Introduction: Sandals
A simple Google search of the word Sandals returns an imagery collection of strappy shoes. Yes, shoes! And, for a holiday maker, you would think the search engine is trying to help you pack for a nice holiday in warm weather on a beach in some resort town. Yet, a simple addition of the words, sandals in St. Lucia gives your eyes a different taste altogether. You will see an amazing array of suggestions, praises, and a combination of majestic images depicting a wonderful Caribbean experience. As such, this is not about the type of shoes you wear. But it is about the quality of this soothing Island, blooming with love, and pregnant with expectation. The Island of St. Lucia, where Sandals hosts hundreds of visitors each year.
Sandals is a hospitality company that owns 3 resorts in St. Lucia. This makes it one of the biggest players on the Island that is home to more than 160,000 people. This small population must not be mistaken for people who live in a lifeless area. Not at all. I say so because the little Caribbean Island is known for its romantic flair. The kind that has visiting couples swept under their feet as soon as they set ashore. However, people on a different mission other than satisfying their romantic needs also find the place exhilarating. At the center of it all is Sandals, and below, I share some interesting facts about it.
Photo courtesy megan, unsplash.com
Sandal’s Three resorts
As I have already mentioned, Sandals operates three resorts in St.Lucia. These are, the Regency La Toc, Grande St. Lucian, and Halcyon Beach. They are located in Gros-islet, and Castries. Operating these three resorts helps the company provide visitors with an all-round experience.
The Regency La Toc boasts of being the most glamorous resort on the Island of St. Lucia. This is undeniable, given amenities that are provided therein. For example, visitors can enjoy rounds of golf while on their visit. What adds to the luxury are the ocean-facing suites that gives you nothing but the feel of the ocean all-round. In terms of food, this resort provides several international cuisines, including the 5-star rated Diamond French Cuisine. Talk about food, experience, and complete relaxation – it’s what you get at the Regency La Toc.
If you are looking for heart-warming panoramic views, then head over to the Grande St. Lucian. This resort is the epitome of the unending giving of ‘mother’ nature. It is seated on the greenest part of the Island, so much so that even the volcanic mountains could not even compete with the ‘green’ blankets that found their way up them. It simply showcases nature at its best – the natural beauty is worth the eye.
Finally, the Sandals Halcyon Beach showcases some of the finest gardens in St. Lucia. Experience the aura from the beautiful palms that line the original beach and lush mountains rising from an aqua sea. What a sight to see! Sandals developed this place to provide a complete calm experience, a sanctuary where you can retreat to process all the heavy-lifting stuff you had been going through.
St. Lucia’s interesting historical background
This Island was colonized by two countries in the past. Whereas some countries have known a single colonial master, St. Lucia knows two. These are the French and British people. Even as this may be seen as a bad experience, it worked to the advantage of the Island. How? These two colonial masters left two sets of cultures. Of course, the British culture is dominant, but traces of French are undeniable. Which works perfect for Sandals, given how French culture is dominant in world tourism and hospitality. Talk about the language, culture, and the food! Visitors who come find Sandals in St. Lucia ready to offer the French culture.
Excursions out of this world
The three resorts owned by Sandals provide an immeasurable experience for each visit. From playing golf on an executive course, to taking a tour under the ocean, and playing water sports. This is what makes the Sandals in St. Lucia so special. You can take a crazy cousin, or friend there and they will have a great time. Or, you can take your laid-back uncle and they will still enjoy the experience. It is the all-round approach that makes the difference. It’s the only one you can find when looking for excursions in St. Lucia.
Play with water in any way you can imagine at Sandals Halcyon Beach. This includes PADI certified scuba diving where you get to enjoy world famous reefs, walls, and wrecks. Included water sports range from kayaks, windsurfing, hobie cats, snorkeling, knee boarding, wakeboarding, waterskiing, paddle board, and stubbing. There is plenty to enjoy from, making your stay in St. Lucia a lasting memory.
You can also enjoy a soothing spa experience, night time entertainment and experience with some of the best food you can find in the world!
In case you thought you had been left out, Sandals has everyone covered. Also provided are land sports such as the mind-blowing beach volleyball, lawn chess, table tennis, pool tables, among many.
Photo courtesy Belinda Fewings, unsplash.com
St. Lucia and the volcanic connection
This Island is best known for the Piton Mountains, the Gros Piton and Petit Piton. These two provide an iconic view, epitomized by their majestic cones facing the sky. Perhaps, that is why St. Lucia in known as a romantic getaway area for the mountains stand beside each other like two unrelenting lovers. This is beside the fact that they are located in two different areas, precisely Soufriere and Choiseul. A view of them from any angle make it seem as if they stand on each other’s side.
The two mountains provide a historic connection to the volcanic eruptions that forms the St. Lucia Island. Standing tall, the Piton Mountains are a constant reminder of the proud history of the Island. They are a world heritage site too, and visitors to this Island love climbing them.
Besides the Piton Mountains, volcanos in the area gave birth to something else – the Sulphur Springs located in Soufriere. These are the only of their kind in the entire Caribbean, some people think even across the entire world. These springs are an active geothermal area, providing bubbling mud water. The water allows visitors to take a mud bath and enjoy the therapeutic experience. If you thought a mud bath can only be taken in some closed-off room in some nice building, well, think twice, here comes the Sulphur Springs of St. Lucia.
The forest connection
If there is one thing that is common on the entire Island, it is the connection to the forest. This is one thing that Sandals, when building their resorts, made a perfect connection to. The resorts (Regency La Toc, Grande St. Lucian, and Halcyon Beach) all look like are an extension of the forest. It helps bring the entire St. Lucia into the suites, whether you are facing the sea, the beach, or anything else.
For visitors willing to hike, the forests provide a magnificent challenge as well as the views that go by it. They expand for thousands of acres, giving visitors a hard time covering them all. Nevertheless, even if they can’t explore them all, they are a natural site to see. The green blanket, especially when on the Piton Mountains, is irresistible to the eyes. Here is a small fact about these rain forests: They cover close to 70% of the entire St. Lucia Island. But that does not make it a complete forest without any human development. There are plenty developments on the island as it is one of the most developed small Islands located in the Caribbean region.
The sea – a gift that keeps on giving
Indeed, the sea provides so much fun on the Island. When you visit Sandals resorts, you have a chance to play water sports. One of them is speed boating on the sea. Plenty of visitors enjoy doing this around the Piton mountains. It’s a marvelous experience that lives in your heart for a considerable time, if not forever.
The sea water in St. Lucia is very clear, making it easy for those who love scuba diving. It, in fact, makes it more enjoyable and divers explore the bottom of the sea for several little wonders of creation. When they are out of the water, they can enjoy beaches with the dark volcanic sand, a reminder of how the Island was formed back in history.
Dolphins and whales are also part of what you can enjoy from the sea. For many people, it’s rare to have a closer look at the sharks, all you think of when you see them for the first time is to run. But this can be a first-time experience if you visit Sandals in St. Lucia. It’s what nature gives best.
Conclusion
Even though world tourism has been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Caribbean Islands have been resolute. Notably, St. Lucia still thrives, and it is all thanks to the resilience of resorts such as Sandals. It remains resolute in providing visitors an undiluted Caribbean experience.
