The unique allure of the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, as seen through the eyes of FTF's editor on a family visit.

With an advertising slogan like 'Simply Beautiful' St. Lucia has a lot to live up to. But whether approached from the south coast Hewanorra Airport or the northern tourist resort of Castries, visitors will be simply enchanted by their first sight of the island's distinguished twin peaks. Lathered in greenery, rocky and romantic, the Piton mountains tower above Jalousie Bay's pristine Petit Piton Marine Reserve.

St. Lucia is also distinguished by a colorful history: the English arrived in 1605 only to be repelled by the local Carib Indians; the French West India Company landed in 1651 to beat the natives; and over the next 150 years the island changed hands 14 times. So, besides this Commonwealth country's lush scenery and excellent diving, families will find an educated, friendly people and a sophisticated European sensibility.

On a press trip hosted by the Odyssey St. Lucia Resort (now Club St. Lucia, a Splash Resort -758/450-0551), I had a chance to tour the island with my family and several others, including nine children between the ages of 4-12. Our mixed lot of parents, mostly from the northeastern USA, traveled from five to six hours to the eastern Caribbean's Windward islands, including a change of planes in Puerto Rico. After four days of R'n'R, we were eager to return when the kids were old enough for more active challenges.

The St. Lucia Tourist Board (888/4-STLUCIA) teams up with hotels and tour operators each year to offer summertime packages. Here's a preview of attractions and adventures around the island.

Fun Family Outings

Despite St. Lucia's compact size, transportation is slow and expensive and many Americans will not feel comfortable driving the interior mountain roads on the left.

The best way to sightsee is by sea, and the 19th-century replica Brig Unicorn which whisked us away from Vigie Cove was the fairest of the sloops available. The child-proclaimed "pirate ship" was a wonderful form of transport and a day-long adventure in itself. Watching the jet-black St. Lucian sailors in navy suits hoist pearl-white sails up towering masts was totally cool; approaching the Pitons from the sea was very dramatic.

When the kids weren't snacking or climbing in and out of portholes to the captain's cabin, they were watching the friendly sailors crochet $2 beaded bracelets and anklets made to order. (One sailor explained they couldn't graduate from the naval academy without learning how to weave ropes, floor mats, nets and by extension, jewelry.)

After a brief stop in the funky Carib port of Soufrière, the ship's passengers join a bus excursion to the Soufrière Estate, an 18th century land grant from King Louis XIV that boasts a restored sugar mill, the Botanical Gardens and the small Diamond Waterfalls. The sweetly educational Botanical Gardens has shaded paved pathways that are more toddler-friendly than stroller accessible. The well-trained staff punctuated a 40-minute walking tour of the grounds with dissections of many exotic fruits, followed by demonstrations of their use. Why is it that girls seemed much more interested than boys in cocoa pods, papaya, breadfruit, and other jungle delights?

The so-called 'World's Only Drive-In Volcano' is the island's most promoted sight. In reality, it's a hot and smelly sulphur pit emanating from a nearly dormant volcano. The scalding steam and odors initially sent the kids fleeing back to their bus seats, but soon their curiosity prevailed and they willingly succumbed to more fumes. 

More Active Adventures

An unforgettable outing for kids 4+ who are comfortable enough with the sea to try snorkeling (be sure to practice in the hotel pool before you invest in this daytrip) is to Anse Chastanet, site of a divinely romantic treehouse-like resort in the jungles off Chastanet Bay.

The Scuba St. Lucia dive shop (758/459-7755) has an expert multilingual staff of ex-pat Brits and Americans who will fit you and your children with top-notch gear and even rent underwater cameras to record the experience! The pristine marine park is just offshore, so even the least secure snorkeler can walk in from the beach, put her face in the water, and see fish! Be sure to request an inflatable life jacket to keep little ones afloat while allowing them to go underwater to examine the reef system.

Children over 12 years and experienced adults can choose from resort or certification courses (they are a SSI Platinum/PADI and NAUI facility) or a variety of day or night dives at coral gardens and local wrecks. Scuba St. Lucia will pick you up, transport you to the nearest pier, then whoosh you over the waves to their beachfront shop.

Families with children above 10 years will want to explore part of the 19,000-acre St. Lucia Rain Forest on a guided seven-mile walk departing from Canaries; contact the St. Lucia National Trust (758/452-5005) or your hotel's tour desk for reservations. Plan on about four mildly strenuous, muggy and buggy hours (the rainy season is July to November) to see the wealth of flora and fauna.

Grandparents might prefer the St. Lucia Dept. of Forestry's organized, two-hour bird-watching hikes (758/450-2231), while able-bodied cyclists can consider ATV Adventures' bike tours (758/459-2453).

But perhaps the island's most alluring attraction is the Pitons themselves, recently summited by 9-year-old Bernadette Stocker of Flagler, Florida. She and her father, guests at the nearby Jalousie Plantation, mistakenly chose the steep, challenging Petit Piton in preference to the easier Gros Piton, a favorite hiking destination for locals and a better choice for children. They did make it - happily - to the summit.

However, families who tend to shy away from such feats of daring should know that either peak can be toured in under three hours, and with a guide arranged by your hotel. Slowly!