A lot of people have asked about our honey moon, so I thought I would share a bit about it here! After all, it was our first time gallivanting as a married couple...

The town of Soufriere, from above. 2 Coves over from where we stayed.

John and I were so blessed to be able to go to the beautiful island of St. Lucia for our honeymooon in late December. When we were deciding on where we wanted to go we stuck to a strict criteria: hot, beach, things to do outside of the resort, less travelled, all-inclusive or half-inclusive option. We researched a ton of different islands/countries but in the end we decided St. Lucia fit all of our needs. (Dominica and Nicaragua were a close second and third.) We were so grateful that the Navy gave us a full 6 DAYS, and we were fully committed to making the most of it, as it is not likely that we will be taking a trip this great, and this long, anytime soon. Luckily for us, St. Lucia is packed with things to do!

This sweet note greeted us upon arrival.

We stayed at the Sugar Beach Resort, formerly known as Jalousie Plantation. Boy, were we spoiled! Sugar Beach combines ultimate relaxation, privacy, and world class service. The grounds, a former plantation property, were stunning. The whole property is studded with lawns and tropical gardens complete with little ponds covered in lily pads. The beach and pool were lovely, and the food at all three restaurants was to die for. Not to mention our little suite, which included our own outdoor deck complete with mini bar and nespresso machine, as well as lounge chairs and a plunge pool.The best part though? Sugar Beach is located on a private bay smack dab between the Pitons, the two volcanic mountains that St. Lucia is known for. In short...it was wonderful. More than a month later, and it still hasn't worn off. In fact, I grabbed a t-shirt from my dresser today and caught a whiff of what I could only describe as Sugar Beach. Fresh, clean, with a hint of cedar. It totally brought me back, and inspired this post!

We wanted to make sure that we got maximum beach time but also did some more active things during our stay. So, most days we combined an activity with an afternoon or morning spent lying out on the beach with our books. We explored the nearby town of Soufriere, went on a sunset cruise, snorkeled, and visited the volcano and botanical gardens. Our favorite activity, though, was hiking the Gros Piton (If you know us, you aren't surprised). Although this hike is definitely not for the faint of heart as it is incredibly steep, we highly recommend it to anyone planning a trip to St. Lucia. I'd tell you about the view, but I don't want to ruin it! Needless to say, it isn't hard to understand why the Pitons are a World Heritage site.

This guy got to rest for once!

Working on my tan with the Gros Piton in the background.

Over all, our honeymoon was insane. Our resort was incredible, but it was also cool to get outside of it and experience the local flavor as well as meet the local people of the island. To sum up what contributed to making our experience so awesome, here are five tips for planning the best honeymoon trip possible:

1. Do the half-board option. If you are like us, than there is no reason for you to be paying for more alcohol than you drink in a month per day for all-inclusive. Also, this gives you the freedom to try out some lunch places away from where you are staying.

2. Schedule your activities before you get there! That way your resort will either provide you with an itinerary, or you can make one yourself, and all you have to do is wake up each morning (at 10:00 at least, duh) and see whats on the schedule for the day! Also, you won't run the risk of wanting to do something, only to find the capacity is full.

3. When scheduling your activities find at least one that looks fun/ exhilarating and forces you out of your comfort zone. I know honeymoons are all about relaxing and enjoying each other, but don't forget that marriage forces you out of your comfort zone all the time. Might as well start now, when there is the option of a couples massage in sight...

4. Splurge. I'm especially looking at you, military couples. It is not often that you will have the opportunity to get away with your spouse, alone, so don't be afraid to spend a little more than you originally planned. This is such a special time, so let it be special. You may never go on such a nice vacation again ( I know we won't for a gazzilion years), but you will have an amazing memory to return to.

5. Fully commit to being non-committal. Like I said before, its great to have a schedule pre-planned, but let yourselves be flexible. Feel like sleeping in till noon? Do it. Want to change your dinner reservation till later so you can stay on the beach till 5:00 and then enjoy a cocktail or dip in the hot tub? Do it. Remember, you aren't wasting time as long as you are together. That's what this is all about.

Thanks for stopping by! If you want, leave a comment about where you honeymooned or what your favorite part was--I'd love to hear about your gallivants!

xoxo

Emily

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{Gallivant} Honeymoon-St. Lucia (Plus 5 tips for the Best Honeymoon)

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