Our guide to holidays in St Lucia

With around 100,000 commercial scheduled flights taking to the skies each day, there is no shortage of options for your next holiday. But leisure time is in short supply and vacations are increasingly precious moments of relaxation in the midst of busy lives, so the pressure is on to find the right destination. In a series of blogs about Caribbean holidays, we’ll be offering some expert guidance on our favourite Caribbean islands and what they have to offer. Whether you’re looking for a family holiday, a romantic retreat, an epic adventure or an exotic escape, Simply Caribbean Luxury Holidays can help you pick your dream destination. This week we take a closer look at St Lucia.

Getting there couldn’t be simpler as St Lucia is easily accessible from the UK with daily direct flights from London Gatwick and weekly departures from Manchester Airport. The flight time of just eight hours makes it manageable for all ages, or you can choose it as a stopping off point on an island-hopping adventure. If you arrive by air, it will become obvious even before you land that St Lucia packs a lot into its compact 378 square miles, much of it clad in lush rainforest. An emerald jewel of the Eastern Caribbean, the tropical interior is fringed with white sandy beaches and surrounded with turquoise ocean, whether the gently lapping Caribbean Sea or the dramatic Atlantic breakers of the eastern coast. Away from the coast, the majestic Piton mountains have UNESCO World Heritage status and provide a magical backdrop to a host of activities and attractions, including mountain biking, hiking, zip-wiring, volcanic springs and stunning waterfalls.

Water-based activities abound too, from world-class sailing thanks to the warm trade winds, to spectacular dive sites, snorkelling and snuba for all ages. Whether you choose to go surfing, water skiing, sports fishing, kite surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding or visit Splash Island, the Caribbean’s first open-water sports park, you are guaranteed a good time. Alternatively, lie back on the deck of a stylish catamaran or luxury motor cruiser and enjoy the delights of the island on a scenic boat tour. St Lucia has been justifiably awarded ‘World’s leading honeymoon destination’ status an impressive eight times and is an unsurprisingly popular choice for weddings.  Organising your wedding in St Lucia is very straightforward, whether working with one of our dedicated wedding coordinators or hiring a specialist wedding planner on the island. The only problem is choosing the perfect setting as there are so many stunning locations on offer, from a beach or a plantation to a lighthouse or historic chapel. There is a huge variety of accommodation available too, so selecting where to stay for your holiday in St Lucia is another decision we can help guide you through.  If a boutique hotel appeals, there are several world-class properties on St Lucia: Calabash Cove offers secluded luxury nestled in the hillside, with all the rooms and cottages overlooking the gorgeous beach below; East Winds Inn is one of the top all-inclusive boutique hotels in the world and an eco-friendly paradise with complimentary yoga and Pilates classes each day.

At the very top of the scale you’ll find Sugar Beach, a five-star resort at the foot of the Piton mountains and on the edge of a crescent-shaped white sandy beach. With accommodation ranging from luxurious rooms and suites to cottages and villas set in stunning surroundings, Sugar Beach has an unrivalled reputation. Wherever you stay in St Lucia, one thing is guaranteed: a warm welcome. The island’s people are famous for their friendliness and generosity and even the most stressed-out executive will quickly relax into the laidback St Lucian way of life. Benefitting from a diverse mix of cultures and historical influences, St Lucia brings together Carib, African, French and English flavours in its arts, music and cuisine. A holiday in St Lucia is truly a feast for the senses, from its natural splendour to its vibrant culture. You could do something different every day of your holiday and still have only scratched the surface of what the island has to offer, but luckily Simply Caribbean Luxury Holidays is on hand to help you put together your perfect vacation. We’d be willing to bet that your first visit won’t be your last!