Watch our video from St. Lucia and sailing around the Grenadines by clicking play below.
Where we stayed
Ladera Resort & Spa
After arriving in St. Lucia we took a taxi across the island to the Ladera Resort & Spa where we would be staying. This hotel was unreal! The rooms at Ladera are all situated along the cliff side and are completely open air. Each room has it’s own small dunk pool and the most amazing views of the Pitons. The open-air made you feel like you were sleeping outside in the jungle. It was unlike any hotel we’ve ever stayed at.
The rooms at Ladera line up along the cliffside of the jungle. The hotel pool, below the restaurant also has great views of the Pitons. This hotel was designed so that you will always have fantastic views of the Pitons.
Each morning we ate breakfast at the Dasheene Restaurant which was included in our stay. We ate banana pancakes and sipped on coffee with the Pitons in the distance. The best way to start the day.
What We Did
Scuba Diving and Spearfishing for Lionfish
We went on two open water dives in St. Lucia with the Scuba center attached to the Sugar Beach Resort. When we arrived for our dive our instructor asked us if we were interested in getting our “Lionfish Tracker” card which would allow us to spear lionfish during our dive. We said yes and headed out to the ocean to dive St. Lucia’s beautiful reefs and spear some lionfish. Both of our dives were on the coral reefs below the Pitons.
Even though lionfish are extremely beautiful they are an invasive species that are overpopulating and threatening the native fish and their environment. They are easy to spot, not that fast of swimmers which makes them a lot of fun to spear. We speared over 20 of them on our dives. If you spear any lionfish be sure to ask your dive instructor if there are any restaurants nearby who would like them. Many of the restaurants in the are use these tasty fish on their menu. Can you say fresh lionfish tacos? Yum.
Snorkeling off Sugar Beach
One of the perks at staying at the Ladera Resort is the free shuttle down to Sugar Beach. It runs regularly and takes you from the top of the mountain down to one of the most perfect white beaches on the island. Situated in a cove between the Pitons this beach is as good as it gets.
There are fantastic coral reefs right off the shore of Sugar Beach that are great for snorkeling! You can rent snorkel gear and lawn chairs from the Sugar Beach Resort and spend an entire day here. The water is turquoise, warm and crystal clear. Swimming off this beach with the Pitons towering over us was something we will never forget.
Mud Baths at Sulphur Springs
We took a short day trip to the natural hot springs at Sulphur Springs. We walked through the crater and saw the mud bubbling right above the surface. Below the volcano is Sulphur Springs which is a public hot spring with multiple pools for guests to swim in. The pools are naturally heated and the mud contains minerals that are good for your skin. It was a fun experience.
Visit to the colorful town of Soufriere
For another picture perfect view of the Pitons drive to the colorful town of Soufriere. This town was colonized by the French and used to be the capital of the island. Now it’s a laid back seaport that backs up to the rainforest and sits underneath the Pitons. On the road to Soufriere pull over at one of the lookout for a view of the Pitons with the town below.
Sailing under the Pitons
We picked up our sailboat and began our week long charter by sailing around the St. Lucia. After we took off from the harbor we headed around the island to the Pitons. The view of these famous mountain peaks from the ocean was stunning. We grabbed a mooring ball in the cove near Sugar Beach and stayed the night on our sailboat. We snorkeled off the boat, drank a couple beers and then star gazed on the deck with the Pitons in the distance.
Where We Ate
Dasheene at Ladera Resort
We 100% recommend coming to Dasheene for either lunch, dinner or sunset cocktails. The view of the Pitons from this restaurant is one of the best on the island! The menu uses locally sourced ingredients and focuses on dishes native to the area. If you don’t get the chance to dine at Dasheene then at least to come to the bar for a sunset cocktail. The views of the Pitons from this spot are unmatched. Watch the sun dip behind the Pitons with a delicious cocktail in hand.
Bayside Restaurant at the Sugar Beach Resort
We ate at the Bayside Restaurant for lunch when we spent the day at Sugar Beach. This restaurant is located only a few steps away from the water and you sit with your feet in the sand. The drinks were cold and the food was really good. We had the conch fritters, a wood-fired pizza and the catch of the day. Everything was delicious and fresh.
Boucan by Hotel Chocolat
This hotel/restaurant is built on a cocoa plantation and has another incredible view of the Pitons. The restaurant is beautifully designed and focuses completely on the cocoa. All the desserts, savory dishes, and cocktails contain cocoa to showcase the different uses and flavors. For dinner expect things like beef with a cocoa gravy or scallops marinated in cocoa nibs. It was a fun dining experience. The highlight of the meal for us was definitely the chocolate mousse.
