Interview with Erica Tu, Away by TTI Travel Advisor
Away: What was the purpose of your trip?
I have always wanted to go to St. Lucia as I love islands/destinations that have more to offer than just a nice beach. Once I became a St. Lucia Specialist and began working with the St. Lucia Tourist Board, my need to go there became even greater. I was invited to attend the Love Elevated Wedding Symposium and while I do not specialize in destination weddings, I do send clients for honeymoons and special getaways. This seemed like a good time to get to the island and visit many of the high-end resorts.
Tell us about your itinerary.
I arrived on a Sunday and went full on until the next Sunday evening. I toured 15 different resorts/hotels and I can honestly say every resort was different from the next. They were all at least 4-star level, while the 5-stars were truly spectacular. I met with the General Managers at all the resorts and they were so proud of what they could offer our clients.
Most memorable moment?
One evening after our reception at Cap Maison, we went back to The Landings and sat at the beachside restaurant with the GM, Kashmie Ali and ate, drank and shared stories and had a very relaxing fun time. That was our first night at his amazing resort and it just set the mood for a fabulous rest of the week.
What surprised you most about the destination or experience?
Although I knew I would love the island of St. Lucia, I was and still am amazed at how MUCH I LOVE St. Lucia. The food is fabulous, the people everywhere we went were so warm and welcoming and the landscape and infrastructure were gorgeous.
In terms of the hotels, BodyHoliday Le Sport is like no other resort in the Caribbean. While its beautiful stretch of beach is wonderful, it also offers the most extensive array of mind, body, and soul healing and rejuvenation approaches. For every night you book, you get a complimentary full daily massage (so many options to choose from). It truly is an all-encompassing resort that ties in a 5-star culinary experience, beautiful beach with endless water sports and tons of land activities to choose from.
St. Lucia’s beaches are gorgeous and all very distinct from one another; the dark sand by Jade Mountain and Anse Chastenet, to the wild silky sand at the northern end of the island. It is not an island to go to if you just want to stick to the resort, as there are so many things to see and do. You could hike the Piton Mountains, explore Pigeon Island, or take a cooking class. By sea, the opportunities are endless: chartering a boat for deep-sea fishing, scuba diving or snorkelling to see some of the most beautiful corals in the world. Zip lining is probably one of the most famous things to do in the rainforest or take a helicopter tour to see the island from a bird’s eye view.
St. Lucian’s love a fun time, so venture to Gros Islet on a Friday night where the streets shut down for a wonderful party or venture into Rodney Bay and experience the culinary delights of some of their restaurants or the fabulous markets and shopping in the centre of the city.
While it may be a bit pricier to go there, if it can fit in your ‘extended’ budget, it is well worth it. Now that I have seen the island and some of the very best resorts, some of my clients want to go there just based on my experiences and recommendations.
