Anise Chastanet beach

[snowskimom1]

We will be stopping in St Lucia and wanted to go to Anse Chastanet beach, does anyone know the distance and taxi fees?

[reedprincess]

We will be stopping in St Lucia and wanted to go to Anse Chastanet beach, does anyone know the distance and taxi fees?

AC beach is about a 1 hour drive from the port areas. A r/t taxi is going to run you around $180 and up. Some drivers will not take the road out to AC, so be sure to check before hiring a driver.

Enjoy your visit.

[mahdnc]

We are thinking of doing a dive in Anse Chastanet. Our dive operator mentioned that a taxi from the pier and back for my family of 4 would run $160 USD which surprised me but I guess this is about right from what I read here.

 

What is this one hour drive like? Scenic? Anything worthwhile to stop at along the way?

[reedprincess]

We are thinking of doing a dive in Anse Chastanet. Our dive operator mentioned that a taxi from the pier and back for my family of 4 would run $160 USD which surprised me but I guess this is about right from what I read here.

 

What is this one hour drive like? Scenic? Anything worthwhile to stop at along the way?

The drive is both scenic - and a worry if anyone gets motion sickness. It is a mountainous island and the West coast road is winding and up and down, etc. Very beautiful scenery, you can stop for photo ops of Marigot Bay, the banana plantation you will drive through, there is the rum distillerary on the way (doubt you'll want to stop there before you dive though), La Plac Cassav, which makes local, traditional cassava bread - worth stopping for a morning snack, very good, plus several scenic stops for Piton viewing. Be sure the taxi drivers knows you want to go out to Anse Chastenet - lots won't go as the last bit of road out is rough and unpaved, many drivers won't take their vehicles on it.

Enjoy your trip!

[dz63]

We are thinking of doing a dive in Anse Chastanet. Our dive operator mentioned that a taxi from the pier and back for my family of 4 would run $160 USD which surprised me but I guess this is about right from what I read here.

 

What is this one hour drive like? Scenic? Anything worthwhile to stop at along the way?

 

The drive is both scenic - and a worry if anyone gets motion sickness. It is a mountainous island and the West coast road is winding and up and down, etc. Very beautiful scenery, you can stop for photo ops of Marigot Bay, the banana plantation you will drive through, there is the rum distillerary on the way (doubt you'll want to stop there before you dive though), La Plac Cassav, which makes local, traditional cassava bread - worth stopping for a morning snack, very good, plus several scenic stops for Piton viewing. Be sure the taxi drivers knows you want to go out to Anse Chastenet - lots won't go as the last bit of road out is rough and unpaved, many drivers won't take their vehicles on it.

Enjoy your trip!

 

Yes the west coast road, although scenic is windy. If you are concerned about the roads and whether a taxi driver will drive on the unpaved road to Anse Chastanet, perhaps transportation by boat would be an option? Spencer Ambrose Tours does offer a tour to Jalousie Beach which includes boat transportation both ways. This excursion does include a stop at Anse Chastanet. Perhaps you could customize something with him which would allow you to stay there and he would pick you up again on the return trip? Other tour operators like Herod and Mystic Man also offer boat tours and you may be able to arrange something with one of them as well.

Edited February 19, 2013 by dz63

[mahdnc]

thanks for the responses. It would be preferable to book a boat, but we only would want it for transportation and not as part of a tour since the two tank dive at Anse Chastanet would take about 3 hours. Also I don't want to pay tour prices when we are only looking for transport.

 

The dive operator I have been emailing said that he could arrange for the taxi to pick us up at the pier so I think we would be covered as far as getting a willing driver. However some of us (like me) my get car sick from the ride--nothing worse than getting ready to dive with a touch of nausea!

 

I will have to give this some more thought.

 

The beach there is nice?

Edited February 21, 2013 by mahdnc

[Colorado Kat]

The dive operator I have been emailing said that he could arrange for the taxi to pick us up at the pier so I think we would be covered as far as getting a willing driver. However some of us (like me) my get car sick from the ride--nothing worse than getting ready to dive with a touch of nausea!

 

The beach there is nice?

 

Yes, the beach is very nice. Maybe ask the dive operator if he knows anyone that could run to back & forth by boat? I didn't think the ride was bad, but I don't get car sick.

 

It's a lovely island!

[LEtue]

Yes the west coast road, although scenic is windy. If you are concerned about the roads and whether a taxi driver will drive on the unpaved road to Anse Chastanet, perhaps transportation by boat would be an option? Spencer Ambrose Tours does offer a tour to Jalousie Beach which includes boat transportation both ways. This excursion does include a stop at Anse Chastanet. Perhaps you could customize something with him which would allow you to stay there and he would pick you up again on the return trip? Other tour operators like Herod and Mystic Man also offer boat tours and you may be able to arrange something with one of them as well.

 

How long is the stop at Anse Chastanet Beach? Is it long enough to snorkel?

[dz63]

How long is the stop at Anse Chastanet Beach? Is it long enough to snorkel?

 

Spencer Ambrose's Jalousie Beach Break excursion no longer advertises a stop at Anse Chastanet Beach and Herod makes no mention of this on his website either. If you are interested in stopping there, perhaps you could make special arrangements with one of these tour operators. From Castries, Anse Chastanet is en route to Jalousie Beach.

[LEtue]

Spencer Ambrose's Jalousie Beach Break excursion no longer advertises a stop at Anse Chastanet Beach and Herod makes no mention of this on his website either. If you are interested in stopping there, perhaps you could make special arrangements with one of these tour operators. From Castries, Anse Chastanet is en route to Jalousie Beach.

 

Thanks, for the heads up! I contacted Spencer to ask about the stop at Anse Chastanet and he said he no longer makes a snorkel stop there because of the currents. But he is will to drop off and pick up later.

 

Looking at Mystic Man and so far I like this option instead of so much time at Jalousie :)

Edited December 15, 2013 by LEtue