Latest news with #StLucia
Times
4 days ago
- Times
Win a seven-night stay in St Lucia at Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences worth £9,500
Lush rainforests, pristine beaches and the magnificent Piton mountains — St Lucia is one of the most alluring islands in the Caribbean, and home to plenty more besides its natural beauty. Every Friday night, the village of Gros Islet comes alive with a street party, while throughout the year there are festivals ranging from jazz to carnival. And then there's the diving and snorkelling, which is considered some of the best in this part of the world. As part of this prize for two, you'll spend seven nights on a B&B basis at Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences, a resort with six pools that's clustered around a palm-lined cove in the north of the island. It's up to you whether you decide to spend your time lounging with a book (or cocktail) in hand, or trying out all the different activities on offer: windsurfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, diving, tennis and more. You'll stay in a one-bedroom hilltop villa with its own private pool, and will include $100 to spend at the resort's spa. Return flights with British Airways from the UK and transfers are included too. During your stay, the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority will whisk you away on a day trip with lunch to Soufrière, where you'll visit the mud baths at Sulphur Springs and the beautiful waterfalls in the area. The winner must book their stay by April 1, 2026, giving at least 30 days' notice, with the trip taking place between October 1, 2025 and October 1, 2026. Blackout dates are October 24 to November 2, 2025; December 19 to January 2, 2026; February 12 to 22, 2026; April 2 to 9, 2026; May 6 to 12, 2026; and July 16 to 23, 2026. For more information, click here. For your chance to win, simply vote in each category in this year's Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards. There are 17 categories in total. Click here to vote. For the full list of prizes, see closes at 23.59pm on August 31, 2025. Open to residents of the United Kingdom who are aged 18 years or older, excluding employees and agents of the Promoter and its group companies, or third parties directly connected with the operation or fulfilment of the Promotion and their affiliates, and their immediate families and household members. One entry per person. Winners will be selected at random from all valid entries. No cash alternative and prize is non-transferable. Prize excludes UK transfers. Winner and guest responsible for getting to and from UK airport at their own expense. Subject to availability, Prize must be booked by April 1, 2026 and must be booked 30 days in advance of departure. Prize must be taken between October 1, 2025 and October 1, 2026, except on the following dates: October 24 to November 2, 2025, December 19, 2025 to January 2, 2026, February 12 to February 22, 2026, April 2 to April 9, 2026, May 6 to May 12, 2026, July 16 and July 23, 2026, local holidays, Christmas, New Year and Easter. Winner and his/her guest(s) must travel on the same itinerary. Flight upgrade cannot be purchased on airfares with cash or Frequent Flyer points. Once tickets have been issued they are valid for the flights/dates shown only. Lounge passes and upgrades are not permitted with these tickets. Compliance with any health or other government requirements is the responsibility of the Winner and guest. The Winner and their guest must comply with all relevant customs, security and immigration requirements, including appropriate passport and visa requirements. The Winner and their guest are responsible for holding a passport with at least six months validity remaining after the return to the UK and must organise relevant visas where required. UK passport holders do not require a visa to visit St Lucia. Travel insurance, food and drink (outside what is previously declared in the board basis), spending money and all incidental expenses are the responsibility of the Winner. Prize is subject to Windjammer's terms and conditions. All parts of Prize must be used in conjunction with same booking. Your information will be used to administer this Promotion and otherwise in accordance with our privacy policy at and those of the partners. Promoter is Times Media Ltd. Full T&Cs apply — see
Travel Weekly
4 days ago
- Travel Weekly
Community tourism elevates St. Lucia locals, experiences
We revved up our engines and peeled away from the dusty roadside shack where we'd signed our waivers, helmets snugly fitted on our heads. In the morning heat, with a breeze kicking up, we dove straight into the banana fields: acres upon acres of towering green, slicing the bold, blue horizon. This all-terrain vehicle ride was more than an adrenaline adventure. It was a dive into St. Lucia's heart. I was on the Irie Valley Ride with Eastern Exotic ATV Tours, a half-day excursion that blends back-road thrills with cultural immersion. Our vehicles climbed muddy mountain trails slick with rain, the scent of guava sweetening the air. At the summit, where bulbous blossoms drooped low and the island unfurled below us, the buzz of the ATVs gave way to something softer. The Irie Valley Ride takes travelers through banana plantations and guava orchards. Photo Credit: Meagan Drillinger We'd arrived at a Rastafarian community nestled in the Mabouya Valley. From a hillside perch, a Rasta elder greeted us with freshly baked coconut bread and stories about the lifestyle and community-based living. This experience was just one piece of a much larger movement sweeping across St. Lucia: an effort to root tourism in the people, not just the place. This is the new St. Lucia. Or, rather, the St. Lucia that has always been there, based on community, culture and sustainability. Now, through new initiatives and immersive experiences, travelers are being invited in. The rise of community tourism In 2025, St. Lucia's Community Tourism Agency has gone full throttle. With the motto "See, Do, Stay," the agency is empowering micro, small, and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs) across the island to build and profit from tourism experiences. These aren't generic tours. They're sea moss farming demonstrations, cassava-baking workshops, women-led agritourism initiatives and community-based kayaking expeditions. They're built by locals, for locals and shared with travelers who want a deeper connection. Through grants, low-interest loans, training programs, infrastructure support and marketing assistance, the Community Tourism Agency gives local entrepreneurs the tools to elevate their businesses and reach international visitors. The bay in front of Ti Kaye Resort & Spa is a top snorkel spot. Photo Credit: Meagan Drillinger Projects worth exploring Let's start with the ATV tour, which is one of the agency's latest success stories. This locally owned venture takes guests through the agricultural heart of the Mabouya Valley, culminating in visits with Rastafarian community members and organic farmers. It layers cultural storytelling with ecological insight, offering an inside look into a way of life that is tied to the land. Then there is the Morne Fortune view point (Morne Layby). One of Castries' most beautiful lookouts is getting a glow-up. The popular photo stop for visitors heading along the west coast has been revitalized with improved walkways, new artisan vendor stalls and interpretation panels that share the site's history, including the colonial past and its role in the island's independence movement. The goal is to make it a meaningful pause in the journey, more than just a quick scenic stop. Along the western coast, the fishing village of Anse La Raye is getting a gentle nudge into the nautical tourism space. With the support of the tourism agency, the village's jetty has been upgraded to safely welcome more daytrippers and boaters. Mooring buoys have been installed to attract smaller boats. These upgrades are designed to disperse tourism away from the north and give smaller communities a chance to thrive economically. Then there is Helen's Daughters, a powerful nonprofit that puts women at the forefront of agriculture. Through farm-to-table tours, hands-on harvesting, cooking workshops and women-led market visits, Helen's Daughters connects travelers with the grassroots of St. Lucian food production. Visitors can spend a day with Helen herself, learning how to grow crops, listening to her stories, planting their own seedlings and then whipping up their own spice blends. Every experience directly supports the livelihoods of local women. Ti Kaye sits on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean. Photo Credit: Meagan Drillinger Where to stay (responsibly) For a socially responsible boutique hotel on St. Lucia, Ti Kaye Resort & Spa matches the spirit of these grassroots experiences. Perched dramatically above Anse Cochon on the western coast, this adults-only retreat is quiet, romantic and emphasizes sustainable practices. Ti Kaye goes beyond green practices by committing to its people. Staff benefit from healthcare subsidies and education support for themselves and their children, and many have been with the resort for over a decade. Guests are treated to a true sense of place, from the Kai Koko Spa's island-sourced ingredients to the Creole-inflected menus that spotlight local farmers and fishers. The private plunge pools, secluded beach and wood-fired pizza oven don't hurt the resort's appeal, either.
France 24
4 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Alfred coasts in London, but Lyles pipped in season-opening 100m
Alfred, the women's 100m Olympic champion, set a meet record with a world-leading 21.71 seconds at a 60,000-capacity sell-out London Stadium. It put her joint ninth on the all-time list for the 200m in a massive boost for the St Lucia sprinter before the world championships in Tokyo in September. "It was a strong first 150 metres of the race and I managed to control it to finish strongly," said Alfred, whose 100m gold at the Paris Olympics was the first of any colour for her tiny Caribbean island homeland. "It was a great race for me, and races like this give me a lot of confidence as we get closer to Tokyo. I did the 200m last year before the Olympics and I finished second, but seeing how I ran today and how comfortable I felt, I am a lot more confident in my 200m heading into the worlds," she added. Lyles, who won Olympic gold in the men's 100m in Paris last year, suffered a dreadful start and was left chasing Jamaica's Oblique Seville, who racked up a straightforward gun-to-tape win in 9.86sec. The 28-year-old American, making a late start to the season after coming back from an ankle tendon injury, insisted, however, that he felt great. "I feel extremely healthy and I am feeling no pain," he said. "I wanted the win but I think it was my fastest ever season opener, so I will take that result today." In an afternoon of high-class track and field, Femke Bol produced yet another dominant run in the 400m hurdles for her 29th consecutive Diamond League win. The Dutch athlete clocked 52.10sec, finishing a full second ahead of American Jasmine Jones. "I wanted to run quicker in Monaco but my second bend was really not great there," Bol said, referring to her world-leading 51.95sec from last week. "I had hoped to do better here. I think I executed the second bend better here but other elements were a little less good, so it is a bit disappointing." Wanyonyi still chasing Rudisha Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi, hunting down compatriot David Rudisha's 800m world record of 1:40.91 -- set when he won Olympic gold in this same stadium in 2012 -- fell short. Wanyonyi, the current Olympic champion, edged Canada's Marco Arop for victory in a meet record of 1:42.00. "My training right now is at 80%, so I will be upping the training in the next few weeks and over the next races before Tokyo," the Kenyan warned. There was also a meet record of 3:28.82 for Kenya's Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech in a loaded men's 1500m. Reigning world champion Josh Kerr came second in 3:29.37 in a dramatic final event at the home of Premier League club West Ham. Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell delighted the home crowd by producing an impressive kick to win the women's 800m in a season's best of 1:56.74. It was the first of a trio of wins by British athletes in quick succession. Charles Dobson ran a personal best of 44.14sec to seal a dramatic victory in the men's 400m, overhauling fellow Britain Matthew Hudson-Smith, the world and Olympic silver medallist, in the final metres. "It is an incredible feeling, I love running here in front of a massive home crowd. It is just awesome to get that time," said Dobson. "Tactically it went perfectly, and I won the race, so what more can I ask for?!" And Morgan Lake claimed an unlikely win in the women's high jump, the sole athlete to clear 1.96m to finish ahead of the likes of Australia's 2022 world champion Eleanor Patterson and Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the world record holder and current world and olympic champion. The outstanding performance in the field came from Lithuania's world record holder Mykolas Alekna, who threw a Diamond League and meet record of 71.70m in the men's discus. Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay also set a meet record of 4:11.88 in an electric women's mile, bettering the previous best set by Sifan Hassan in 2018 by almost three seconds.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alfred coasts in London, but Lyles pipped in season-opening 100m
Julien Alfred fired out a broadside at her rivals for the women's world 200m crown with an impressive victory in the London Diamond League meet on Saturday, but Noah Lyles was pipped in his opening 100m of the season. Alfred, the women's 100m Olympic champion, set a meet record with a world-leading 21.71 seconds at a 60,000-capacity sell-out London Stadium. It put her joint ninth on the all-time list for the 200m in a massive boost for the St Lucia sprinter before the world championships in Tokyo in September. "It was a strong first 150 metres of the race and I managed to control it to finish strongly," said Alfred, whose 100m gold at the Paris Olympics was the first of any colour for her tiny Caribbean island homeland. "It was a great race for me, and races like this give me a lot of confidence as we get closer to Tokyo. I did the 200m last year before the Olympics and I finished second, but seeing how I ran today and how comfortable I felt, I am a lot more confident in my 200m heading into the worlds," she added. Lyles, who won Olympic gold in the men's 100m in Paris last year, suffered a dreadful start and was left chasing Jamaica's Oblique Seville, who racked up a straightforward gun-to-tape win in 9.86sec. The 28-year-old American, making a late start to the season after coming back from an ankle tendon injury, insisted, however, that he felt great. "I feel extremely healthy and I am feeling no pain," he said. "I wanted the win but I think it was my fastest ever season opener, so I will take that result today." In an afternoon of high-class track and field, Femke Bol produced yet another dominant run in the 400m hurdles for her 29th consecutive Diamond League win. The Dutch athlete clocked 52.10sec, finishing a full second ahead of American Jasmine Jones. "I wanted to run quicker in Monaco but my second bend was really not great there," Bol said, referring to her world-leading 51.95sec from last week. "I had hoped to do better here. I think I executed the second bend better here but other elements were a little less good, so it is a bit disappointing." - Wanyonyi still chasing Rudisha - Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi, hunting down compatriot David Rudisha's 800m world record of 1:40.91 -- set when he won Olympic gold in this same stadium in 2012 -- fell short. Wanyonyi, the current Olympic champion, edged Canada's Marco Arop for victory in a meet record of 1:42.00. "My training right now is at 80%, so I will be upping the training in the next few weeks and over the next races before Tokyo," the Kenyan warned. There was also a meet record of 3:28.82 for Kenya's Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech in a loaded men's 1500m. Reigning world champion Josh Kerr came second in 3:29.37 in a dramatic final event at the home of Premier League club West Ham. Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell delighted the home crowd by producing an impressive kick to win the women's 800m in a season's best of 1:56.74. It was the first of a trio of wins by British athletes in quick succession. Charles Dobson ran a personal best of 44.14sec to seal a dramatic victory in the men's 400m, overhauling fellow Britain Matthew Hudson-Smith, the world and Olympic silver medallist, in the final metres. "It is an incredible feeling, I love running here in front of a massive home crowd. It is just awesome to get that time," said Dobson. "Tactically it went perfectly, and I won the race, so what more can I ask for?!" And Morgan Lake claimed an unlikely win in the women's high jump, the sole athlete to clear 1.96m to finish ahead of the likes of Australia's 2022 world champion Eleanor Patterson and Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the world record holder and current world and olympic champion. The outstanding performance in the field came from Lithuania's world record holder Mykolas Alekna, who threw a Diamond League and meet record of 71.70m in the men's discus. Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay also set a meet record of 4:11.88 in an electric women's mile, bettering the previous best set by Sifan Hassan in 2018 by almost three seconds. lp/gj
ABC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Poté
Paris-based artist Poté brings a joyful mix of house, breakbeat and heaps of new tunes! This Mix Up debut from the St Lucia born, London raised and Paris residing songwriter-producer is not to be missed. Receiving early support from industry heavyweights including Annie Mac and former triple j host Nina Las Vegas, to touring and collaborating with the likes of Bonobo and Damon Albarn, Poté has been turning heads with his raw and expansive worlds through his emotive productions for over a decade. Most recently, he returned to his label Versicolor with the Baby, Hold Me EP, his most honest and open project yet. Check out single 'Give You Up' feat Bonobo here. Loading Poté's called up a bunch of mates including Ed Bangers, Boston Bon, Flaurese and Elise Bee to help out with a remix EP which will drop next month on the 6th of August, so keep your ears peeled. If you're lucky you might even catch a sneak peak at some of those forthcoming tunes in his triple j mix tonight along with plenty of high nrg club sounds for your Saturday, so tune in and turn it up! Track list
