Anse Chastanet

A bay built around the water

Anse Chastanet is on a bay just north of Soufrière, on a 600-acre estate that borders two soft-sand beaches. Coral reefs lie just off the shore, within a designated marine reserve, so snorkelling needs little more than a mask and a swim from the beach.

The 49 rooms and suites are spread across the estate. A dozen sit behind the coconut palms along the beach and the rest climb a flower-decked hillside. The hillside rooms look out to the Pitons and the Caribbean, while the beachside rooms are a few feet from the water's edge.

Diving and snorkelling

Scuba St. Lucia, the resort's PADI 5 Star dive operation, runs from Anse Chastanet beach with a full daily diving and snorkelling programme. The estate fronts two bays within a designated marine reserve that protects the coral reefs. Our diving and snorkelling guide explains what to expect along the coast.

Beyond the beach

The estate is more than a beach. It has 12 miles of private trails for hiking and jungle biking, guided walks that cover the history and botany of the estate, and birdwatching. Estates nearby offer cocoa tours, which our cocoa and chocolate guide describes.

The sights of the region are close at hand, including the waterfalls and gardens and the volcanic Sulphur Springs.

• Ideal for divers, snorkellers and active couples.
• Neighbours Jade Mountain on the hillside above.
• Close to the Pitons trailheads.

Planning

Most visitors arrive via Hewanorra International Airport and transfer by road, as covered in our getting here guide. Confirm current room types, rates and dive centre details with the resort.

What a day here looks like

A typical day starts with an early swim or snorkel when the water is calm, then breakfast with the bay in view. Mid-morning is for a dive, a boat trip or a walk on the estate trails. By lunchtime the heat is up and the beach is the place to be, with the reef still just a few strokes away.

Afternoons can be quiet, with reading, a swim or a spa treatment, and evenings are for dinner by the water and an early night after a day in the sun and the sea. It is a rhythm that suits people who like to be outdoors and who value time in the water over nightlife.

For divers and for families of snorkellers

Scuba St. Lucia runs a full daily programme of diving and snorkelling from the beach, and the reefs lie just off the shore within a designated marine reserve. Divers can book guided dives with the resort's PADI 5 Star operation.

Snorkellers of all ages can enjoy the reef from the shore, although children should be supervised, and anyone with limited swimming confidence should use a flotation aid. Always check the sea state with staff before you swim, and never stand on or touch the coral, since the reef is fragile and takes years to recover from damage.

• Bring your certification card and logbook if you plan to dive.
• Leave at least 24 hours between your last dive and a flight, in line with standard diving guidance.
• Use reef-safe sun protection to help protect the corals.

Is Anse Chastanet a good beach resort in Saint Lucia?

Anse Chastanet is a good choice for beach holidays in Saint Lucia if you want two beaches, a reef at the shore and forest trails, set on a 600-acre estate near Soufrière. Anse Chastanet is best understood as an estate rather than a single hotel. It borders two beaches, Anse Chastanet itself and the quieter Anse Mamin, and between them the land climbs through gardens, old plantation ground and thick tropical growth. Our guide to the best beaches in Saint Lucia places the bay among the island's finest, and its sand has a darker, volcanic tone that gives the water a particularly vivid colour in the afternoon light.

The sense of a living estate runs through the stay. Trails wind past the remains of the old plantation, and guided walks explain the botany, the history and the birdlife in plain, friendly terms. If you enjoy watching wildlife, the notes on birdwatching in Saint Lucia describe what to look and listen for, and the early morning, before the heat builds, is when the forest is at its busiest.

Rooms are spread across the beachfront and the hillside, in a range of categories that includes the Piton Pool Suites and the Beach House at the north end of the sand. The hillside rooms catch the breeze and the view, while those by the beach put you in the sea within moments. Think about how much you want to climb, because stairs and slopes are part of life here.

What is there to do at Anse Chastanet besides diving?

Besides diving, Anse Chastanet offers snorkelling from the beach, yoga in a beach gazebo, tennis, kayaks and paddleboards, open-air art classes, guided nature walks and estate trails for hiking and biking. The reef is the heart of the resort, and Scuba St. Lucia runs its diving and snorkelling programme from the beach, including work on a coral nursery that helps the reef recover. Our guide to marine life and coral reefs explains what you may meet underwater, from parrotfish and trumpetfish to the colourful sponges and gorgonians, and the list of snorkelling beaches shows why this bay is a firm favourite for people who simply want to float above the coral.

Away from the water, the resort offers a gentle programme. Yoga takes place in a gazebo on the beach, there is a tennis court, and non-motorised water sports such as kayaks, paddleboards and small sailing boats are available for guests who like to be active without noise. The resort also runs art classes in the open air, which are a pleasant way to spend a warm afternoon. For deeper relaxation, read about yoga and mindfulness on the island to see how it is practised.

Evenings can be as simple as a swim at dusk, a drink at the beach bar and a slow dinner. Guests who like to learn something new may join a rum mixology session or a chocolate tasting, both of which give a taste of Saint Lucian craft without leaving the grounds.

Where does the food come from at Anse Chastanet?

Much of the produce served at Anse Chastanet, including at Emerald's Restaurant, comes from the resort's own organic Emerald Farm in the grounds near Soufrière in Saint Lucia. Dining at Anse Chastanet draws on an organic farm in the grounds, called Emerald Farm, which supplies fresh produce to the restaurants, among them Emerald's Restaurant. It is a pleasing circle: you walk past the vegetable beds in the morning and find the results on the plate at night. The page on farm to table tastings explains the idea more widely, and it is a good guide to asking the right questions of any kitchen on the island.

The resort has a thoughtful attitude to the environment, from protecting its reef to growing its own food, and our guide to sustainable stays describes what responsible hotels in Saint Lucia are doing and how you can support them. Small choices, such as using reef-safe sun cream, taking only photographs from the water and refilling your own bottle, help the bay stay as it is.

Because the setting is so much about outdoor life, pack for it. Water shoes help on the rocky edges, a hat and a light long-sleeved top are welcome for long snorkels, and a pair of sturdy trainers is worth bringing for the trails. A day pack and a torch complete the kit for an easy and comfortable holiday.

The landscape and reef around Anse Chastanet

A stay here is as much about the setting as the room. If you enjoy knowing why a place looks the way it does, the island's volcanic geology is a good place to begin, and marine life and coral reefs explains what lives beneath the surface.

For a sense of the surrounding community and its past, heritage and historic sites and the districts and towns make helpful companion reading before you arrive.

Holidays at Anse Chastanet

For divers, snorkellers and anyone who wants the reef on the doorstep, Anse Chastanet is one of the most distinctive hotels in St Lucia. Our guide to diving and snorkelling shows why, and our resort comparison lines it up against Jade Mountain, Sugar Beach and Cap Maison.

If you are planning a holiday in St Lucia built around the sea, pair your stay with the best beaches, then check the best time to visit and how to get here. Couples can read about a wedding at Anse Chastanet or browse honeymoon ideas, and the sea and beach itinerary is a ready-made week.

Anse Chastanet at a glance

Anse Chastanet is on the bay of the same name in the Soufrière district, on the southwest coast of Saint Lucia. It occupies a 600-acre estate between the Pitons and the Caribbean Sea, bordering the beaches of Anse Chastanet and Anse Mamin. The nearest town is Soufrière, a short drive south. The nearest international airport is Hewanorra, reached by road. The style is eco-conscious beachfront and hillside rooms, each individually designed to blend into the foliage. It suits divers, snorkellers, walkers and couples who value time outdoors, and children from the age of 8 are welcome. A typical day pairs a morning dive or snorkel with trails, yoga or a quiet afternoon on the sand.

What is near Anse Chastanet?

Start with the estate itself. Anse Mamin, the second beach, is a short walk away, and more than 12 miles of trails climb through the forest for walking, birdwatching and mountain biking. Our guides to hiking and rainforest walks and birdwatching explain what to look for. The reef lies within a marine reserve, and Scuba St. Lucia runs daily dives, so the diving and snorkelling guide and the page on snorkelling beaches are useful companions. Just up the hill, Jade Mountain shares the estate and its beaches.

A short drive takes you to Soufrière, where you can wander the harbour and market, then visit the Sulphur Springs, the Diamond Falls gardens and the Tet Paul Nature Trail, a guided walk of easy to moderate effort with views of both peaks. The Sulphur Springs are a drive-in volcano with warm mineral mud, and the waterfalls and gardens guide describes the cooler stops. Fond Doux Estate, near Soufrière, is a working plantation where cacao is still processed, and Fond Doux Eco Resort sits on it, while the cocoa and chocolate guide covers tastings.

Dining here is unusually varied. The open-air Treehouse Restaurant has a daily-changing menu, and Apsara serves modern Indian food on the beachfront in the evening, closing on Tuesdays and requiring a reservation. Jade Mountain Club is up the hill. In town, Orlando's is known for small plates of Caribbean cooking built on local produce and fresh fish. Along the West Coast Road, Bamboo and The Creole Pot at Château Belair serves Creole lunches, and Plas Kassav Bakery at Anse La Verdure bakes cassava bread over hot coals. Dasheene at Ladera offers a sunset view, and restaurants with a view lists others. For a village party, the Friday fish fry at Anse La Raye is the nearest, though local sources differ on whether it runs weekly or monthly, so check first. Rainy or windy days need not be wasted: the estate offers water sports, tennis, daily yoga, art classes and a Saint Lucian rum mixology class, and guided walks pass historical sites among the trees. The estate also has an organic farm, Emerald Estate, and a chocolate lab, which fit neatly with our guide to farm to table tastings. Families with children from the age of 8 can combine the reef with the trails, and our family trip planning page suggests how. Couples can marry here too, as the Anse Chastanet weddings page explains.

The location makes a strong base for anyone who likes to be in or on the water. The reef, the trails and the sights of the southwest are all close, so you can dive in the morning, walk in the afternoon and still be at dinner without ever needing a long drive. Boat trips and whale and dolphin watching trips along the coast add another dimension when the sea is calm.

Questions travellers ask