Page 20 - AAA Every Day – AAA Hudson Valley – January/February 2019

TRAVELER’S GUIDE
Contact your AAA Hudson Valley Travel Agent to plan your Caribbean vacation. Call 518-426-1000 or email booktravel@aaahv.com.
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20 I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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St. Lucia:
miles long and 14 miles at its widest — is sure to be punctuated by stunning ocean views.
Where Romance Blossoms
Standing guard over the picturesque 18th-century French town and popular port, Soufriere, are St. Lucia’s majestic twin peaks, The Pitons. Rising straight out of the emerald sea to more than 2,400 feet, The Pitons form an unmistakable landmark from any vantage point.
Tropical St. Lucia lures travelers with its spectacular unspoiled beauty. The antithesis of glitz, this island
is ruggedly beautiful, with miles of forestland and magnificent beaches.
The surrounding lowlands and valleys have, over time, been developed into rich plantations where sugarcane, bananas, plantain, breadfruit, coconuts, mangos and papayas flourish. Nearly 19,000 acres
of land in St. Lucia are protected by the St. Lucia National Rain Forest. Here exotic wildlife, giant ferns, wild orchids and St. Lucia’s rare and indigenous parrot can be seen.
Here, romance blossoms as surely as the orchids
for wistful couples in search of respite from the strains of everyday life. A variety of accommodations are available, from large resorts to small, quiet inns and hilltop villas offering spectacular panoramic vistas
of forested mountains and the sparkling sea below. European-style health spas are big. There are five spas to choose from on this small island, all featuring tranquil surroundings and the latest techniques for pampering discriminating guests.
St. Lucia is situated to the south of Martinique in the Lesser Antilles. There is one main road, which winds sinuously along most of St. Lucia’s perimeter. So a visitor’s initial introduction to this island — just 27