St. Lucia

St. Lucia has historically attracted two groups of people: pirates and honeymooners. The twin mountains of the Caribbean island helped pirates navigate while the dense rain forests provided excellent locations to disappear into. The colorful wildlife and secluded St. Lucia resorts have long been a favorite for newlyweds, despite the lack of pristine white sand beaches that the Caribbean is known for. A St. Lucia vacation is more than just a day on the sand – botanical gardens, waterfalls and scenic mountain escapes are available to any visitor.

You won"t find a lot of hotel chains on the island either. Most of the accommodations here are small and locally-owned, which means St. Lucia hotels are often the best places to go for information about the island. Want to know where the best jazz club is? Which restaurant has the best seafood? Just ask. Intimacy is the key here, and many St. Lucia hotels offer little more than 10-12 rooms a night. St. Lucia resorts are the same way – most are privately owned and operated. Whether you want an all-inclusive stay or just a home base for exploring the native forests, St. Lucia resorts is not for budget travelers.

For those looking for weddings or honeymoons in the Caribbean, St. Lucia offers the most varied and extensive vacation packages in the entire area. Whether in the gingerbread cottages of Castries or the busy St. Lucia hotels to the north in Rodney Bay, you will find pretty much every frill and amenity known to man. The area around Rodney Bay (and nearby Pigeon Island) seems like Mecca for honeymooners and the sun-kissed hills and sprawling beaches do nothing to destroy an overwhelming sense of romance on the island.

The city of Soufriere is located on the southwestern coast of St. Lucia. If you hear the locals tell it, this is the ultimate in a St. Lucia vacation. The scenic capital city, strolling the streets is like returning to colonial France. The steep and narrow roads of the oldest town on the island parade visitors from all around the world – the finest restaurants are located here, and epic fish feasts provide fun, music and ridiculous portions of seafood into all hours of the night. Soufriere is also right at the foot of the island"s imposing Piton mountains – no St. Lucia vacation is complete without a few leisurely hikes up one of the landmarks.