Honeymooning in St. Lucia

Choosing the right honeymoon location is critical to getting a marriage off to a relaxed footing, and for many people, those first few days married can set the stage for the tone of the marriage relationship. St. Lucia, located in the Windward Island chain in the Eastern Caribbean, has long been a popular destination for couples to visit.

Weather

St. Lucia is fortunate to have the average temperature range between 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year. Due to the rainy season (generally considered being from June to November), the island is a lush island, with tropical rainforests marching up the mountains, with the drier season being from December through May. Regardless of the time of year, anytime is a good time to visit St. Lucia, as even in rainy season, storms generally move across the island rather quickly, letting the sunshine come out to smile on visitors. The mountains, which support 19,000 acres of rainforest, tend to get nearly twice as much rain as the low-lying lands and beaches. As dusk falls, the night comes alive with the sounds of St. Lucia nightlife in the form of tree frogs and other amphibians; this fades as dawn arrives. At times, this chorus can be quite loud.

General St. Lucia Facts

St. Lucia is approximately 14 miles by 27 miles long. The island topography is wildly varied, from low lying beaches, flatlands, forested mountains, and even has a "drive-in volcano". Most St. Lucians speak multiple languages; English is the main language. Kwéyòl is the second-most popular language, and is based on the French language. Some residents also speak French and/or Spanish.

Activities

Like most Caribbean islands, a wide variety of activities can be enjoyed while visiting St. Lucia, including diving, water sports, deep sea fishing, golfing, mountain climbing, and dancing, as well as simply swimming and working on a tan at one's favorite beach. Unlike other islands, here you can drive to a volcano and take a dip in sulpher springs.

Getting to St. Lucia

Most visitors arrive to the island by air, although the island is also a favorite of many cruise ships. There are two main airports on the island; savvy visitors use the airport closest to where they plan to stay. American Airlines and American Eagle currently offer the most flights to St. Lucia, but US Airways, Delta, Jet Blue and other companies also provide service. When planning your trip to St. Lucia, whether it is your honeymoon or vacation, consider prepaying for roundtrip transportation between the airport and your choice of lodging. Taxis are available as well.

Lodging

St. Lucia boasts lodging of nearly type imaginable - from budget guesthouses and modest guesthouses to five star luxury all-inclusive resorts, and everything in between. Carefully consider what amenities are important before settling on your lodging choice. Location may easily be your first consideration, as there are properties both inland, on the mountain, in the main towns, as well as on the beaches. After choosing a location type, decide on the style of accommodations you prefer. Do you prefer quiet, intimate inns or large resorts? Do you require air conditioning, pools, and on-site restaurants?

Spotlight on Sandals Halcyon

If you are considering an all-inclusive, there are eleven such resorts on St. Lucia, but Sandals has the strongest presence, as three of the eleven resorts are Sandal resorts. Each of the Sandals resorts offer a host of amenities, but the atmosphere at Sandals Halcyon tends to be more relaxed and intimate than at the other properties. As a result, often within a day or two some of the staff members will have learned your favorite drinks, preferred area to sit in the restaurants, and other details to ensure a memorable stay.

Sandals Halcyon has 170 guestrooms; in comparison, Sandals Grande St. Lucia Beach Resort and Spa has 280 guestrooms, and Sandals Regency St. Lucia has over 325 guestrooms. Through Sandals Stay-at-one, play-at-three program, guests at Halcyon can generally be assured of a quiet, relaxing stay but have the ability to seek out more action at the other Sandals properties.

Not that Sandals Halcyon is lacking anything for a wonderful honeymoon; it has three outdoor Jacuzzis, three outdoor pools, two swim-up bars, three on-property restaurants, various water sports, fitness center, night club, billiards, and staff-led activities. Of course, there is also the wedding gazebo for those who choose to arrive single and leave married.

Sandals Halcyon offers nine different room categories; in some cases, the rooms are very similar, but are different in locations on the resort. Some may have no view of the ocean, others may have a partial view (be aware that partial views are often distant views), while the beachfront rooms typically have a full view of the ocean. Another concern is that some of the rooms are close to the edge of the resort bordering a nearby road, and sometimes sounds of traffic can be heard in the rooms closest to the road. Fortunately, Sandals has online resort maps, so savvy guests who preplan can avoid those rooms by choosing the room type carefully.

If you are looking for the stereotypical private plunge pool and whirlpool suite, you will not find it at Sandals Halcyon. The top-of-the-line room at Sandals Halcyon is a beachfront room in a one-story building made of local coral, with a four-poster bed and private patio. However, from personal experience, the intimate setting is a welcome trade-off.

For more information about visiting St. Lucia, visit the official St. Lucia tourist board at www.StLucia.org, and the individual websites for local accommodations you may wish to investigate.