CaptainNemo
Contributor
Does anyone have any recommendations for a trip to St Lucia in April? Looking for an all around place or resort that is reasonable and has access to diving and topside activities.
St Lucia Diving and Vacation
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bfisher
Contributor
Yes, close to dive sights and the dive op is nothing short of incredible. I was just there two weeks ago. Nice place but not what I'd call reasonable. Quite the opposite.
If you decide on Anse Chastanet be very specific about your meal/drink plan and know exactly what you are paying for up front. Buying meals and drink there will eat your credit card alive.
If you decide on Anse Chastanet, book the Scuba all-inclusive package. Their Coral Kaleidoscope is more expensive. They have another scuba all-inclusive package that is cheaper. The latter is a 'run-of-the-house' package where your room is randomly assigned. It can be any room but it should not be a problem. Tell them that you are diving. The all-inclusive package includes all-meals and diving (if you book the scuba diving all inclusive). It does not include drinks except for tap water. I'd stay away from ordering the wine and other alcohol drinks. Their tap water is good enough for consumption. We did not order the bottled water either. Food was 'gourmet' and they really treat you well. We stayed there in December and we loved it.
Pelagicus
Registered
I was at Anse Chastanet in July 2008. It's a beautiful resort with some beautiful views especially at sunset. I agree with bfisher in that it's pricey, but I agree with Titatom with the experience. The service at the resort and at Scuba St. Lucia was great. The chef even took special requests if they have the ingredients. Be warned that this is an eco-resort. Most rooms are open air, so birds, insects, mosquitoes, etc come right in thus requiring the mosquito-netting around the bed. The open rooms have blinds for privacy on the sides that people can see into, but the sides that face the wilderness are completely open. I believe that none of the rooms have air conditioning.
The diving and the reefs are fantastic. The reefs were very healthy with every imaginable color including the magnificently colorful azure vase sponge. Dives are usually relaxing drift dives with a mild current. I especially liked Superman's Flight where they filmed one of the Christopher Reeve's Superman movies. There are over a dozen sites within relatively short boat rides, but the sea life varieties are similar at most of the sites.
The diving and the reefs are fantastic. The reefs were very healthy with every imaginable color including the magnificently colorful azure vase sponge. Dives are usually relaxing drift dives with a mild current. I especially liked Superman's Flight where they filmed one of the Christopher Reeve's Superman movies. There are over a dozen sites within relatively short boat rides, but the sea life varieties are similar at most of the sites.
Dear Pelagicus,
How were the conditions in the summer? Dec. was fine without the a/c - just the ceiling fans. Very rare mosquitoes and I did not get any bite. They usually feast on me when they are around. I slept like a baby. Temperature at night was in the mid to upper 70's. It was about mid 80's during the day. The birds were there but didn't bother me. Didn't see much insects. The woodfrogs were out like clockwork practicing their chorus at night
.
A couple of divers told me that they visited in May and the weather did not bother them. I'm thinking of returning in the summer. Just wondering how it might be different from December. We were at one of the smaller beach cottages last month.
Thanks.
How were the conditions in the summer? Dec. was fine without the a/c - just the ceiling fans. Very rare mosquitoes and I did not get any bite. They usually feast on me when they are around. I slept like a baby. Temperature at night was in the mid to upper 70's. It was about mid 80's during the day. The birds were there but didn't bother me. Didn't see much insects. The woodfrogs were out like clockwork practicing their chorus at night
.A couple of divers told me that they visited in May and the weather did not bother them. I'm thinking of returning in the summer. Just wondering how it might be different from December. We were at one of the smaller beach cottages last month.
Thanks.
Pelagicus
Registered
Titatom,
Yes, you're right. It's just the summer months that need A/C (highs 85-92, overnight lows mid 70's to low 80's while I was there). There were 3 nights out of 7 where the ceiling fans plus the extra portable fan were not quite enough. I had 6-8 mosquito bites even with precautions. However, the bites didn't itch much for some reason. I like the birds and forgot to mention the nightly serenades by the woodfrogs, which I also didn't mind. On a couple of nights, however, there were some loud jungle animal sounds, but they were brief. I was up in a large hillside cottage with a magnificent view. There was even a small, upstairs loft space where 2 kids can sleep. However, in the summer, it's just too hot up in the loft.
Water temperatures at depth varied from 80-84. I dove with just a skin on the hot sunny days and used a 3mm on the cooler days or for the deeper dives. If you recall the terrain, one can choose to be shallower or deeper while drifting along many of the reefs.
Yes, you're right. It's just the summer months that need A/C (highs 85-92, overnight lows mid 70's to low 80's while I was there). There were 3 nights out of 7 where the ceiling fans plus the extra portable fan were not quite enough. I had 6-8 mosquito bites even with precautions. However, the bites didn't itch much for some reason. I like the birds and forgot to mention the nightly serenades by the woodfrogs, which I also didn't mind. On a couple of nights, however, there were some loud jungle animal sounds, but they were brief. I was up in a large hillside cottage with a magnificent view. There was even a small, upstairs loft space where 2 kids can sleep. However, in the summer, it's just too hot up in the loft.
Water temperatures at depth varied from 80-84. I dove with just a skin on the hot sunny days and used a 3mm on the cooler days or for the deeper dives. If you recall the terrain, one can choose to be shallower or deeper while drifting along many of the reefs.
hobodiver
Contributor
I just returned from St. Lucia a week ago. We rented a villa right near Anse Chastanet for a fairly reasonable price (although there were 7 of us). Most of the diving in St. Lucia is near Anse Chastanet/Soufriere, with the exception of the lone wreck on the island, the Leesen M, which is about a 20 minute boat ride north. I agree that the Scuba St. Lucia dive shop is absolutely top notch.
diveprof
Contributor
Anse Chastenet is a great couple resort with good diving. The walk up and down the hill helps work off the caloric intake. Great views! Very romantic. However, a couple of considerations. Do not go in summer if staying in the non AC rooms though! You have problems of the heat and mosquitos! You can rent villas further up the hill with ac if going in the summer. The on site dive operation is fine, but I grumble about their restriction that you can only shore dive with one of their DMs (price of the shore dive is the same as a boat dive). The shore dive is nice, but there is NO REASON (other than a monetary thing for the dive shop) to require a shop DM for shore diving.
Pelagicus
Registered
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