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By Vickie Sam Paget

1. La Dolce Vita

If you have a sweet tooth, prepare to be amazed: October is Chocolate Heritage Month in St Lucia. “Travellers are in for a sweet surprise when they visit St Lucia during Chocolate Heritage Month,” says Tracey Warner-Arnold, deputy director of tourism for St Lucia. “St Lucia’s cacao culture begins with the plantation tours where visitors can actually harvest the beans and follow the process through to experience our creative cuisine, infused spa treatments and even delicious local traditions like cocoa tea.”

2. Hot Under The Collar

Having won the ‘World's Leading Honeymoon Destination’ award from 2002 to 2004 and from 2006-2010, St Lucia is sure to spice up any love affair. Add to that the fact that the island was chosen as the location for the final episode of ABC's The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love, and you’ll begin to understand why St Lucia is such a big hit with star crossed lovers.

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3. A Drive-Through Volcano

Forget McDonalds – how does a drive-through volcano grab you? Island Routes tour guides will happily drive you right up to the Sulphur Springs volcano just outside the atmospheric town of Soufriere, which gets its name from the French word for ‘sulphur’.

4. Mud Glorious Mud

A little way down from Sulphur Springs, you can get in touch with your dirty side and wallow in a natural mud bath. The pool temperature can be a bit high for most mud-lovers, but you can still dowse yourself in plenty of mineral-rich mud, dry out in the sun and then wash it all off in a cold shower. It’s invigorating stuff – and a magic cure for the endless itch of those mossie bites.

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5. So Many Sandals

Love birds will be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing their love nest. St Lucia boasts three – yes three – Sandals resorts: Sandals Regency La Toc, where it’s all about glamour and golf; Sandals Grande St Lucian, where it’s all about swim-up suites and unbeatable beach time; and the chilled-out Sandals Halcyon Beach, a lush garden-style retreat where no building reaches higher than the palm trees. Whatever property you choose, romance is certain to be in the air.

6. Push-Me-Pull-Yous

Are you looking for a ‘pushmi-pullyu’ or a giant pink snail? Then St Lucia’s Marigot Bay could be the place you’ve been yearning for. In 1967 Marigot Bay was one of the main locations used in filming the classic Rex Harrison movie Doctor Doolittle. Named the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean by author James Michener, today the bay is a playground for the rich and famous.

7. Sail By The Pitons

Towering 3,000 feet above sea level, the majestic peak of Gros Piton, along with its twin peak Petit Piton, dominates the western coast of St Lucia. Jump onto an Island Routes’ catamaran cruise, and you’ll enjoy an unforgettable view of these world famous peaks soaring up from the sapphire blue waters of the Caribbean.