There’s no better way to get a glimpse of the “real” St. Lucia than on an Island Expo Tour with Real St. Lucia Tours. Find out why they are one of the leading tour companies in St. Lucia and why we would recommend their excursions to other travellers as I review our once-in-a-lifetime experience.
This post was sponsored by Real St. Lucia Tours. However, all reviews and opinions expressed here are my own.
Island Expo Tour Review – Real St. Lucia Tours
Wednesday morning of our vacation in St. Lucia, my husband and I were free since my parents had offered to babysit our daughter. As a result of our newfound freedom, we ventured out on an Island Expo Tour with Real St. Lucia Tours.
I forgot how much fun it was to spend a day out with my hubby.
We had a fun-packed morning planned. Our guide, Isaac, arrived promptly at our hotel/resort, the Windjammer Landing, allowing us plenty of time to enjoy one of the best excursions in St. Lucia.
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Our day consisted of a driving tour of the island. We stopped to admire the views from several scenic lookout points and visited both Sulpher Springs Park and the Toraille waterfall. We also visited a Banana Plantation, saw the iconic Pitons and, much to our surprise, had an exclusive tour of two of St. Lucia’s top vacation rental properties, the Saba and Sargas Villas.
My husband and I were looking forward to relaxing and reconnecting. While we love spending time with our daughter, a break from parenting can be a welcome change every once and awhile.
The first city we passed through on our tour was Castries. We saw the cruise port, the market, as well as Derek Walcott Square and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. After that, we stopped to see the Governor Generals House and Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, where we learned how the architectural styles on the island reflect its former French and British heritage.
Following our time in Castries, we continued south. A scenic lookout point overlooking Marigot Bay was our next destination. We were in awe of its beauty. It was just as James A. Michener, the famous American novelist had described… “The most beautiful bay in the Caribbean.”
We were eager to see more beautiful sights, so we proceeded to our next stop. A banana plantation.
We were greeted by a friendly employee and quickly given a perfectly ripe banana and a juicy slice of watermelon. They were spectacular. Our bellies were satisfied and we were ready to hear all about bananas and their interesting history in St. Lucia.
Our tour guide was so knowledgeable. Did you know that St. Lucia cultivated sugarcane until 1964? However, since it could only be harvested once a year, the fields were swapped out for banana trees. Today, bananas are the most bountiful crop on the island!
Next, we headed off to Anse La Raye.
Earning its name from the rays that are found in the bay, this quiet fishing village comes to life for the Friday night Fish Fry. Once a week, the main street is filled with local fishermen selling and preparing lobsters, fish and lambi (conch) at affordable prices. Apparently, the party can get quite wild and often goes on into the wee hours of the morning.
While we were there, we paid a visit to the Anse la Raye Roman Catholic Church. This large grey cement church was built in 1907, however, records indicate a chapel has existed since as early as 1762.
Inside the church, an arched wood-slatted ceiling sheltered a mixture of old and new pews while colourful murals painted by the St Omer family adorned the church’s outer fence.
We also had the opportunity to chat with a few locals and stroll along the deserted stretch of beach.
Afterward, we hopped back in the car and headed to the scenic lookout point overlooking Castries. It was here that we got our first glimpse of the majestic Pitons.
We could hardly wait to get a closer look, so we continued on our journey toward Soufriere.
Driving through the rainforest was incredible. Our guide took us to quench our thirst at a hidden jungle spring. And oh my goodness, it tasted fantastic! The size of the ferns, the height of the bamboo, and the colourful bromeliads were also especially memorable.
I can certainly see myself taking a rainforest hike the next time we visit St. Lucia.
The next place we stopped was another lookout point. We were outside Soufriere and finally got the million-dollar view of the Pitons we had been looking for.
However, unlike other places we had visited, this one had several vendors. A few of them seemed to have questionable intentions and while we never had any concrete evidence of any wrongdoing, we suspected some “shady” activity.
Finally, we ended up in Soufriere.
The first place we visited was Sulpher Springs Park. Issac was great about telling us where to buy the tickets and then drove us up to the actual sulphur springs.
Once there, another guide took us on a brief 20-minute tour. We saw the mud baths, learned about the volcano’s history, and watched/heard the steam and bubbling mud.
Did you know that the stronger the smell of sulphur, the less likely the volcano is to erupt?
Our next stop in Soufriere was the Toraille waterfall. Just a few minutes off the main road, this impressive waterfall runs off a cliff into a shallow pool perfect for a refreshing dip.
Just when we thought we were headed home, we were surprised to be invited on an exclusive tour of two of St. Lucia’s most coveted Airbnb properties, the Saba and Sargas Villas.
Wow! Let me tell you, these vacation rentals are spectacular! They have infinity pools, views of the Pitons, a chauffeur, and even a private chef! I would love to stay here with my family. It seems like the perfect place, the owner, Janus Gyan, has thought of everything.
Finally, our day was complete. We wound our way north back to the Windjammer Landing. We admired the sights and embraced the beauty of the island along the way.
Thanks to Isaac and his expert driving, our trip was relaxing and enjoyable. We were able to experience the best of St. Lucia and learned a lot of interesting information along the way.
Real St. Lucia Tours did not disappoint, and I can easily say they are one of the best tour companies on the island. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend their services to others!
Have you taken a tour of St. Lucia with Real St. Lucia Tours or one of the other tour companies on the island, I’d love to hear about your experience. Leave me a comment in the section below!
PS: If you want even more insight into Janus Gyan and Real St. Lucia Tours, check them out on YouTube and Facebook.
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