Adventures in St. Lucia- Coconut Bay Beach Resort and Spa

Whenever we get the opportunity, it always feels nice to go somewhere really far away, outside of the country.  Recently we made the trip to St. Lucia, which is one of the southernmost Caribbean islands. St. Lucia has a rainforest climate and is more mountainous than many of the other Caribbean islands.

We stayed with the Coconut Bay Resort for 4 nights. Coconut bay is located in the Vieux Fort area of the island, which is the southern tip by the airport. The location couldn't have been better after a long flight. The resort is split into two sections—the adults-only Harmony side and a kids and family area. The Harmony side features a more intimate and private setting with 2 pools and multiple bars. The kids and family section was loaded with fun activities including  a waterpark with three water slides, pool volleyball, water polo, and a lazy river—to name a few. If you're looking for a more active day, this was the place to be. We had a great time partaking in a number of games and the slides were also a blast!

Night time on the resort features a number of à la carte dining options and live entertainment. All of the restaurants were top notch, we especially enjoyed our meal at Calabash, a Creole restaurant. Our favorite night of entertainment was the Carnivale show on our first evening in St. Lucia. The stage performers , stilt walkers, and band had the crowd dancing along and entertained for hours. It was also great to experience a little taste of the island's Carnivale tradition.

The third day of our trip we rented a Jeep and explored a few of the popular sites of St. Lucia. The village of Soufriere was a 45 minute drive from the resort and home to the two famed Pitons of St. Lucia. Soufriere is also home to the island’s drive-in active volcano. Visitors can drive into the site and observe the steam and bubbles coming up from the grounds. After taking in these views, it's part of the experience to take a mud bath in the volcanic mud and steamy mineral water. It’s said to be very therapeutic and we left feeling energized for our next stop!

Sulphur Springs, Soufriere Volcano

About 15 minutes from the volcano site, we stopped at Diamond Falls and the Botanical Gardens. After a hike through the gardens, the short trail leads to a beautiful waterfall in the middle of the rainforest. We really enjoyed the walk through the gardens with the many native trees and flowers.

Diamond Falls

Finally, our last stop on the adventure was Anse Chastanet beach. Right after passing through Soufriere, a narrow back country road winds you up and down for 2 miles before reaching one of the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever set foot on. On the left side of the beach there are a few reefs which were teeming with fish that we were able to view as we snorkeled.

St. Lucia is a beautiful paradise worth escaping to. Our vacation was absolutely perfect. We hope to be back again someday!

Travel the East ©

Kristy Albano & Matt Pickering                                                      

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