*Note: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting those who support Chow Down USA!*
If you saw my recent post on our stay at Calabash Cove, you may have some questions on what to pack for St. Lucia! I wish I had looked this up prior to our visit, so here’s my ultimate list of what to bring with you on your Caribbean getaway.
What to Pack for St. Lucia
Needham Bank Debit Card
This one is honestly a game-changer, listen why: Not many places on the island take credit card, so we had to take out quite a bit of cash. And who else finds ATM fees super annoying? Like cool, let me just pay you for my own money. Enter the Needham Bank Debit Card. When using this card to withdraw, all ATM fees, EVEN international ones (which are usually super high because they know you’re stuck paying them), are completely refunded. So you don’t have to worry about losing money just to access your money! I’m honestly taking this card on EVERY international trip from now on, not to mention just leaving my house on a daily basis.
Extra Strength DEET
Yep, you read that right! Top of my list is DEET bug spray, and that’s not even sponsored. It’s sponsored by my own mosquito-prone blood & skin. I left St. Lucia with over 50 bug bites. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a gorgeous island, from the warm beaches, palm trees, 50+ types of mangoes, plenty of water activities, and striking piton mountains in the landscape. But I would have enjoyed it much more with some super strong bug spray! That said, not everyone is prone to mosquito bites. My travel buddy Caroline only got a few bites (though she had a cool homeopathic treatment that made them go away immediately). And I didn’t see any others at the resort dealing with the same issue. I’ve always been prone to bug bites on camping trips, etc. So maybe this one only applies to those like me who mosquitoes find extra tasty!
Sunscreen
Listen, the sun is different down by the equator. Like, if you’re not already super tan you may as well be albino. Pack some REAL sunscreen and don’t forget to reapply it every couple hours and after going in the water. You’ll thank me later!
Cute Lightweight Cover Up Top
Also pack a cute leightweight top you can wear to the beach in the heat when you did not reapply sunscreen correctly and burned your shoulders.
Aloe
Also for when you did not reapply enough sunscreen.
Swimsuit(ssss)
Pack more swimsuits than clothes. Re-read that one. Write it down. I always pack as if I may see the Queen (which one? I don’t even know), run along the beach, have fancy dinners, take intricate blog photoshoots, and hike Mt. Everest. Yet all I end up wearing are many swimsuits and shorts and my most comfy shoes. And my least favorite thing about travel is lugging my suitcase around so we can all learn from this and pack lighter with mostly swimsuits!
Sundress & Sandals
That said, pack a sundress or two and maybe some sandals for dinners. St. Lucia likes to dress up slightly at night – just a tad more than your swimsuit/shorts with flip flops outfit. If you’re going around Carnivale you could also pack a colorful going out outfit, since the town has dances and parades. We didn’t do this on our low-key trip, but it’s a big activity there which could be fun if you like those!
There you have it! My top suggestions for St. Lucia include extra strength DEET, suncreen, aloe, more swimsuits than other clothes, a couple sundresses, a lightweight top, and seriously – the Needham Bank Debit Card! I can honestly say what a relief it is not to have to worry about ATM fees EVER AGAIN, especially when travelling internationally like to Saint Lucia! Do yourself a favor and get one of these asap, you will not regret it!