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The 240-square-kilometer Caribbean island of St. Lucia is home to Mount Piton, the twin mountains with a striking presence that define the island's west coast. Nestled against the Pitons are idyllic beaches and colorful fishing villages. The center of the island is a lush rainforest dotted with waterfalls and volcanic sulfur springs. Translation: St. Lucia is beautiful and majestic.

To protect both locals and tourists from COVID-19, St. Lucia has a "bubble" system (opens in new tab). Upon arrival at the island's airport (pre-arrival registration form must be filled out and COVID-19 PCR results must be negative), you are given a wristband and an approved cab (or helicopter; see below). At present, it is not possible to rent a car and explore the island on your own. You can only stay within the approved "bubble" hotels, transportation, and tours. Since you will be staying at the resort for the majority of your stay, consider hotel hopping so you can check out different parts of the island. For more information on where to stay and what to reward yourself with on the island, see below.

The island's most famous landmark and World Heritage Site, the Twin Pitons, is located on the southwest coast of Saint Lucia. The Gros Piton (2,530 feet high) stands slightly above the Petit Piton (2,438 feet high). Adventurous climbers can climb the Gros Piton in a couple of hours. If you want to take it easy, go sailing in the mountains with a glass of Piton, a local beer named after this landmark.

The bold design, including stone pillars and crisscrossing bridges, by architect and owner Nick Trubetskoy of Jade Mountain Resort (open in new tab) celebrates the beauty of St. Lucia. Luxurious amenities like a private infinity pool transport you to otherworldly luxury, and the 29 rooms (they call them sanctuaries, and you'll agree) are so spectacular, you may never want to leave your accommodations. Luckily, a team of domos (butlers) makes it happen, bringing room service, booking in-room massages, and providing whatever you need.

Jade Mountain is built around a perfect view of the pitons and the bright blue Caribbean Sea. There are no televisions in the rooms; instead, there is no fourth wall of the hotel room at all, so you can enjoy the sparkling water, stunning sunsets, and starry skies. In the morning, you wake up to the sun and birds chirping, and if you are a light sleeper, you will appreciate the eye mask and earplugs that housekeeping will provide during turndown service.

The ocean floor around St. Lucia offers 22 spectacular dive sites, including shipwrecks, coral reefs, caves, and trenches. The Marine Park ecosystem is home to more than 150 species of fish, including peacock flounder, octopus, moray eels, and nautiluses.

Below Jade Mountain Resort is Anse Chastanet Beach (open in new tab), which is shared with its sister resort (open in new tab). The calm waters offer excellent snorkeling (snorkels, paddleboards, and kayaks are free for resort guests). Or just relax under a shady palapa with a cocktail from the beach bar.

The weekly Jazzy Champagne Sunset Cruise on the catamaran Miss Babsy offers live saxophone music and champagne toasts; climb to the top of the two-story boat for golden hour views of the coastline from Anse Chastanet Beach to the Pitons from Anse Chastanet Beach to the Pitons.

St. Helena The history of cacao in Lucia dates back to the early 1700s, and gourmet sweets are now produced on the island. Chocolate lovers can see their favorite treats go from cacao seed to finished bar at the Emerald Estate's Chocolate Laboratory (opens in new tab).

Rodney Bay in northern St. Lucia is the island's most popular resort, and nearby is Cap Maison (opens in new tab), an elegant resort perched on a cliff above Smuggler's Cove Beach. The 49 Spanish Caribbean-style rooms, suites, and villas have private terraces and charming details such as hand-painted tiles. Relax by the resort's two-tiered pool, or head down to the beach for lunch at The Naked Fisherman (opens in new tab).

A secluded deck for private dining, Rock Maison offers a bubbly brunch, spectacular sunset drinks, or a romantic dinner. The only thing better than an unobstructed view of Martinique to the north, Pigeon Island to the west, and the magnificent Caribbean Sea stretching out before you is watching the champagne come in by zip line.

St. Lucia is always warm year-round, so pack breezy dresses (opens in new tab), colorful separates (opens in new tab), wicker bags (opens in new tab), and plenty of swimwear (opens in new tab). Choose shades of blue to match the ocean and lightweight materials like linen and silk to keep you cool.

St. Lucia runs on 220-240 volt current, so you will need to bring a converter and plug adapter to use U.S. chargers and appliances. The official currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD), but U.S. dollars and credit cards are widely accepted, so there will be no need to exchange currency.

If you like St. Lucia, book your trip here (opens in new tab).