My husband and I decided to escape somewhere warm for our first trip as a married couple.
The way we picked our destination? The very scientific technique of Googling “most romantic honeymoon location on earth.”
Caribbean island St. Lucia popped up immediately and among the search results was Anse Chastanet — a resort promising all-inclusive meals and fine dining, a wide range of water and land activities and a place to unwind.
Well, they delivered more than we expected. The staff were all very friendly and tended to our every need.
Of the possible accommodations — Jade Mountain (a pricey mountainside building, I can only describe as a small palace, each room with its own infinity pool), oceanview, hillside or beachside — we selected the latter. We were very impressed by the secluded room, which was surrounded by a tropical garden.
The only drawback from sleeping on the beach? The 116 stairs we had to climb several times a day to visit reception, the Piti Piton Bar and three different restaurants.
All those stairs were worth it — despite being very out of breath, and taking several breaks, we were greeted by a gourmet four-course dinner our first night.
By the end of our trip we were taking the stairs like nothing — we almost felt fit! Besides, the stairs have tropical greenery and a beautiful beach view, so even if you have to stop, you can have something nice to look at.
The resort has its own dive shop and some very knowledgeable staff willing to give you a lesson on scuba diving or snorkelling. Equipment was always available for those wanting to visit the sea on a whim.
Other activities available to guests include: jungle bike and walking tours at the resort’s nearby beach Anse Mamin, yacht trips, evening jazz cruises, tours of the local botanical garden and “drive-in” volcano and much, much more.
St. Lucia is rich in history. The island was fought for by the British and French and changed hands 14 times before gaining independence in 1979. Slavery was used in the harvest of sugar cane and cocoa and was abolished in the mid-1800s. All tour guides were full of information and interesting facts about the area.
The trip isn’t cheap, but my husband and I agreed that it was totally worth it.
For more information about Anse Chastanet, visit www.ansechastanet.com.
