Lush, mountainous, rugged, beautiful; these are the words most often
used to describe St. Lucia. The island paradise beckons to travelers of all
varieties, luring the adventurous and the sun worshippers alike. St. Lucia
offers the chance to snorkel and/or dive translucent waters where sheltering
reefs swarm with tropical fish and abound with healthy coral, or you can relax
on a wonderful mix of volcanic black and golden honey sand beaches. However,
most alluring, for us anyway, was the lush interior rainforests where hiking
is the activity of choice.
The mysterious twin
peaks of the Pitons have symbolized the uniqueness of St. Lucia for decades.
These pyramid shaped, volcanic pinnacles rise out of the sea to form one of
the most idyllic scenes in the Caribbean. Gros Piton (2,619 feet / 798m) and
Petit Piton (2,461 feet / 750m) can both be climbed, although, only the Gros
Piton hike is sanctioned by the government. When we first discovered that the
intrepid traveler could climb Gros Piton we made a pact that we would, one
day, reach the summit. It took us five long years to make that dream come
true, but the wait was definitely worth it!
We arrived in St.
Lucia on a rainy Monday, but the rain did little to dampen our spirits since
we were looking forward to exploring the island, besides the rain was sure to
stop…right? We made our way through the Hewanorra airport with no trouble, and
then made a beeline for the Hertz counter, where we had arranged for a rental
car. Now, for most people planning a visit to St. Lucia, the thought of
renting a car is apparently a frightening prospect. We read many forum posts
from people who warned against driving on your own. They sight the horribly
pot-holed roads, the fact that you are driving on the left and the possibility
of crime as reasons to avoid driving on your own. Thankfully, we also read
posts by those who painted a better picture, giving us enough confidence to
try it for ourselves. I will say that driving on St. Lucia is one hell of an
experience, but as long as you are a confident driver, you will be fine. The
roads are narrow, and winding, and there are often interesting roadside
attractions to distract you from the task at hand…such as goats, sheep,
horses, and cattle, all of which can be seen leashed to a bush or tree beside
the road. Occasionally these inhabitants break free from their restraints and
wander down the middle of the road. Blind turns seem to be the area of choice
for this to occur—must be some kind of Murphy’s Law for wandering livestock,
so just be aware of the possibility.
As for the
possibility of crime, well that is always a possibility when traveling. All
you can do is follow your instincts…do not stray too far into residential
areas, and do not be fooled by local panhandlers. If you listen to your gut
feelings, you will most likely be safe, just like when you are at home. The
entire eight days that we drove on the island we never encountered anything
that made us wish we were not driving. Yes, the locals drive like maniacs, and
yes, we came across a few aggressive panhandlers (which I will talk about
later), but overall, the people were very friendly and accommodating, and for
us, the freedom allowed by a rental car was invaluable.
As we made our way
through the rain towards our hotel, the Coco Kreole, located in Rodney Bay, I
realized that we had not packed any rain gear! I mean, come on, who needs rain
gear when visiting the rainforest…yeah, that was smart. All we could do was
hope the weather would break.
When we arrived at
our hotel the rain had stopped and we were greeted with good news…we had been
upgraded to their sister hotel, the Coco Palm. We settled in to our beautiful
room—complete with wireless internet, and then made
our way to a local restaurant. We chose the Grill and Chill, where the food
was okay and the service was good. It had been a long day and we were ready to
get some rest.
We awoke to a mostly
cloudy day, but no rain. After a wonderful continental breakfast complete with
banana bread, cereal, yogurt, toast, fresh juices, and fruit such as bananas,
melon, and pineapple, we set off to start exploring the island.
Armed with a
mediocre map, we set out to find the Diamond Botanical Gardens. The garden is
located near the town of Soufrière, which is about a two-hour drive from
Rodney Bay. We stopped along the way, just above the town of Soufrière, to
admire the view of the Pitons. From there we began our descent into the town,
where we had our first encounter with the aggressive panhandlers of Soufrière.
Be forewarned, as soon as you enter the town from the north you are likely to
encounter a man who physically attempts to stop your car by rushing into the
center of the road flashing a “badge”, which is actually his driver’s license
or other such nonsense. Most likely, he is trying to offer his services as a
guide; I cannot say for sure what he was selling, because we did not stop, but
most tourists certainly do not appreciate that type of behavior. In fact, it
was rather unnerving. Unfortunately, things do not get much better once you
are in the town itself. Road signs are nonexistent, and as such, it is hard to
find your way. The locals prey on this fact, and offer you directions, or the
chance to follow them for a fee. We bought into this one, and agreed to follow
a guy on a bicycle, who offered to point out the road for us. He ended up
leading us down an increasingly narrow road into a residential area, after one
block we decided to turn around, head out of town and regroup. He did not like
the fact that we didn’t “trust” him, and he started to get a little
belligerent. I kindly thanked him for his help and informed him that we were
just going to try again some other day. He continued to follow us for several
blocks, yelling things once in awhile, trying to get us to come back, until we
were finally headed out of town. Our nerves were a little shaken after that
episode, and Pick was almost ready to go back to the hotel, but I convinced
her that we could handle it and find the gardens on our own. From that point
on, when we drove through Soufrière, we rolled up the windows and locked the
doors, and ignored all people who approached the car. Lesson learned!
Thankfully, we found
the gardens on our second try by following a road that skirts the outer limits
of the town. When we arrived at the parking lot for the gardens, there were
several guys selling necklaces and other crafts, and I was ready for some sort
of confrontation…since I was already tense from the previous situation, but
these men were way less aggressive, and much friendlier. That put us at ease,
and we were more than happy to buy some of their artwork.
The
Diamond
Botanical Gardens is well worth a visit. At the complex, you will find mineral
baths, the Diamond Waterfall, and dozens of spectacular tropical flowers and
birds.
Water bubbling to
the surface from nearby underground sulfur springs flows downhill to become
Diamond Waterfall, hidden deep within the botanical gardens. Over the years,
the cliff over which the cascade spills has become encrusted with minerals and
tinted orange, yellow, green, and purple. The stream that emanates from the
30-foot cascade is even tinged a volcanic shade of ash gray.
Tropical flowers
with unlimited blossoms scent the air, attracting a variety of colorful birds.
A walk through the garden unveils a fascinating world where hummingbirds perch
on ginger, and bananaquits feed from colorful blooms of the glory lily. The
garden is truly a delight for photographers and nature lovers alike.
For a more in depth
visit, and for a glimpse into the forest, take the path that leads to the Old
Mill on the Soufrière estate —part of the Diamond Complex. The aptly named
Nature Trail is a great way to see many native trees, including Bamboo, Cocoa,
Papaya, and Mahogany. If you are interested in viewing some photos and
reading an in depth trail review, surf on over to
Natural Born Hikers.
Our next stop was
La
Soufrière Sulphur Springs, otherwise known as the drive-in volcano. More
technically the area is a caldera, or collapsed volcano, where fissures remain
in the crust. These fissures allow steam to escape through several cauldrons,
providing the visitor with a unique glimpse into natural geology.
Well-trained guides
explain the geological history of the area as they lead you on a hike to the
viewing platforms. Along the way, you will cross over a thermal stream, where
locals often take a dip in order to benefit from the water’s healing powers.
As you enter the
area, one of the first things you notice is the strong smell of sulphur. These
sulphuric emissions, which smell like rotten eggs, have killed off much of the
vegetation. This sparse, bubbling landscape is tinged green, yellow, and
purple—just like the Diamond Waterfall, lending the otherwise barren moonscape
a dash of color.
The two of us ended
our first day on St. Lucia with a refreshing drink at the Ladera. Their
restaurant, Dasheene, has the best view on the entire island! From the comfort
of the open-air restaurant, you can look out over the Jalousie Plantation, the
blue Caribbean, and the lush green twin peaks of the Pitons—it leaves you god
smacked!
Later that night we
had dinner in Rodney Bay at La Trattoria Del Mare, an excellent Italian
restaurant.
Pigeon Island
National Park, one of the Caribbean’s most historic sites, is a wonderful
blend of history and nature. On the island, which actually isn’t even an
island anymore—it was connected to the mainland by causeway in the 1970’s, you
will find historic military ruins, peaks to climb, and appealing beaches.
The landmark’s
predominant features are the two peaks joined by a saddle. Signal Peak is on
the north side, and Fort Rodney dominates the south. Both of these prominent
hills can be climbed, but the tour begins amidst the stone ruins, which
include the Officer’s Kitchen. The main path then winds upward to the southern
peak, where you will find what’s left of the British Admiral’s Fort Rodney.
The hike to the base of the fort can be accomplished by just about anyone, but
to reach the very top requires some steep walking and a climb up a steep
staircase.
After exploring the
remains of Fort Rodney, which include a powder store and a couple of cannons,
take a moment to savor the incredible views from this point. To the north lies
the island of Martinique, which was visible the day we visited, and all around
is the sparkling blue water of the Caribbean. You also have an excellent view
of Signal Hill or Peak, the highest point on Pigeon Island.
Signal Peak, offers
more of a challenge for those willing to hike a little further. After climbing
down from Fort Rodney, just follow the signs pointing to Signal Peak and in
about 15 minutes you will be on the summit. This trek is more strenuous as it
climbs up the steep rocks, but the view is more than worth the effort. As you
gaze across the open expanse of land and sea, it is easy to see why this point
was chosen as a lookout: the perspective affords panoramic views south to Gros
Islet and Castries, and north across the St Lucia Channel to Martinique.
Once we had made our
way back down to the beach, we were more than ready to quench our thirst. The
Jambe de Bois Restaurant provides the perfect place to grab a refreshment or
beachside lunch. We grabbed a couple of Diet Cokes, a couple of chairs, and
settled in for a relaxing break from our hiking.
We spent the day
exploring Pigeon Island and the Cap Estate area, and then we headed back
towards our hotel in order to take in the sights at Reduit Beach. What we
found was a beautiful beach packed with oiled bodies, which is a scene out of
one of our collective nightmares. Obviously, as we have already pointed out,
the beach isn’t exactly secluded, but it does offer nice views of Pigeon
Island, and it provides a nice place to watch the sunset. There is also a
restaurant called Spinnakers, which sits right on the beach, where you can get
a good meal. We spent about 2 hours on lunch at this establishment. Now, I
don’t normally have a problem with “island time”, but 2 hours is bordering on
obnoxious! The clientele was also bordering on obnoxious, so to sum it up:
great setting, good food, fair but slow service, infected with the booze
cruise crowd.
Later that evening
we walked down the beach to catch the sunset. That night the sun didn’t
disappoint, it turned the sky many shades of orange and pink, just the right
colors to bathe the water and sand in warmth. Rounding out the scene were
several sailboats silhouetted against the sun, a restored pirate ship even
made an appearance.
Dinner was at the
much-anticipated Indian restaurant Razmataz, which lived up to its reputation.
The staff was warm and friendly, the atmosphere was relaxing, and the décor
was beautiful. More importantly, the food was wonderful. We dined on Chicken
Tandoori, Nepalese sizzling skillet, and naan bread…all of which were
delicious. The Razmataz is a great way to end a day on St Lucia.
Our fourth day was
spent hiking some of the great and varied trails of the island, including
Barre de L’Isle, the Eastern
Nature Trail, and the paths of Mamiku Gardens.
The Barre de L’Isle
Trail is a worthwhile adventure that provides a glimpse into St Lucia’s richly
diverse topography and mountain flora and fauna. The trail is located along
the mountain range that separates the northern section of the island from the
south. The trail snakes through the rainforest until it ends at the top of
Morne La Combe. Along the trek, you will encounter lush plant life, colorful
butterflies and birds—maybe even the St Lucian parrot, and the occasional
breathtaking vista. We were able to hear a parrot, but unfortunately, we never
caught a glimpse of the rare and endangered bird. Our hike to the summit of
Morne La Combe was at once taxing and wholeheartedly enjoyable. If you would
like to read an in-depth description of this trail, please visit our hiking
website Natural Born Hikers, by
following this link:
Barre de L’Isle.
Our second hike of
the day took us along the rugged east coast of the island. The aptly named,
Eastern Nature Trail, is located within the Praslin Protected Landscape, a few
miles south of Dennery. The trail winds through sparse vegetation and long
grass providing the hiker with spectacular views of the wind-blown Atlantic
coast. If you are interested in hiking this 3.5-mile trail, you will find more
information at this link:
Eastern Nature Trail.
Mamiku Gardens and
the Madame de Micoud Ruins was our final destination for the day. The gardens
are an excellent place to photograph flowers such as orchids, heliconia,
anthurium, and ginger. You will also encounter hummingbirds and butterflies as
they feed on the never-ending blooms. A short, slightly steep trail leads
through the forest to the Madame de Micoud Ruins. The journey is more exciting
than the destination on this one, as the ruins are mostly buried, but there is
an excellent view of the Fregate Islands and the narrow and dangerous channel
between the reefs to the once thriving port of Praslin from the high vantage
point of Tamarind Hill, the site of the ruins.
By the time we drove
back to Rodney bay we were absolutely starving, so we headed to a local
restaurant called Pizza Pizza. This turned out to be our favorite restaurant
on the island. The pizza was excellent; and we highly recommend the tomato
salad and chicken wings…yum!
Day 5 found us
driving, yet again, through the quaint towns of Castries, Anse La Raye,
Canaries, and Soufrière. Along the way the views of the Pitons were
outstanding! The towering green pinnacles were set beautifully against a
bright blue sky complete with puffy white clouds. We must have pulled over at
least ten times for photo ops!
