First time to St Lucia and surprised by the landscape of this small, green Windward Island.  Lush, tropical and with steep coastlines creating beautiful little coves and reefs, great for snorkelling.

Probably one of it’s most prominent features and natural attractions is the twin coastal peaks, the Pitons, which rise up from the surrounding rain forests and a dramatic sight to encounter when you arrive by plane.

Stayed at the Smugglers Cove Resort on the north west of the island, with its own private beach and numerous restaurants, particularly liked the bayside restaurant, overall happy with this choice.

The only thing I regret is not getting out more and exploring the island to its full, travelling around was a bit tricky as they had had a hurricane the previous year and there were a few road repairs going on.  So rather than spend time in a vehicle we took the decision to enjoy the resort facilities and water sports instead.  Should have taken advantage of the boat trips on offer, but the two weeks flew by and I find that when travelling to a long haul destination, sometimes I just want to stay put when I get there.

One tip: when choosing which side of a Caribbean island to stay on, I would suggest the West side, as the Caribbean Sea is calm and gentle (more like what you would expect if you are heading to this location) compared with the Atlantic Ocean which can be quite ferocious at times.  Obviously it depends on your own personal preference, but it’s worth considering as I don’t think many people give it much thought before they book their accommodation.

I just loved the whole mystical pirate thing going on, I don’t know why but there was a wildness about St Lucia that I really liked, and I can see why they would have used this as a location for the film.