Trip Introduction
After years of tours and vacations with lots of activity, we decided in 2019 to dip our toes back in the water of the all-inclusive resorts. We enjoyed the resort in Barbados, but it took a while for us to get to a point where spending money to just relax made sense. We chose a week at Sandals Halcyon Beach Hotel to see if this would be a type of trip we would enjoy.
Saturday, 11/16/2019 – Flying South
Getting to the Caribbean from Des Moines always means early flights and tight connections. This trip was no different, but we arrived safely, made it through passport control and customs. We then went to the Sandals lounge in the airport until our transfer to the hotel arrived. The airport is on the southern tip of the island, so the 13-person bus headed up the eastern coast before crossing through the central mountains to arrive at the resort on the NW side of the island. We arrived later in the evening and after dropping our stuff at our room, we headed to the main restaurant for supper.
The sun peeks through the clouds onto the green hills as we arrive at St. Lucia
Sunday, 11/17/2019 – A Day of Rest
After the long day of travel on Saturday, we slept in on Sunday. When we finally got up and around, we spent a leisurely day exploring the resort and getting settled into our room. We also booked several excursions to pass the time later in the week.
A hibiscus blooms on the resort property
Ships pass a small island visible from the resort’s beach
The sun lights the towering clouds at sunset
Monday, 11/18/2019 – An Unorthodox Tour
On Monday we took an excursion that required a little practice. James had done a segway tour on a trip to California, but this was Julie’s first adventure with this mode of transportation. Our guide was very good, and she picked up the controls quickly in the practice area. Once we passed the impromptu test, we headed into a wooded area that ran along the coast and up to a bluff overlooking one of the many bays around the island. We stopped for a while for some freshly cut fruit before heading back down to the beach. After turning in our helmets, we returned to the hotel where we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon and evening.
Looking across a bay as we ride our segways along the water
A rocky spit of land with a small house and dock sits at entrance to the bay
A break in the foliage offers a different view of the bay as we journey up hill
One of our chariots sits near the edge of the bluff where we stopped midday
The rows of waves heading into shore were clearly visible from our elevated perch
Back down at sea level, we stopped to enjoy the calm water
Tuesday, 11/19/2019 – A Pirate’s Life
Tuesday’s adventure was probably a little more touristy. We met our guide in a park to go on a treasure hunt through some beautiful ruins and landscapes. We definitely got more exercise as we had to make the climb on our legs vs. the wheels of the segways. After successfully finding the treasure, of negligible actual value, we returned to the hotel and spent the afternoon sitting on our deck enjoying the breeze off the water.
This open park was where we started our treasure hunt
We passed through the ruins of an old fortification
As we climbed, we could see the arms of the island sticking into the Caribbean
The water was clear as we looked down from the trail
Once we got high enough, we could see another resort
The path took us along the crest between two bays
A Gray Kingbird sits in one of the trees of the resort
Wednesday, 11/20/2019 – A Bus and A Boat
On Wednesday, we spent the day touring some of the highlights of the west side of the island by both land and sea. We started with a bus tour that stopped where we could look down into a harbor with The Pitons rising beyond. We then visited a botanical area and the sulfur fields. After a light lunch, we boarded a catamaran for the afternoon trip back to the resort by water.
We passed some busier areas along the waterfront where ships sat in a bay
The iconic Pitons appear on numerous locally produced products
Water glistens on a Torch Ginger bloom
A waterfall surrounded by lush greenery
Spotting the countryside are geothermal vents like Sulphur Springs
The gasses venting filled the air with a noxious smell
The numerous bubbling vents looked like hot liquid clay
As we headed out to sea, Gran Piton was shrouded in clouds
A house stands on the cliffs overlooking the Caribbean
Multi-story houses appear to cling to the steep cliffs
Indentations in the cliffs show the effect of gentle tides on the volcanic rock
Thursday-Friday, 11/21-22/2019 – Just Relaxing
After three days of adventure, we spent Thursday and Friday relaxing. We visited one of the other Sandals resorts for lunch at their English Pub, but otherwise we spent time at the pool, on the deck of our room, or along the resort’s beach. Late on Friday we reorganized our luggage and prepared for our trip home.
Birds rest on a tall palm’s frond watching the tourists
A cat that roams the resort stops by to see what Julie was doing
Another cat relaxes amongst the guests
Saturday, 11/23/2019 – Heading Home
Saturday morning, we got around and made sure we had everything before heading to the front desk to check out. After riding back across the island, we caught our late afternoon flight back to the US. We arrived late in Des Moines and collapsed into bed.
The sunset from our airplane returning home
We enjoyed our trip to St. Lucia and rediscovering the All-Inclusive Resort life. While we still want to learn about the place we’re visiting, this trip showed we could both explore and relax from the same room.