David and I went to St. Lucia for our honeymoon in June 2019. To say we had a good time would be a huge understatement but I compiled my thoughts on the resort we stayed at and the island as a whole to share with you all. I hope it can be of some use to those of you wondering where to take your next trip! 🙂
When beginning our search for the perfect honeymoon location we were all over the place. One day we wanted to go to Greece, the next day Tahiti (hehe), and then the next day we’d consider the Bahamas or Jamaica since it seems like everybody ends up choosing one of those two. We went to 2-3 travel agencies but they always gave us some ridiculous price with not a lot of details of where our money was going. But then…we discovered Costco Travel. You do need a membership if you want to purchase a vacation package through them but anyone can browse the site for pricing. If you haven’t already searched through their site, I HIGHLY recommend it. They have package deals on places within the United States, as well as the Caribbean, Europe, Tahiti, Mexico, and many more.
Why we chose St. Lucia: We found St. Lucia when looking at the Caribbean options Costco Travel had to offer. I had heard of the island before but never really looked into it nor did I know anyone who had already been there. We wanted our honeymoon to be memorable which we knew it would be regardless of whether or not we took a trip, but we also knew we could find something out there within our budget that would be the perfect fit for us. And we did! Coconut Bay checked off everything on our wishlist including price point. We stayed 10 nights, not including one night in Miami, FL for a layover and our overall trip cost was under $5,000.
Our Favorites: The unlimited drinks, unlimited food, the beaches, the friendly staff, the short ride to/from the airport, the sights to see within the island, the adults-only pool area (although the resort itself is family-friendly).
Our not-so-favorites: The beach by the resort had a seaweed problem and the water wasn’t crystal clear like we had hoped for but I think because of this, not very many people were ever on the beach which is a plus for me!
Do: Pack lots of sunscreen and insect repellent! We didn’t come prepared with insect repellent and a 4oz bottle at the resort cost us $14. Pack a black bathing suit. Bring enough cash to tip your tour guides, housekeepers, and drivers! If you have an overnight layover, pack some necessities and extra clothes into a carry-on since you won’t see your checked-in luggage until you reach your destination. It’s also good practice to have a photocopy of your passport just in case anything happens to it. You’ll also need this for duty-free shopping. Lastly, COME PREPARED with proper attire as some dine-in restaurants have dress codes.
Don’t: Wear your wedding rings if you go to the sulfur mud bath, leave them at the resort! They’ll likely get really dirty and if you drop them inside the bath they’ll be impossible to find.
Room: Our room was on the second floor of the Harmony Adults-Only section of the resort. We had a really good view of the garden area and pools as well as a little balcony with a table and two chairs. Upon our arrival, we had a piece of chocolate cake waiting for us (nicely covered) in our room and a coconut ready to drink out of with a special note congratulating us on our honeymoon. The room’s a/c system was very powerful as every time we walked in from the outside we could feel a huge difference in humidity and coolness. Housekeeping would always leave us a towel figure with flower petals on the bed, and we always looked forward to seeing what figurine they made that day.
Food: With 9 different options to eat at each day, it was impossible to ever go hungry. We had A LOT of fries and pizza from the Flip Flops shack and it never felt greasy. I’m not sure how they did it but it was amazing to eat as much as I wanted and not break out. They also had a lot of different cuisine options to suit even the pickiest eater.
Activities: Most of the off-site experiences are booked through a representative who comes to the hotel and meets with you. Others can be booked through a hotel representative, but they sometimes differ in what they offer. Some overall activities offered include; Rainforest Cycling, Soufrière Delight, Island Buggy Tours, Island Shopping Tours, Kitesurfing Lessons, Rainforest Ziplining, Horseback Riding, Whale & Dolphin Watching, Deep Sea Fishing, Sunset Cruise, Scuba Diving, and so many more.
Transportation: One of the nicest things we didn’t expect when we landed was the short drive from the airport to the resort. It took less than 5 minutes which was a dream come true since we had already been traveling for almost 24 hours to get there so we were super jet-lagged! Transportation was included with our booking and provided by the resort. All other transportation while we were on the island was also included in whatever activity we booked. Always make sure to tip your driver! I cannot emphasize this enough. They work really hard and the road conditions aren’t favorable. A lot of the roads are windy and sometimes are only wide enough for 1 vehicle. I was thrown off sometimes since they drove on the left side of the road. Needless to say, I would not recommend renting a vehicle to drive yourself.
