to begin with. But as we needed to get supplies (breakfast only at Crystals,but every cottage has full kitchen facilities), we had to go in nearly every day. By the end of our stay on the island the apprehension had gone and we were fine about going in to town.

The first breakfast we had a Crystals was devine! A mix of sweet breads with cinnamon and coconut, locally grown, fresh papaya, banana, banana bread and omelette. Pity there was no coffee to wash it down with because although we had a machine in our cottage, it had small bugs in it - so we never used it. Unfortunatley after the first breakfast, standards slipped, as did the time it was served, so each day there was a little disappointment.

One thing that never disapointed was Monica's artistic flair, I loved the way she had adorned the property with aesthetic delights. No corner left untouched and I was especially keen on the tree house bar....



Crystals was a great platform from which to reach Anse Chastanet beach, well-known for it's amazing snorkelling and scuba diving opportunities. More on that later.

I enjoyed Crystals, and chatting away in the tree house with Monica; the location is amazing and it's decoration appealed to the hippy in me.

For more information on Crystals check out: http://www.stluciacrystals.com/

To hire a car through Red Tiger check out: http://www.stluciajeeprentals.com/

Resorts in St Lucia - Rendevous

As previously mentioned, I stayed at three places while in St Lucia. The main reason behind this was because my husband is easily bored, and I thought this would be a good way to keep him occupied so I could rest a bit more - how wrong could I have been!

Upon landing on the island we jumped in a taxi arranged by the ladies at Barefoot Holidays and a lovely gent called Sammy drove us to our first resort - Renedevous. This couples-only, five-star, boutique resort is located in the north of the island. It took us about an hour to get there, along the way I extracted as much information from Sammy as possible. Happy to oblige, smiley and polite, Sammy was a great introduction to St Lucia. He even stopped half way to show us a fishing town called Dennery, which faces on to the Atlantic Ocean.



From our arrival, to departure, throughout the duration of our stay in St Lucia and even when we got home, we were so happy with our choice in Rendevous. It is a small and perfectly formed resort with courteous and friendly staff, in a quiet location. A short beach walk from Castries, Rendevous sits between two long stretches of golden coloured sand, palm trees hanging lazily over the beach at points, helping to create a picture perfect view.



We had a homely room with wooden four-poster bed, large double-shower and private balcony with views over sculpted gardens to the Caribbean Sea. The pristine and spacious beach-side restuarant was a pleasure to dine in, the adjoining open bar, a pleasure to drink in.



The resort had everything we needed and more, we couldn't have done all of the complimentary activities even if we'd dosed up on Red Bull every day. During our stay we frequently used the Hobie Cat dinghy's to whizz over to Rat Island and back, although the area we were permitted to sail in was quite small.



Other sports we participated in were archery, yoga, scuba diving (more about this later) and tubing, the latter of which saw us wedged into two inflatable, hollow rings and dragged around the bay by a speeding power boat. A couple were getting married on the beach at the time, I wonder if they could hear me screaming before I was unwillingly ejected from my tube?! I had been caught off guard after being catapulted off a wave and into my husband's tube, laughing hysterically I had loosened my vice-like grip for a nano-second.

The yoga was good, at the time, because for three days after the session I couldn't walk properly. Pauline the instructor is fond of Sun Salutations and practices Ashtanga yoga. I had a great session with her, but was surprised by her preaching to me about self-control at the end, she seemed to assume that she knew me. However, I really enjoyed the experience apart from that one issue.



My husband was so enthralled by Rendevous that we tried to book extra nights; but they were fully booked! We packed and left begrudgingly, on to our next resort - Crystals in Soufrière.

To see my overall comparisons with the other places we stayed, check out the 'Resort Comparisons' Blog coming shortly.

For more information about Rendevous, go to: http://www.theromanticholiday.com/16/home.htm

Taking a look at what St Lucia has on offer - overview

I recently spent two weeks in St Lucia (in October)and for the first time, I could truly understand what the term 'tropical paradise' really meant. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder; but what I plan to do is to share an objective, but constructive look at what St Lucia had on offer.

Located in the south of the Antilles chain in the Caribben, St Lucia is a small, volcanic island, just 27 miles long and 14 miles wide. It is primarily made up of golden, sandy beaches and lush green rainforest. To the north there is Castries, the capital and to the south, the two Pitons, an iconic and famous UNESCO World Heritage site.



Temperatures range from 26c - 32c and the seasons on this tropical island shift between wet and dry. When I was there in October the weather was mainly sunny, with blue skies; sometimes a little humid and it rained on the odd occassion for a couple of hours. It was moving in to the dry season which will run from December to April.

Looking at the 2010 statistics released from the Tourist Board, I can see that primarily, tourists are honeymooners, the majority of which come from the US and UK. The amount of people getting married on the island are decreasing, but honeymoon numbers are looking healthy; up 31% from 2008 to 2009. Every month of 2010 has seen higher number than the same period in 2009.

Hewanorra International Airport is located in the south of the island; from here there is one main road which circles the island - but I'll come back to roads later! Accommodation in St Lucia ranges from apartments and small guest houses to all inclusive, five-star, fantasy-like resorts. During my time there I stayed in two resorts (Rendevous and The Jalousie Plantation) and one private estate with villas (Crystals). They varied widely and I'll be giving you the low-down on all of them in a separate post.

(Rendevous)

So, 'what about adventure sports?' I hear you cry! There was more than enough to stimulate my senses, every day. Infact, it took some time to get my energy levels back to normal upon my return home! St Lucia has loads on offer; scuba diving, brilliant snorkelling, rainforest hikes, dinghy sailing, kayaking, nature tours plus comprehensive activity programmes at the resorts. I'll be posting another blog about the sporting adventures I had on the island shortly.

Want to take a break off the well-beaten tourist trail?.....

Then you should read my latest piece Costa Rica for some colourful and dramatic inspiration:

http://www.adventuresportsholidays.com/costa_rica/

St Lucia & The Time of My Life!!

Becoming a commissioned writer has it's ups and downs! Starting out on a new path is always exciting, but what about the old paths? The Blogs, the Twitter postings, the attention to photo galleries and the million other daily tasks?!

I'm going to make a conscious effort to write more on me! I have so much to share!!

For example, my recent stay in St Lucia; AM-AZ-ING! I have stacks of notes and photos to share with you here and as I stayed in three different resorts during my trip, I can provide adventure enthusiasts with a precious insight about life on the island.



I'm chumping at the bit to get this stuff online; but have deadlines :( So bear with me chaps and I will be back in full force over the next two weeks.

Ciao for now :)

Guide to Italy - Adventure Sports Holidays

Interested in going to Italy for an adventure or two? Then have a look at my short Travel Guide featured on the Adventure Sports Holidays website.

http://www.adventuresportsholidays.com/italy/

More detail and the full version available on request.

Coming soon, travel and adventure guides to Cambodia, Costa Rica, Laos, Malaysia and the Maldives.

An Exciting Ride Through the Campo

Quad biking through the campo is really popular this summer, with plenty of people eager to explore the landscape in a different way. Get your helmets and glasses to the ready, you're in for an exciting ride!

http://www.coastrider.net/main/features/spec-features/8819-the-quad-experience-to-outshine-all-others.html

I hope you find it entertaining, it sure was a great experience for me and my father-in-law :)

Cool Kayaking Excursion

Kayaking is a fun and cheap way to check out the coastline, there are activity providers all along the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida that can help you to get out there!

Have a look at this article for inspiration!
http://www.coastrider.net/main/features/spec-features/8182-kayak-safari-with-aqua-adicta.html

Boaty-Type Articles

Here are a couple of articles for those with sea legs. There are some interesting points about local and national laws that apply to those lucky enough to have, or have access to, power boats and yachts:

Yachting - Day Skipper Courses:
http://www.coastrider.net/main/features/spec-features/8357-training-sailors-on-the-costa-blanca.html

Power Boating - ICC Certification:
http://www.coastrider.net/main/features/spec-features/8517-power-boating-in-spain.html

The Hogueras Fiesta in Torrevieja

Last night was pretty random. I started off as a guest at my friends gym and a participant in a fun, yet slightly punishing yoga class. It was good to have a proper stretch and learn some new poses though, even if I am having some strange pains in my gluteus maximus today.
I was then invited to a Spanish families pre-fiesta dinner. I turned up bottle in hand and was immediately met by a dozen smiley faces and a table full of food to die for - yum. By this time it was 22.30. I quickly found that it was easier to converse with the families 5-year old than anyone else, as I explained in my broken Spanish, my basic language skills make me a kind of baby myself :)
Soon we were rushing out of the door and taking a short walk to the beach around the corner from Los Locos in Torrevieja. Crowds were gathering and as we met them a single rocket was fired in to the sky and BANG! An opening explosion that nearly burst my ear drums.
Firework displays in Spain are an awesome event, you can be near or far away and they are always simply spectacular. This display was to celebrate Los Hogueras, a fiesta for the start of the summer. The display was coordinated to run alongside music, blaring from speakers placed in the streets. There were literally thousands of people in the streets, on the beaches, standing on chairs - everyone smiling while looking skywards.
The display lasted about 20 minutes, it was full of texture; colours, noises and shapes. Once over we walked along the promenade, sucking up the atmosphere and watching as all manner of events unfolded. Mature ladies danced the flamenca in groups on the sand, the men clapping and singing. Teens set (small and controlled) fires and played in the water. Couple kissed and hugged. Children played innocently, running between family members and friends.
School is out for students and they were there in their hundreds, celebrating and drinking sensibly, playing, laughing, dancing. The culture is so different from that in the UK. No-one was smashing anything up or fighting, or becoming drunk and disorderly - like they do in my hometown in the UK.
We decided to go home around 01.00, although I made a mental note that next year, I would be joining the party with a few beers.
There was just one thing that really annoyed me at the fiesta.... I forgot my camera and was absolutely gutted.

Pole Dance Fitness for the Olympics!

And this is why:

The girls in Australia keep coming up with the goods:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF6t0shspBg

And this lady from the UK ain't bad either!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-lGjkXlOcM

Blog: Adventure Sports on the Costas

Hello readers!
I want to introduce you to another Blog I will be writing called Adventure Sports on the Costa's; it's been created to compliment my newly designed website (coming soon - www.costa-adventures.com)

http://www.adventuresportsonthecostas.blogspot.com/

This new Blog will focus purely on adventures sports and related events / people / products and services, mainly in Spain.

Feedback is always welcome, so please feel free to get in touch if you have any.

If you are an activity provider that would like some publicity, get in touch for an informal chat :)