Luxury St Lucia Holidays

Holidays to St Lucia with If Only

Only 44 kilometres long and 22 kilometres wide, Saint Lucia is the only country in the world to be named after a female. This immensely beautiful island, where the jungle covered slopes of the twin peaks of the Piton Mountains sweep down to palm fringed beaches and azure seas, is known as ‘The Helen of the West’.

Beyond the stunning beaches there are walks, zip-lines and aerial trams through the rainforest – and more leisurely trails through parks and botanic gardens also waiting to be enjoyed.

For retail therapy, Castries is at its most colourful and lively on Saturday mornings, but most days of the week there’s the craft market selling souvenirs and bags of spices that are authentic and affordable gifts to take home.

Pigeon Island

Connected to the ‘mainland’ by a causeway built in the 70’s, Pigeon Island is home to a national park. Fort Rodney, built by the British in the 18th century, can be reached by well-marked trails that lead to the top of the fort – worth the hike for the spectacular views. After the steep climb to the top, it’s time to descend to the beautiful beaches below.
Chocolate lovers’ heaven

The Rabot Estate is owned by Hotel Chocolat - the chain of UK chocolate shops, and is home to Hotel Chocolat's Tree to Bar Experience. The tour starts in the nurseries where visitors try the delicate grafting process which produces the desired Trinitario cocoa bean. Then, under the instruction of Boucan's chef, visitors turn cocoa nibs into a bar of chocolate. And of course there are opportunities to buy some of the delicious products at the end of the tour.
Bathing beauties

Cool down after a hike or cycle on a rainforest trail, with a refreshing dip under a waterfall. Or try a hot bath fed by volcanic springs at Sulphur Springs Park, where steaming pools and sulphur coloured rocks of a dormant volcano create quite a sight (and smell)! There’s an Information Centre here that helps explain this natural phenomenon. Soak in the natural hot-water pools that are claimed to be therapeutic despite the pungent odour, and after the mud bath, move onto a refreshing natural rainforest waterfall.