Top St Lucia Day Trips - page 5

Best tour of the holiday by far. Don't let the price hold you back: it is totally worth it. Chris picked us up at 8am to drive for over an hour to the first stop up north, then we gradually made our way back south to our resort. On the way up north Chris explained a lot about the island, its history and the culture. Every stop was great: local breakfast was at a place tourists can't find (and it was super tasty), the rum distillery tour and tasting was awesome. Chris was very patient when we tasted up to 20 rums before deciding which one to buy. Think that was it? Oh no, then it was off to an infused rum tasting, done by locals. Just a stand next to the road, rum in what seemed like plastic bottles. Sounds bad? He'll no, the flavors were awesome. The people super friendly and very keen in telling you all about their products. Rum infused with fruits you've never heard of, a variety of nuts, plants, but especially: coffee and cocoa. Oh boy this was good. "Take your time, ready when you are: Chris said patiently. Did I mention already he's also a very skilled driver? Also, as I am a beer enthusiast, I asked if it was possible to include the local brewery. Now this was a quest even for him but the man got it figured out after making some phone calls throughout the day and eventually we got the directions. After the lunch stop at a house of a local (we literally just sat in their garden, not a restaurant or anything, just at people's home) where we had a wonderful meal (and we were stuffed) it was straight over to Tony's farm. Tony is a farmer, possibly in his late 60s I'd say, but he showed his skills. Immediately after us arriving he started whacking a coconut with his machete which we could then drink out of and after that eat the gelly (at first glance I was like 'really?' but it tastes good, trust me). Then the comparison with a dried one. Very interesting! Then all kinds of local fruit and to top it off a crash course in how to roast cashew nuts (apparently without roasting the oil in the nuts is toxic!) harvested fresh from the plant. Finally our last stop was the one we asked for specifically so they added this especially for us: the craft brewery, exceptionally well hidden in the hills (even Chris had to inquire and that says something) where we could try 3 of their craft beers and had a great chat with Martin and one of the brewers (slapping myself for not remembering the guys name). This was our final stop. We had a blast. Chris was the perfect guide: friendly, knowledgeable, patient and funny. If you love to try new things and local food this tour is absolutely worth it. Fantastic.