Why Honeymoon Around Castries
It comes down to convenience and choice. The resorts here are big enough to keep you busy for a week, with several restaurants, pools, spas and water sports included in the rate. Calm bays make swimming easy most of the year.
You also sit in the middle of the island. Rodney Bay's restaurants and Pigeon Island are 15 to 20 minutes north, Marigot Bay is about 20 minutes south and boat trips to the Pitons leave from nearby. If you connect through another Caribbean island into George F. L. Charles Airport, the transfer is almost nothing.
The drawbacks are traffic and atmosphere. The road through Castries jams at rush hour and on cruise days. This coast also feels more developed than the south. Couples after drama and solitude should look at Soufrière instead.
When to Go
The dry season, roughly December through April, brings the most sunshine and the most visitors. Expect the highest rates over Christmas, New Year and Easter. Book well ahead.
May and June are a sweet spot, with warm water, occasional showers and lower prices. Saint Lucia Carnival usually fills the streets of Castries in July, a loud and colorful time to visit if you like a party.
The wet season runs from about June through November. The risk of hurricanes is greatest from August through October. Rain usually comes in heavy bursts with sunshine between, though storms can disrupt travel for days. If you travel then, buy insurance that covers named storms. Temperatures sit in the mid to high 80s Fahrenheit year round.
Where to Stay
The resorts define this stretch. Sandals Halcyon Beach sits on Choc Bay in a garden setting, with an over-the-water pier restaurant. Sandals Regency La Toc occupies a large estate on La Toc Bay just south of Castries, with a spa, hillside suites and a small golf course. Both are couples-only all-inclusives. Sandals generally lets guests use its other Saint Lucia resorts too.
At Labrelotte Bay, East Winds is a smaller all-inclusive with cottages in tropical gardens and a quieter feel. Windjammer Landing, on the same bay, has villas with plunge pools and suits couples who like more independence.
All-inclusive rates for two commonly run from around $600 to well over $1,200 a night in high season, as an approximate guide. Watch for honeymoon packages and summer offers.
Romantic Things to Do
Drive or take a taxi up Morne Fortune, the hill behind Castries, in late afternoon. The old fortifications at Fort Charlotte look out over the harbor. On clear days you can see the coast running north toward Pigeon Island.
Spend a morning in town. Castries Central Market sells cocoa sticks, bay leaves, nutmeg and hot sauces, all easy to pack. Derek Walcott Square, named for the Nobel Prize-winning poet born in Castries, has a huge old saman tree. Next door, the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is covered inside with murals by Dunstan St. Omer.
Take a catamaran day down the west coast to the Pitons, or a sunset sail along the north coast. Ride the aerial tram through the rainforest canopy at Babonneau. Then save one evening for a candlelit dinner on the beach at your resort.
Getting There and Around
Most nonstop flights from the US land at Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) in the south, with service from cities including Miami, New York, Atlanta and Charlotte. From there the drive to Castries is about 1.5 hours on a winding road. Sandals includes transfers. A helicopter shuttle between Hewanorra and Castries takes about 10 to 15 minutes if you want to skip the drive.
George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU), right beside Vigie Beach, is about 10 minutes from Choc Bay. It handles regional flights from islands such as Barbados, Antigua and Martinique.
Taxis are easy to find at resorts and in town. Agree on the fare before you leave. Driving is on the left. Allow extra time through Castries on weekday mornings and afternoons or when several cruise ships are in port.
Food and Drink
With an all-inclusive, most meals are taken care of, but get out at least once or twice. Vigie Marina near the airport and the waterfront in town have restaurants serving Creole seafood, curries and fresh juices. Rodney Bay, 15 minutes north, has the island's biggest choice of independent restaurants.
Local dishes to try include green fig and saltfish, bouyon, callaloo soup, accra fritters and fish cooked in a Creole sauce. Buy a loaf of bakes or cocoa tea from a roadside stall. Piton beer and Chairman's Reserve rum, produced at the island's own distillery, turn up everywhere.
On Friday nights, the Gros Islet street party is the famous option, though it can be crowded. Anse La Raye's quieter Fish Friday, south of Marigot Bay, is better for a relaxed dinner.
Honeymoon Tips
- Tell your resort you are on your honeymoon when you book. Many add small touches.
- Use resort exchange privileges if you have them. A dinner at a sister resort breaks up the week.
- Plan town visits on days with fewer cruise ships in port. Ask the front desk.
- Carry small US dollar bills or Eastern Caribbean dollars for markets and tips.
- Wear light, modest clothes in town. Swimwear belongs at the beach.
- Use insect repellent in the evening. Dengue occurs on Saint Lucia, so if you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices.
- Book one boat day to the Pitons. Seeing them from the water is the island's best view.
