I’ve always been a very organised traveller, especially during short trips! After all, who wants to waste money to not fully experience and enjoy all that your destination has to offer?
For me, being organised is simply euphoric (yes, it’s that good) and the more excited I am, the more organised I become!
P.S. This was a very exciting trip for me as this was the first time that my partner – Steven, and I travelled together!
But, the reality of the situation is, not everyone is as organised as me – nor do some people even care to be! So, if you’re heading to the beautiful island of St.Lucia, here’s your perfect [I’d like to think] St.Lucia itinerary to help you make the most of your 4-day trip!
DAY ZERO – Thursday
This is your travel day!
But, it’s important to note that there are two airports in St.Lucia – the ‘George F. L. Charles Airport’, which is located within Castries and the ‘Hewanorra International Airport’ which is located in Vieux Fort – a long 40 miles to the south of Castries. Unfortunately for international travellers, ‘Hewanorra International Airport’ is your point of entry into the island if you are travelling by air. Whereas, ‘George F. L. Charles Airport’ handles inter-Caribbean passenger flights – lucky for us right!
This bit of information is only important in order to organise your transfer – whether that may be a 15-minute drive or a 2-hour drive! But if you know the distance from the airport to your accommodation, there is also the option of a short helicopter ride in order to get closer to your new home away from home!
We rented an Airbnb in Castries – ‘The Morne Seaview Apartment’ – Airbnb is the way to go! Be sure to ask for apartment number 1 as that is a 2 bedroom apartment with a great view of the port!
It was also the cheapest option (out of the three) at the time of our booking. On arriving at this location, we also realised how conveniently located it was to ‘The Morne Bakery’ which was more of a convenience store rather than a bakery. This was great because we purchased most of our groceries which were cheaper there than from other major supermarkets – win win!
DAY ONE – Friday
10 am – Car Rental Delivery
We sorted out our car rental – which we affectionately termed “Peanell The Passo” through Islander Cars (as we decided that we did not want to rely on public transportation nor spend all of our cash on taxis) and set out for Gros Piton. Marcus Antoine – Operations Manager, was very friendly and even made sure to inform us that he was running a bit late due to unforeseen circumstances.
12:45 pm – Gros Piton
Unfortunately, our rental car came later than expected and to make matters worse, we stopped at every possible vantage point to take pictures – yes, really. But, we eventually made it to Gros Piton at around 12:45 pm. This was unfortunate as we actually wanted to arrive at 11 am and be done by 4 pm but we started the hike at 1:15 pm and was finished by 5:15 pm – not too shabby!
Gros Piton opens daily from 7 am – 2 pm but, be sure to get there as early as you can as some days they may close earlier than normal – as they do not expect anyone to come at 2 pm to climb a mountain in 6 hours!
The cost for internationals is $30US each, which is about $80EC, whereas regionals pay $20US each which is about $55EC and a guide will be provided. Remember to bring a large bottle of water per person, snacks, fruits, towel, comfortable sneakers and a backpack to put them all in. You’ll encounter a nice surprise at the top which would be the highlight of your entire hike – and be sure to let me know who/what you come across as I don’t want to spoil the secret!
Tip: Be sure to download a navigation app such as Google Maps – which was our saviour during this trip. We saved all the places we planned on visiting and also downloaded the offline version beforehand so we knew exactly how long it would take to reach our destinations without requiring a service provider!
9 pm – Gros Islet Street Party
Remember it’s Friday and the place to be is Gros Islet! After a 4 hour hike, there is no better place to dance and eat the night away than during the Gros Islet Street Party.
Tip: Dress casually and comfortably as there will be a lot of eating, drinking and dancing!
DAY TWO – Saturday
7:30 am – Tout Bagay Tour with Sea Spray Cruises
We opted for the Tout Bagay Tour with Sea Spray Cruises mainly because they responded very promptly to a few of my questions and boy they did not disappoint! Our transfer was punctual and the entire day was filled with fun and laughter!
At the seemly steep cost of $110 US person, it was well worth it as this was a fantastic tour from start to end. You’ll visit the mud baths, a Soufriere waterfall, the sulphur springs, all before stopping at the Morne Coubaril Estate for a historic tour and buffet lunch. On our way back to Rodney Bay, we also made a stop at a west coast beach for swimming and snorkelling as well as a quick stop by Marigot Bay!
Tip: Be sure to bring towels as you’ll need them after the mud bath if you intend to take a dip and/or after the swimming and snorkelling. I also brought a change of clothes and lotion – diva much, which came in handy after the dip in the mud baths – you’ll get quite dry!
8:30 pm – Rainforest Hideaway Restaurant
It was very important to us to celebrate this trip by getting all dolled and dressed up and going out to dinner as there were many many reasons to celebrate. The ambience was simply amazing and the staff were nothing sort of professional yet warm and friendly.
Bonus: We picked this restaurant in eager anticipation of the jazz night. There was also free transport available which was an added bonus in case we didn’t want to drive.
DAY THREE – Sunday
3:45 pm – Mamiku Gardens
The plan for Sunday was much more laid back as we took our time, made breakfast together at our Airbnb and simply lounged around until we felt like moving – I was trying to take it easy on Steven!
We originally wanted to spend the day at Pigeon Island but later found out that there was an event there so we changed our plans last minute and made our way to Mamiku Gardens. Unfortunately, when we arrived at Mamiku Gardens at 3:45 pm, they were closed!
Tip: ‘Mamiku Gardens’ opens daily from 9 am – 5 pm but they are closed on Good Friday. Complimentary WIFI is also available on the balcony!
Nonetheless, the drive was simply picturesque and we stumbled across the “Mandele Lookout Point” (there is a bar there as well) which made the journey worth it!
6:00 pm – Explore Rodney Bay
Before we decided upon St.Lucia, we were told by numerous persons to stay in Rodney Bay, but despite all the advice, we refused.
Why on earth would we do such a thing when Rodney Bay is the hub for tourists?!
Quick frankly, the Airbnb was amazingly cheap and we were a mere 15 minutes away. We really didn’t want to spend too much on accommodation when we knew we’d spend most of our days exploring. And, let’s be honest, staying in Rodney Bay versus staying in Castries did not make or break our trip and we saved a few pretty pennies (more than a few) by staying in Castries.
We also had dinner at Razmataz, which served Indian cuisine and they had an amazing 2 for 1 special before 7:30 pm on food – yes you read that correctly! That special applied to food only and not drinks!
DAY FOUR – Monday (Final Day & Travel Day)
1:00 pm – The Pigeon Island National Landmark
Pigeon Island was also on our list of things we had to do and it was a great (and mellow way) to end our vacation. We packed our bags and checked out at 12:30 pm and hit the road once more and Pigeon Island did not disappoint.
'The Pigeon Island National Landmark’ has a small bit of everything that St.Lucia has to offer – from its two breathtaking beaches to a pub and restaurant with a historical theme and mouthwatering local cuisine! It also offers small hiking opportunities to amazing vantage points and – of course – rich history.
‘The Pigeon Island National Landmark’ is open daily, including holidays, from 9 am to 5 pm. Ticket prices for visitors cost $7 USD for adults and about $1 USD for children ages 5 to 11 and children under 5 years are free.
Guided tours can also be provided at an additional cost of $21 USD.
6:00 pm – Depart St.Lucia
One of the best things about the domestic airport in St.Lucia is that it is adjacent to the beach, so after we checked in, we managed the catch the amazing sunset before we departed…
– what a great way to end our 4 day trip to St.Lucia!