Sandals - St. Lucia

I doubt the locals really like dealing with credit cards. Bring cash and keep some for tipping and exchange for the local currency. I'd recommend either exchanging at the airport or at the hotel (most have an exchange).

Which one are you staying at?

Wife and I stayed at the Regency. Played golf one day and went to the other resorts and hung out. The only excursion we did was a Son of Man Tour consisting of a boat ride around the Pitons and north part of the island, snorkeling and shopping.

I went when I was younger so monetarily I don't know how much you should bring. But I would recommend a boat ride with some snorkeling. Some absolutely beautiful views on that island.

they had three of them on the island when the wife and I stayed back in 2008. You can take a bus to all the different ones on island FREE of charge to try the different restaurants (they all have different ones). Bring money at around 500 to 700$, I say this because everything is paid for already, the food, drinks all of it and you DO NOT tip unless you feel like it. Nobody sticks their hand out ever except for the cab driver/shuttle bus drivers they will ask for money even though the sandals shuttle is not really suppose to...they do, I usually throw them 5 bucks a ride as there will be other couples probably riding with you (they do load and unload your bags). The money you do have can be used to purchase things from the locals who Sandals will bring on to the grounds to sell stuff atleast one of the days you are there. Thats right they bring in the local vendors one day a week to sell stuff on grounds. The money I brought was basically just for emergency needs. I would not convert over to st lucian dollars except to be able to bring a few bucks of st lucian money home for a souvenir. BRING your credit cards and use the safe in the room. you will need this upon arrival and if you want to do any side stuff you will use them ex: spa, volcano catamaran sail (that was worth it) Peton beer is great by the way! Drink a Miami if you want a fruity drink or for the wife. No pressure no problem will become an annoying saying, but just go with it. Snorkeling was fun, and the breakfast buffet is awesome. We stayed at the Regency. Upon check in ask them if they have any free upgraded sweets...I know that sounds tacky, but they will upgrade you for free 60% of the time. This usually means bigger room and better location. I have stayed in the white house in Jamaica, St Lucia was waaaay better.

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y question is does anyone have any recommendations for excursions/adventures? I know most everything on resort is free but I imagine after a couple days you might be looking for something different off-site. The website lists a bunch of different excursions through third-party companies so just looking for some advice.

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Joe Knows tours is the best thing you can do in St Lucia. it seems sketchy at first but it is awesome

LINK

LINK

I went there 12 years ago so I don't remember what to tell you however I do remember one night we went to town to this local block party bought some good weed and got high as frick. It's about all I can remember from that trip

Island buggies ( the all day one ) and the super snorkel were the best tours we did (saw dolphins and whales on the ride back). The buggies were awesome but if you can't drive a stick do joe knows and you will go to all the same places. Driving on the island was one of the biggest thrills of my life that provided a very real fear of death but it was by far the most fun thing we did. Golf was fun as well as zip-lining they may be slightly overpriced but I don't regret doing it.

Don't go on the deep sea fishing!!!!! It sucks the wife got sick and you don't catch anything!

Be prepared at the airport, guys will run up to you offering to carry your bags and it's a rip off as you only go 100 yards from the gate.

The guys on the beach are selling drugs but if your not intrested tell them your job drug tests and they won't bother you again and they are very nice as is everyone on the island.

Tip all non-resort staff and be ready to have the best time of your life. And to answer the cash question we brought $500 there and spent most of it in the airports.

Probably already been said in the thread, but

1) Joe Knows - it seems sorta sketchy at first, but it was probably one of the coolest things we did while there. If you do this I'd recommend purchasing the trip through a rep on the beach, i.e. NOT through Sandals. It's a little cheaper and its a nice gesture that all the locals will recognize.

2) Zip line - LINK / - probably the coolest zip line you'll ever go on.

3) Rum distillery - $3/pp and you get to taste 20+ rums and you can load up on souvenirs for like $8 a bottle. I would recommend taking a cab from the resort on this one so you aren't having to tour the place with a crowd of people. We went around 11AM, got lit, and had a nice leisurely afternoon passed out on the beach afterwards.

4) Fort Rodney - if you are staying at La Toc, take the free Sandals shuttle to the Grande on the north end of the island. Fort Rodney's an old British fort that's in the public Pigeon Island park. There's usually local vendors setup in the park that might be worth a look as well.

I found St. Lucian's to be the friendliest, most hospitable people in the entire Caribbean. There will be some vendors on the beach, but they aren't aggressive like Jamaicans or Mexicans. A lot of people tend to shoo them off, but if you shoot the shite with em, grab them a drink even, they will hook you up if you want to do something off the resort without getting buttfricked by the resort.

check out my post here too - LINK