SAINT LUCIA

Year:2006

Simply Beautiful

Season: Year-round diving

Visibility: 20-35 metres

Water temperature: 26-29°C

Located mid-way down the Eastern Caribbean chain, amongst the Windward Islands, Saint Lucia is an island to dream about. This lush tropical gem is easily accessible, yet relatively undiscovered, and ranks amongst the most beautiful and romantic of all the Caribbean Islands.

Its dramatic twin spires, the Pitons, soar almost a thousand metres up from the sea, creating one of the most spectacular vistas in the entire Caribbean. Here one can find lush mountains and valleys covered in rainforest and inhabited by wild orchids, giant ferns and tropical birds such as the endemic Saint Lucia Parrot. The few roads around the island pass through small villages and colourful town squares with their open-air markets, and meander alongside banana plantations and orchards of coconut, papaya and mango trees. Around each corner is another breathtaking view. Never far away are the azure waters, the Atlantic Ocean lapping St Lucia's eastern shore and the calm Caribbean Sea caressing the west coast.

Although St Lucia has been inhabited for around two thousand years, Europeans did not discover the island until the beginning of the 16th century. A number of attempts at colonization by the Dutch, English and French occurred during the following centuries and in 1814, after many battles, the British finally claimed the island as theirs. During the later period of British rule, St Lucia developed into a stable democracy, gaining its independence in 1979 and becoming a member of the British Commonwealth. Its rich past has left a nicely blended mix of Creole, French and British influences and a warm and friendly people.

The island is blessed with many natural attractions and cultural experiences, making it an ideal choice for divers with non-diving partners, or divers with families.

The cliffs along the sheltered west coast of the island drop down into the generally calm waters of the Caribbean with its pristine and diverse coral reefs, steep walls, pinnacles and shipwrecks. All the dive sites along this stretch of coastline are within a marine reserve. A unique liaison between dive centres ensures that no two outfits dive on the same site at the same time. Boat rides to the dive sites are relatively short with all the dive sites being within 30 minutes of the dive centre. Warm clear water and moderate currents make the location suitable for novice divers, yet the variety of marine reef life offers experienced divers plenty of interest.

The 55-metre freighter, Lesleen MT , lies upright in 20 metres of water close to our dive centre. Covered with hard and soft corals, sponges and hydroids, it provides an ideal habitat for many juvenile fish such as French and Queen Angelfish. Turtles and barracudas also frequent this wreck. The sandy bottom around the wreck is home to colonies of Brown Garden Eels. Lurk quietly near by and see how close you can get before they spot you and snap down into their burrows. Keep a lookout for bristleworms, arrow crabs, Banded Cleaner Shrimps and the resident frogfish and Longsnout Seahorses. The latter rarely move save to tuck their heads and turn shyly from the diver. Swim through the hold and engine room and up onto the canopied upper deck where awaiting you will be a fairyland of sea fans harbouring shoals of motionless soldierfish.

Just five minutes from the dive centre is a spectacular and unusual dive site that will delight and surprise most divers. Roseman's Trench is a calm and easy dive simply brimming with interest. A rocky shelf that projects from the island finishes abruptly in around 8 metres of water, forming a shallow wall where the shelf meets the sandy sea bed. The sand flats here contain all the delights that one would expect to find, including delightful communities of shy, swaying garden eels. Creep up on these characters without scaring them off down their burrows, if you can! Peacock Flounders wriggle down to hide in the sand or ripple off to find new homes, changing colour as they go. With luck, you will see strange Flying Gurnards displaying their beautiful purple patches as they open their 'wings' and 'walk' around each other on the sand flats. Search along the mini 'wall' of the shelf and you will soon see why 'Crustacean City' could be an alternative name for this dive site, for Arrow Crabs of all sizes peep out from crevices or sponges and whopping lobsters wave their antennae from the safety of their lairs. Tiny Pederson's Cleaner Shrimps sway to and fro and wave their delicate antennae from within the safety of Corkscrew Anemones. These beautiful little shrimps will hover on your hand to give you a free manicure, if you have the time and patience to wait while they decide if you are worth cleaning! A deep crack in the wall opens out to become the trench and here can be found several black and white Spotted Drums swimming around under the rocks. Both juveniles, with their elegant, wavy dorsal fins, and some large adults live here. Equally spectacular, and also easily approached by divers, are the larger Highhats that are darker and plumper relations of the Spotted Drum. It is well worth searching the old gas cylinders that lie around for these form favourite 'lairs' for octopus.

Also just a few minutes boat ride from the dive centre is the impressive Anse La Raye Wall where a sheer cliff rises from the ocean above the water and falls away steeply below the waves to form a spectacular wall which levels out onto a reef slope strewn with boulders where one can spot a variety of moray eels hiding in the crevices. The shallow areas display brightly coloured but painful-to-touch fire coral, while at the deeper end are iridescent purple vase sponges, barrel sponges in brown and yellow, and soft corals. A dive site noted for its profusion of reef fish, look out particularly for jacks, silvery, football-shaped Bermuda Chubs and elegant black and white Spotted Drums. A group of friendly, elegant Atlantic Spadefish often glide past visiting divers here.

St Lucia's incredible green-clad pyramidal mountain, the Petit Piton, rises sharply and steeply out of the sea to almost 1,000 metres. A boat ride of around 30 minutes will bring you close to the foot of the mountain where, at Anse Chastanet, one can dive Pinnacles which comprises three impressive seamounts that approach the surface. Black corals and sea fans can be found here, but perhaps the most spectacular feature is the encrusting sponges in bright green, orange and strawberry pink. At Fairyland , also at Anse Chastanet, one can find some large barrel sponges and lovely, glowing Azure Vase Sponges. Around a craggy wall snappers and fusiliers swim back and forth, shimmering in the sun's rays as they cruise above a forest of sea fans and lilac vase sponges, a favourite spot for underwater photographers. Hiding in the crevices between the rocks one can find Spotted Moray eels, slipper lobsters and spiny, brightly coloured bristleworms. Later one can swim round onto the shallower seabed where Trumpetfish, White-spotted Filefish (some with white spots and some without, just to confuse divers!) and cowfish swim between the rocks.

Take a drift dive along Grande Caille , a reef slope of good quality corals, sea fans, sponges and crinoids. The chances are you will encounter a school of beautiful Midnight Parrotfish, busy scraping algae from the rocks and coral, amongst the many species of reef fish. This is Caribbean diving at its best.

TI KAYE VILLAGE

Nestling on a hillside overlooking the Caribbean Sea and in a secluded, peaceful location lies the romantic Ti Kaye Village. This is the perfect spot for those who seek relaxation in casual yet beautiful and elegant surroundings. The village has 33 cottages near a main pavilion, Kai Manje (meaning 'house of food' in the local creole tongue), which holds the restaurant, tropical bar and fresh water pool  all with a panoramic view over the Caribbean Sea. Here guests can enjoy an après-dive cocktail while watching the sun set over the sea. Stroll down to dinner at the candlelit tables overlooking the water and watch the white curtains billowing in the gentle trade winds like mystical sails. These warm Caribbean evenings will remain romantic memories to treasure long after your sun tan has faded! The wide selection of meals served in the restaurant takes inspiration from both international and Caribbean cuisine.

Each Gingerbread-style cottage has views overlooking the Caribbean Sea and the long sandy beach. Nineteen of the rooms are in individual cottages; fourteen are in semi-detached cottages, which are adjoined by a balcony door and can be used as two-bedroomed units for families or friends travelling together. All the cottages all have an aura of luxury and are positioned to give privacy and a sea view. Each has a king-sized four poster bed (two single beds can be arranged on request), a large veranda with two rocking chairs and a double hammock. Each room has its own Garden Shower, open to the skies above and lined with tropical plants. All rooms have air-conditioning as standard, but you might prefer to open the louvered windows and doors to catch cool Caribbean breezes. All cottages and rooms have the same floor plan, are the same size, have the same amenities and are similarly furnished. The differences are in relation to their proximity to the sea. Ocean Front Cottages are closest. Four of them have a larger balcony and a private plunge pool. Ocean View Cottages are a little further back and Ocean View Rooms are further up the hillside in the semi-detached cottages.

Ti Kaye Village is situated in Anse Cochon, approximately 80 minutes by road from Hewanorra International Airport (which is in Vieux Fort at the southern tip of the island) and 40 minutes by road from George F Charles Airport (in the north of the island near Castries) from where inter-island flights operate.

Dive St Lucia , is a small and friendly dive centre situated on the beach by Ti Kaye Village. Usually there are a maximum of 6 divers on the boat although 8 divers can be accommodated. Dive St Lucia's boat is a simple 9-metre wooden pirogue which departs from the pier at about 0900 or later each morning for a 2-tank dive, returning in time for a late lunch. Night dives can be arranged locally.

Ocean View Room: £582 (non-divers: £406) from 16 April-15 December

Ocean View Room: £657 (non-divers: £490) from 1 January-15 April, 16-31 December

Ocean View Cottage: £652 (non-divers: £476) from 16 April-15 December

Ocean View Cottage: £748 (non-divers: £581) from 1 January-15 April, 16-31 December

Ocean Front Cottage: £715 (non-divers: £539) from 16 April-15 December

Ocean Front Cottage: £860 (non-divers: £693) from 1 January-15 April, 16-31 December

Ocean Front Cottage with pool: £855 (non-divers: £679) from 16 April-15 December

Ocean Front Cottage with pool: £1035 (non-divers: £868) from 1 January-15 April, 16-31 December

Includes:

" Airport transfers.

" 7 nights room and breakfast accommodation on a twin/share basis at Ti Kaye Village.

" 5 days diving (2 boat dives daily), dive guide, cylinders and weights.

Please note: divers must purchase a Marine Park permit for US$12, payable locally.

Reduction for divers between 1 July-30 September: £87

Supplement for 6 days diving: £33

Supplement for dinner to be included: £26 per night

Supplement for lunch and dinner to be included: £33 per night

Additional Nights:

Ocean View Room: £91 (without diving: £58) from 16 April-15 December

Ocean View Room: £103 (without diving: £70) from 1 January-15 April, 16-31 December

Ocean View Cottage: £101 (without diving: £68) from 16 April-15 December

Ocean View Cottage: £116 (without diving: £83) from 1 January-15 April, 16-31 December

Ocean Front Cottage: £110 (without diving: £77) from 16 April-15 December

Ocean Front Cottage: £132 (without diving: £99) from 1 January-15 April, 16-31 December

Ocean Front Cottage with pool: £130 (without diving: £97) from 16 April-15 December

Ocean Front Cottage with pool: £157 (without diving: £124) from 1 January-15 April, 16-31 December

Single Occupancy Supplement : The supplement payable is the same as the 'non-divers' rate for week-long stays and the same as the 'without diving' rate for any additional nights.

Deposit: £300 (holidays under £1000); £450 (holidays from £1000-1500).

FLIGHTS

The airfares shown here were typical economy fares available at the time of going to press. We will quote you the airfare applicable, based on current fare levels and booking class availability, at the time of booking. Our quote, which will include all taxes and fuel supplements applicable at the time of quotation, as well as our service charge, may be higher or lower than the airfares indicated here. The usual airfare deposit is £100.

BRITISH AIRWAYS

Depart on Wednesday or Sunday morning from London (Gatwick) bound for St Lucia, arriving at Hewanorra International Airport in the afternoon. Return flights leave St Lucia on Wednesday or Sunday early evening, arriving at London (Gatwick) the next morning.

Concessionary rates are available for connecting flights between Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Teesside, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and London. Please contact our office for details.

£578 for departures 1 January-30 June (excluding Easter), 1 September-8 December

£624 for departures 1-14 July, 20-31 August

£659 for departures 9-15 December, 25-31 December

£866 for departures 15 July-19 August

£964 for departures at Easter

£1107 for departures 16-24 December

Weekend Supplement: £11 each way for departures from London or Saint Lucia on Sundays.

Includes:

" Scheduled flights London (Gatwick)/St Lucia/London (Gatwick) by British Airways.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Depart on Tuesday, Friday or Sunday morning from London (Gatwick) bound for St Lucia, arriving at Hewanorra International Airport in the afternoon. Return flights leave St Lucia on Tuesday, Friday or Sunday early evening, arriving at London (Gatwick) the next morning.

Concessionary rates are available for connecting flights between Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Teesside, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and London. Please contact our office for details.

£578 for departures 1 January-30 June (excluding Easter), 1 September-8 December

£624 for departures 1-13 July, 21-31 August

£659 for departures 9-15 December, 25-31 December

£866 for departures 14 July-20 August

£964 for departures at Easter

£1107 for departures 16-24 December

Weekend Supplement: £11 each way for departures from London or Saint Lucia on   Fridays or Sundays.

Includes:

" Scheduled flights London (Gatwick)/St Lucia/London (Gatwick) by Virgin Atlantic.

COMBINING ST LUCIA WITH TOBAGO, GRENADA, DOMINICA OR CARIBBEAN EXPLORER II

Why not combine a stay in St Lucia with a visit to the islands of Tobago, Grenada or Dominica, or with a liveaboard cruise on the lovely Caribbean Explorer II , which has 7-night cruises that ply between St Kitts and St Martin. There are daily flight connections to Tobago, Dominica, St Kitts and St Martin. Inter-island flights depart from George F Charles Airport.