St. Lucia Villa Rental - Blog

St Lucia is becoming more popular as shown by the increased number of airlines flying to St Lucia than a few years ago. The latest is Air France which as of December 11, 2011 and on a year round basis, entered into a code share agreement with Air Antilles.

This will allow passengers smooth transit from Fort de France in Martinique to Saint Lucia’s George Charles airport (SLU). Forty-eight airline seats are available three times weekly (Wed, Fri, Sun) from Orly Airport in Paris to Fort de France and on to Saint Lucia. French travelers will now be able to easily cross to St Lucia after years of wondering what lay across that short span of water. So by flying over they can sample St Lucia’s delights including the annual Jazz Festival and street parties including the Gros Islet.

Akasha welcomes all nationalities and hopes to welcome french guests to come and enjoy the super facilities it offers – there is nothing like it on the island. Thankfully all that hostility between the French and British finished hundreds of years ago in the Caribbean.

In addition, the French airline Air Caraibes increased their services to four flights for winter 2011-2012 from Orly to Saint Lucia, with smooth transit arrangement in Fort De France. In both instances, the luggage is checked through directly to Saint Lucia.

So, Bonjour, Accueil and Au revoir mon ami, are some of the words we hope we hear in the villa in the near future. When you stay at St Lucia’s most luxurious villa our on-site team may just use break into french. No matter what language you speak a warm welcome along with sunshine awaits your St Lucia Vacation.

Looking for adventurous - Des Cartiers Rainforest is popular place to enjoy adventurous hiking and trailing on this tropical island. Mahaut, is most hidden lush rainforest of St. Lucia.

Take six mile drive inland from the east coast main highway and you can expect to see the rare Parrot (Jacquot) in St Lucia. Experience trekking in the rainforest and see the beautiful lush flora. You can also explore some of Saint Lucia’s widespread wildlife on a two-kilometer track. The experience of a botanical paradise is well worth it when in St. Lucia.

Mahaut is St. Lucia’s most concealed abundant rainforest. This is along a two hour well marked track that runs along Canelles River that ultimately leads to the ranger station. Using the secondary road to reach this destination means you have to drive around nine kilometers. Admission charges are very low just $10US Dollars. Half price for kids. This forest is open from 8:30am to 2pm.

Edmund Forest Reserve is another interesting rainforest to include in your adventure. Takes three and a half hour drive to reach the heart of the tropical island at Edmund Forest Reserve. Here you get opportunity to see some of the best gift of nature such as orchids, bromeliads, lianas, mushrooms and many others plants. Continue westward and you will get a wonderful view of Mt Gimie, this is highest peak in Saint Lucia. This forest is sprawling over 19, 000 acres of valleys and mountains and is a home for many rare and exotic plants and flowers.

If you fancy an easier way to see Mount Gimie then just trek all the way up to the look out level at Akasha and look southwards and there it is. So even if you are not too adventurous you can still see it – from a distance.

While you are at the look out level why not enjoy a glass of wine. If you been on the adventure tour and vacationing at St Lucia’s best villa rental Akasha, we think you have earned it.

Don’t forget that as part of our inclusive deals your meals are included so on your return you do not need to worry about getting the cook book out.

The Government of Trinidad has announced that a Barbados company will be running a new ferry service across the Caribbean. Initially, the ferry will carry passengers, vehicles and goods from its base in Trinidad and Tobago to Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia and Barbados.

The company, Fast Caribbean Ltd has been selected to manage a regional ferry service scheduled to come on stream this year, They are based in Barbados so well known across the region. The service will will carry passengers, vehicles and goods from Trinidad and Tobago to St Lucia and other islands.

Apparently the operators plan to charter from owners Montrose Global a 112-metre wave piercing catamaran similar to those operating on the Trinidad and Tobago route. This promises to be a fun way to commute between island and takes the infrastructure in the region to the next level.

So from Port of Spain to Barbados will take approximately 12 hours suggest you pack some reading material and lots of sun tan lotion. The wind can give you a tan as well as that great sunshine – so protection is advised.

This means in the future when you book a holiday at Akasha you can take a short break in Trinidad as well. As part of our service to guests we will offer to purchase tickets for you from St Lucia, all part of our service when you book a holiday in St Lucia and stay at Akasha.

The line up for the annual Jazz Festival has been announced and it promises to be another winner.  Star billing goes to Lionel Richie on the Sunday evening at Pigeon Island.

Other stars in the line up include, so far;

• Hugh Masekela, again on Sunday at Pigeon Island
• Kirk Franklin, Keri Hilson  and Alison Marquis Nonet on Saturday again at Pigeon Island
• Gipsy Kings and Ziggy Marley on Friday night again at Pigeon Island
• Joshua Redman, Ronald “Boo” Hinkson, Mario Canonge and Luther François at the Gaiety on the Wednesday and Thursday nights

We expect this line up will be added to in the coming months.

For those of you who do not recall Lionel Richie co-wrote  ”We are the World” with Michael Jackson back in 1985.  Music to move the world and in May the man will be moving St Lucia. Get your tickets before they sell out.  If you want hear something to move you then follow these links to hear this wonder tune which sold over 20million copies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcwblvqir-s&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne7fPpxAnuM

It was awarded numerous honors—including three Grammy Award, one American Music Award and a People’s Choice Award.  If only for this achievement its worth coming to see St Lucia to see this legend.

If you book Akasha, St Lucia’s best villa rental for your vacation and to indulge in this music fest don’t forget the villa is only a 5 minute drive from Pigeon Island, where all the main artists will be performing.  When you sit in the audience you can see Akasha on the hill behind the main stage

The event has also signed a deal with Digicel who will be the main sponsors for the next three years.  The year of the Dragon has certainly got of to great start! So book your St Lucia Vacation the Akasha way and get to enjoy this music fest on your doorstep.

St Lucia has so much more than just beaches and sunshine – its where so many people want to vacation or move to.  Think about all that sunshine and constant vitamin D – no winter syndrome here.

Living Abroad approached Akasha last year and asked if we would be happy to feature in their magazine – as ever we are always happy to be featured in quality publications. Check out the magazine on Page 51.

So if you have ever dreamed about vacationing or living in paradise then this publication is for you.

Here, in St Lucia you can enjoy the rain forest, mountains, volcano and waterfalls – plus your normal paradise features like clear blue sea, golden sunsets and sunshine every day.  Oh don’t forget the local wildlife – truly amazing.

Here the climate is so good anyone can grow everything, mother nature gives it all to you on a plate.  No wonder the Arawak tribes came here.

So as you can see your Caribbean vacation in St Lucia can lead to a new way of life – what you might find in paradise.

Just announced that State-owned Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL),  is moving to widen its airlift influence on Caricom travel when it launches a daily service to St Lucia out of Port of Spain in two weeks.

This is great as this is a direct flight and will therefore mean no flying to Barbados to switch flights.  The flights are scheduled to start from Friday February 10, will be operated by the airline’s new state-of-the-art ATR-72-600 turbo prop aircraft with a 68-seat capacity.

The flight will depart Piarco International at 1.45 pm arriving at the George F Charles airport in Castries at 2.50 pm.

Following a half-hour turnaround, the return flight (BW 435) will depart St Lucia at 3.25 pm arriving in Trinidad at 4.30 pm.

Now that’s what you call a win for all concerned.  So now folks from Trinidad will find it easier to come on vacation in St Lucia and of course St Lucian folk get to visit their friends for the weekend without wasting time in the terminal in Barbados.  What is not clear is what the fares will be but lets hope that they are reasonable.

For guests from further a field this means that they can now enjoy more of the Caribbean as it improves their ability to move around when they visit the Caribbean – many tourists like to visit more than one location on their vacation.

The Daily Telegraph in UK published an article about why you should head to St Lucia for your holiday.  Below we quote the reasons they feel this is a must visit place.

“For the scenery as much as to flop on the beach. Much of St Lucia is mountainous and covered in a blanket of thick rainforest, and the south-west corner has arguably the most arresting sight in the whole Caribbean: of the green and precipitous volcanic cones of the Petit Piton and Gros Piton rising out of a blue ocean. That is not to say that St Lucia doesn’t have some lovely beaches – they are golden in the north, and mostly silvery in the volcanic south. It’s just that they are rather outshone by the island’s other natural assets.

St Lucia is also as good a choice as anywhere in the Caribbean for secluded, upmarket, romantic places to stay. Your hotel room might have an outdoor garden shower, a private plunge pool, a hammock for two on its balcony, and a view of the thrusting Pitons. Nature and fertility will be all around you.

Several hotels have featured prominently in the US and, more recently, UK versions of The Bachelor television series, and wherever you go, you trip over wedding ceremonies and loved-up honeymooning couples. That said, a week on St Lucia doesn’t have to be all about candlelit meals for two every night. There are also good family-oriented hotels, and you can party the night away in Rodney Bay Village, the island’s only resort.

Though St Lucia was badly hit by Hurricane Tomas in late October 2010 and you can still see the effects of the storm in roadside landslips, from a visitors’ point of view everything is back to normal.”

We are grateful to The Telegraph for being so factually correct.  Its worth noting that Le Sport, which is located just below Akasha has imported white sand for the beach and it looks stunning so you can get a white beach here in St Lucia. So there are many reasons to visit St Lucia for your holiday.

Akasha in St Lucia has teamed up with FACE to face – Day Spa to offer its guests the very best of Spa treatments in the villa.  The treatments and consultation will be delivered by St Lucia’s most renowned Spa Treatment specialist.  In fact the owner of FACE is a consultant to many of the leading resorts in St Lucia and the UK.

F.A.C.E. to face Day Spa is situated in the heart of Rodney Bay Marina, Saint Lucia.
Tracey Farrin, the owner, is a independent consultant with over 26 years experience in the spa and well being industry.  Tracey has the expertise and vast knowledge to enable you to trust that the treatment will be first class.

The variety of what treatments you can enjoy goes from a Full Body Scrub to The Reef Wrap to Waxing to a Foot Massage – so you name it, Tracy, and her team can handle it.  You just need to chill.

Akasha lets you book any treatment before arrival, you can enjoy the treatment in the privacy of the villa, any of its terraces or by the pool side.  You can get a flavor of what it might be like if you watch the video on our home page.  Now that’s what you call chilling Caribbean style.  So when you Rent a Villa in St Lucia your in safe hands at Akasha.  Feel free to include these Spa treatments as part of your inclusive holiday in St Lucia – Akasha style.

The yearly ARC race starts on the 20th November this year and after the crew endure some grueling conditions they will hit the calmer  Caribbean sea and pass the finishing line just north of Akasha.

This annual transatlantic rally starting each November in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, has now become the most popular way to cross the Atlantic. The largest transocean sailing event in the world, every year the ARC brings together over 200 yachts from all over the world. The Caribbean destination is Rodney Bay in Saint Lucia, one of the most beautiful islands in the Lesser Antilles. The 2700 nautical mile passage on the NE tradewind route takes on average between 14 and 21 days.

The crews will then dock in Rodney Bay Marina.  A full programme of social activities, safety seminars and demonstrations will be organised by World Cruising Club in Las Palmas prior to the start, and after the finish in St.Lucia.

We invite all racers and observers of the race to finish this race in style and spend a few days at Akasha – at a special rate.  With this St Lucia vacation you will be able kick those crocs off, take a dip in the cool pool, watch your favorite movie while Juliette cooks her special local dishes for you.

Drop us an email by filling in the Contact form to learn more about our special prices for ARC participants.

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A St Lucia Vacation can include bird watching and its not just for the ornithologists or Twitchers.

During the summer months, seabirds from Africa migrate across the Atlantic to the Maria Islands at the southern tip of St. Lucia to nest and breed.

Maria Islands (major and minor) are a great place for an up-close bird watching experience.  The rocky shores of the island can be reached in a fishing boat.  Birds will fly all around you – so many of them that even the widest camera lens will not capture a fraction of them. You might be tempted to stare up in awe with your mouth hanging open, but this is not advised. Watch out for the endless bird-dropping missiles from the sky!
A guide is recommended as they can show you many interesting things along the way, including the St. Lucia Ground Lizard which is endangered. These islands of St. Lucia are also home to the rarest snake in the world! It’s called the Kouwes, or St. Lucia Racer (and yes, it’s fast).

The island has cacti, as the island is so hot and rocky. The volcanic rock beneath your feet which is black, sucks up the heat from the sun like a frying pan.

For non regular bird watchers wherever you go you will see many of local birds everywhere, including parrots (known locally as the Jacquot Parrot) in the rain forest, play golf and you will see many of the local variety of birds such as St Lucia Pewee.

When you book your  vacation in St Lucia and stay at Akasha you have a nature park right behind the villa. So bring your binoculars or if you forget them we have some at the villa so that you can enjoy these birds in paradise close up.