Simply Beautiful
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01 St Lucia F/C 31/3/06 11:22 am Page 1 St LuciaSimply beautiful in association with 23_Stlucia 24/7/06 12:28 pm Page 1 GIVE US YOUR BODY FOR A WEEK AND WE’LL GIVE YOU BACK YOUR MIND. THE WORLD’S FIRST WELLNESS HOLIDAY. Visit us at www.thebodyholiday.com or call 0870 389 1929. Z REAT COUPLES HAVE FINALLY FOUND THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE IN THE SUN. The World’s First Boutique Hotel For Couples Call 0870 389 1930 or visit our website www.theromanticholiday.com. THE VERY BEST OF SAINT LUCIA God did it. where heaven meets earth. For information and reservations please call 0870 389 1931 or visit www.thejalousieplantation.com Live in abject luxury Presenting the Caribbean’s finest golf-villa resort in simply beautiful Saint Lucia. For more information and reservations please call us at 0870 389 1932 or visit www.theplantationoncottonbay.com 03 Pierre Message 31/3/06 11:22 am Page 3 Welcome What’s inside... 4 The Barmy Army has landed It’s far from just the cricket that England fans will get to enjoy in St Lucia 6 All mapped out Find out where everything is + calendar of events 8 Memories are made of this With so many attractions to choose from, we give you a helping hand picking the best 14 St Lucia Jazz Time to get your dancing shoes on! The world-renowned Jazz festival previewed 17 In the jungle Whether walking or biking, exploring the island’s rainforest is a magical experience Dear reader 18 Where to eat, where to stay We invite you to explore Simply The most tempting restaurants, the best hotels and villas Beautiful St Lucia throughout the 20 Amateur status pages of this supplement that we have Cricket tours to St Lucia are rising in popularity. Nigel put together with The Wisden Cricketer. Abbott of Claygate CC recounts his experience + Chris Read on what England should expect at the World Cup We seek to provide the answers to your questions on St Lucia, and then a bit 22 Past perspective more. We want to share with you all The island’s history and historical attractions the things that you can look forward to 24 Number crunching when you visit us – beauty, history, culture, cuisine, attractions, All of the phone numbers you’ll need for your stay + World special activities and our warm friendly people. Cup schedule Of course not to be missed is cricket. St Lucia is proud of its WIN a week in St Lucia superb modern facilities, which we are continuously improving. 27 Stadium capacity at the Beausejour Cricket Ground will be increased to meet the demands of 2007, and recently we installed The magazine floodlights and had the historic experience of hosting our first The Wisden Cricketer is published day/night match. monthly by Wisden Cricketer Publishing Ltd, part of The Wisden Group and is There is so much to see and do in St Lucia. The Pitons, in available at major newsagents. Soufriere, have been designated a World Heritage site and are www.stlucia.org Tel: 0870 900 7697 Where to find us not to be missed. There are rainforests, heritage tours, and all of Fax: 020 7341 7001 The Wisden Cricketer, 1.4 Charecroft Way, the usual outdoor sporting activities, including water sports Email: [email protected] London, W14 0EH tel 020 7471 6900 fax 020 7471 6901 and golf. email [email protected] Editor John Stern This year, through our Sustainable Tourism Development Supplement Editor Daniel Brigham Subscriptions Programme, we will highlight the unique natural and cultural Design ’OME DESIGN The Wisden Cricketer, Customer Interface assets of various communities throughout the island. We are Ltd Cary Court, Bancombe Trading Estate, Illustrations Jilly Sitford Somerton, Somerset TA11 6TB working on product improvements in these selected Publisher Maddy Ballantyne Tel 0870 220 6538 email [email protected] communities and many stimulating special events and activities Business Development and Subscribe online at will be on offer. So I encourage you to also partake in these Advertising Sales Manager www.thewisdencricketer.com, part of unique community-based activities. Colin Ackehurst www.cricinfo.com, the world’s leading cricket website. We hope we can entice you to visit St Lucia – a warm St Lucia welcome awaits you. We promise to make your stay enjoyable Copyright ©Wisden Cricketer Publishing Ltd. with superb cricket, exquisite cuisine, breathtaking natural “Wisden”is a registered trademark of attractions, and unique community activities. John Wisden & Co Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system I look forward to seeing you in Simply Beautiful St Lucia. or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, Cover photograph courtesy of photocopied, recorded or otherwise, Hon. Philip J. Pierre St Lucia Tourist Board without prior permission. ST LUCIA TOURIST BOARD TOURIST ST LUCIA Minister for Commerce, Tourism, Investment and Consumer Affairs 3 04-05 Cricket Barmy 30/3/06 6:20 pm Page 4 Going cricket barmy -- o they know what Runs in the sun: England fans they’ve let will want to see Andrew Strauss on top form in St Lucia left themselves in for? D while West Indians won’t want This peaceful, serene island, to rely on just Brian Lara above accustomed to tourists looking for a bit of adventure or dancing in the streets, now welcomes the Barmy Army for the World Cup in March 2007. And they’re doing it with open arms. Mention cricket to anyone on the island and as soon as they realise you’re English they talk about little else. No matter how England St Lucians are knowledgeable perform on the pitch, the fans about the sport, so make sure you are guaranteed a never-to-be- swat up on your history and facts forgotten experience. Whether and figures before arriving; it’s partying in the stands or having an opinion on Brian Lara joining in the carnival is also a must. atmosphere on the streets of Goingcricket barmy St Lucia is gearing up for a non-stop carnival at the World Cup, but the cricket’s far from the only thing to celebrate S/O O SCOSO 4 04-05 Cricket Barmy 30/3/06 6:20 pm Page 5 “Fans will take away a lot St Lucia in more than just a nutshell good cricket ” Size 27 miles long, 14 miles wide Language English is official. Many St Lucians also speak French Creole You’ll take back cherished Climate memories of some of the Sub-tropical, with temps Caribbean’s finest restaurants, averaging around 27-30°. serving everything from Creole Sporadic tropical showers to Indian to Italian; nights out in June-November. the vibrant bars of Castries and Rodney Bay – the island’s hubbub of drinking, dancing and Currency eating; romantic walks through EC Dollars (£1 = EC$4.62) and St Lucia’s 19,000 acres of US Dollars (£1 = US$1.73) rainforest; stunning views from accepted on island the epic twin peaks of the Pitons; relaxing stays in five-star hotels Gros Islet, there will be a real and villas nestled into valleys Time difference sense that the Caribbean is the and hills; snorkelling at one of St 4 hours behind GMT natural home of the World Cup. Lucia’s many award-winning dive Not only that, but fans will take sites; sunning yourself on away a lot more than just good secluded golden beaches. You’d Getting around cricket; there is just so much almost be forgiven for forgetting Cars and 4-wheelers can be more to do. the cricket was on.❁ hired on the island; taxis are easily available – bargaining is recommended Sixes in the sun Immunization The Beausejour Cricket Ground, venue for Not necessary, although England’s group matches, is simply one of the Hepatitis A, Polio and most picturesque places to watch cricket in the Typhoid are recommended world. By Daniel Brigham A bottle of ice-cool Piton beer in both hands, St Lucia rightly acquired the reputation as setting the Credit cards flag draped over my head to keep out the 30° heat, standard for the rest of the grounds in the West Major credit cards accepted my feet all danced-out and Chris Gayle hammering Indies. Currently holding 12,000 fans, temporary at most restaurants, hotels sixes into the crowd. This certainly isn’t Lord’s. seating will be brought in for the World Cup, and major shops The party stand at the Beausejour stadium increasing the capacity to 21,000. The outfield is as exemplifies the atmosphere at the ground: carefree lush as the surrounding countryside, and a sea and all about the fun. Located close to the tourist breeze and plenty of shade stop the spectators from Departure tax haven of Rodney Bay, Beausejour is set against a melting. If you can think of a better place to watch EC$54 or US$22 for all stunning backdrop of green hillside. After staging Freddie Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen launching a passengers over 12 years its first international match in 2002, Beausejour has six-assault, let me know, for I have yet to find it. GETTY, MATTHEW SHAW/ALMOND MORGAN BAY, ST LUCIA TOURIST BOARD TOURIST ST LUCIA MORGAN BAY, SHAW/ALMOND MATTHEW GETTY, for further information visit www.cricinfo.com/stlucia 5 06-07 Map+Calendar31/3/062:19pmPage6 6 Map &CalendarofEvents Calendar of events St Lucia Golf Pigeon and Country Club Island Sandals Grande Cas-en-bas Anse Lavoutte Gros Islet Beausejour Rodney Bay Stadium Village Inn & Spa ST LUCIA TOURSIT BOARD Esperance Harbour Cuti Cove Windjammer Landing Labrellotte Bay Almond Morgan Bay Port Dauphin Marquis Bay George FL Charles Airport Castries Petite Anse La Toc Bay Fond Latisab Creole Park Turtle watching May in Grande Anse Bay 1 Labour Day Grande 5-14 St Lucia Jazz Cul de Sac Bay 10 West Indies v Zimbabwe ODI D/N Anse Massacré La Sorcière Piton June Marigot Harbour Flore