How to Plan The Perfect Romantic Winter Getaway to St. Lucia

How to Plan The Perfect Romantic Winter Getaway to St. Lucia

With the holiday season upon us, many are dreaming of an escape filled with white sand beaches, lush tropical rainforests, and stiff drinks overlooking sapphire waves. While COVID-19 has made it more difficult than in past years to hop on a plane and jet off, it’s still possible to plan a romantic and rejuvenating getaway to the Caribbean – even on short notice – especially for the adventure-minded.

Just a 4-hour direct flight from New York, the island of St. Lucia offers the perfect mix of upscale resorts and boutique accommodations, fine dining attractions and adventure activities, all set against a backdrop of crystal waters and vibrant sunsets. Popular with honeymooners, St. Lucia is known for its lush rainforests dotted with secluded waterfalls and revitalizing hot springs, iconic twin-peaked Piton mountain range, and diverse marine life worthy of an underwater safari.

Since the initial outbreak of COVID-19, St. Lucia has worked hard to keep both inhabitants and visitors safe through a series of precautions and measures, ensuring that by summer 2021 – when we visited for a quick getaway – it was open to tourists and thriving. Here you can find more about St. Lucia and other Caribbean islands.

Getting there

Before flying, both locals and visitors must register a Travel Authorization Form on the St. Lucia government website. A negative COVID-19 test, taken no more than five days before landing, is required. On arrival, you must show proof of vaccination to receive a wristband that allows you to travel the island freely. International travelers to Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) undergo a health screening before heading through customs toward approved taxis, rentals, and helicopters.

Where to stay

Calabash Cove

A secluded honeymoon or weekend getaway

For adults seeking Old World Caribbean charm fused with luxurious amenities, Calabash Cove on the northwest curve of the island offers an intimate retreat. The stunning resort features elegant touches like a freshwater infinity pool, complete with a swim-up bar, as well as wellness activities like a fitness center, beauty parlor, and the on-premise Ti Spa, which offers personalized sunset massages overlooking the Bonaire Bay (many utilizing organic ingredients culled from the resort’s lush grounds). Dining options fuse the flavors of the West Indies with Asian-inspired techniques, with attention paid to using whole local foods. Nearby, the poolside C Bar offers sunset drinks with ocean views. The true blossom of Calabash Cove are the Water’s Edge Cottages. Nestled within a tropical garden buzzing with hummingbirds, these beachfront, Balinese-style mahogany cottages are outfitted with secluded plunge pools and jacuzzis, slatted outdoor rain showers, hammocks, and open-air dining nooks for meals steps from the sand. Those looking to tie the knot can book the Calabash Cove “Elope to Paradise” package with a bespoke ceremony on the beach. 

Jade Mountain

Design lovers

For bold, cutting-edge design and breathtaking architectural feats, few destinations in the Caribbean top Jade Mountain Resort. Crafted by architect and owner Nick Troubetzkoy to appear seamlessly carved into the mountains, a series of stone columns and criss-crossing bridges with kaleidoscopic design flourishes lead to over two dozen “sanctuaries”—spa-like suites outfitting with private infinity pools, jacuzzi tubs, netting-framed beds, and living areas finished with tropical hardwood. Guests receive a device that connects to a team of domos (butlers) able to arrange everything from breakfasts and in-room massages to tours of organic farm Emerald’s in the Soufriere hills. Rooms are tv-free, so guests are encouraged to take in the surroundings, the fourth wall of each room entirely open and in view of the Pitons, enabling visitors to fall asleep to the stars and wake with the twittering birds. For dining, the resort’s gem piece rooftop bar and restaurant, Jade Mountain Club’s Celestial Terrace, offers 360 panoramic views of the island and fresh fare. Guests can also dine at nearby Anse Chastanet’s Treehouse Restaurant, or, for vegetarians, the Piti Piton Lounge serves an entirely vegetarian/vegan menu. Explore the 600-acre resort property, which includes a former coconut plantation, Anse Chastanet and Anse Mamin beaches, and the Chocolate Laboratory, which produces the island’s legendary hand-crafted Emerald Estate Chocolate.

Windjammer Landing

Traveling with a group

Vacationing with another couple, or children in need of entertaining? The Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort proves that luxurious lodgings can also accommodate a crowd. Book one (or two!) of the resort’s Mediterranean-style whitewashed hillside villas, many of which come with private plunge pools and decks overlooking the water, giving the feeling of a tropical Santorini at sundown. Each villa also comes complete with a kitchen for whipping up meals when you don’t feel like visiting one of the resort’s five restaurants, which range from Dragonfly, offering breakfast classics and Caribbean cuisine in an open-air patio overlooking the beach, to the Upper Deck, a multi-level fine dining space. Those seeking a special evening can book a private dining experience that includes a candle-lit multi-course meal on the beach gazebo. Meanwhile, daily planned activities, watersports, excursions, and a golden-sand beach offer plenty to keep you engaged, relaxed, or wherever the mood may take you.

Emerald Estate

What to see

Adventure

Seize the moment with a romantic sunset cruise around the twin Pitons or, for something a little more strenuous, scale the Gros Piton (2,530 feet high) overlooking Petit Piton. St. Lucia is also home to over 22 spectacular dive locations that weave through shipwrecks and coral reefs, the Marine Park ecosystem home to more than 150 different fish species. (Snorkeling and scuba lovers should especially investigate the Soufrière Marine Management Area, which also includes a recreational area for beach activities and visiting yachts.) At Anse Chastanet’s beach, get to know the island by kayaking, windsurfing, sailing through the afternoon. For a taste of culture, head to Castries to visit the bazaars filled with spices and textiles of all kinds. Or, cap off the day by jungle biking under Anse Mamin canopy, or on a waterfall cycling excursion.

St Lucia Pitons

Relax

Take a rejuvenating drive through the Soufriere Volcano (“the world’s only semi-active drive-in volcano”) capped off with a therapeutic warm spring mud bath. For a scenic walk, explore the island’s rugged east coast and visit Mamiku Botanical Gardens, which was once a gift to Baron de Micoud by the King of France Louis XIV. The garden’s 12 acres feature an orchid and medicinal-herb garden, attracting plenty of the island’s most colorful (winged) characters. For a truly transcendent experience, visit Maranatha Gardens, a “prayer sanctuary” with guest houses, restaurant, and gardens featuring over 100 plant species, from torch lilies to exotic orchids, all in view of the Pitons’ peaks.

Travel notes

St. Lucia runs on 220-240 volt electric current, so bring a converter and plug adapter. The official currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD), though U.S. dollars and credit cards are widely accepted. Vaccinated travelers can rent cars and explore the destination on their own. Travelers returning to the U.S. from St. Lucia will have to test negative for COVID-19 before their departure. For more, visit stlucia.org.