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Previous page, stunning view of the Pitons (Petit Piton On this page, Cheval Blanc Resort in Saint Barts
& Gros Piton), Saint Lucia. ©Paul Baggaley ©Cheval Blanc

There is no such thing as time here, as you swim among

the sea turtles, slide on your paddle board between spits

of sand, enjoy a lobster cooked by local fishermen on the

deck of your yacht, and the sky blooms with stars.

You slide into the turquoise water. The hot wind caresses In Barbados, the tempo changes. Here, the land has a colonial
your face. The scent of sea and jasmine melds with the aroma of heart, beating under the domes of rum distilleries, the gardens of
aged rum from the plantations. This is the perfect summary of a Georgian houses, and the shockingly green fairways of the most
journey across the most exclusive part of the Caribbean, where exclusive golf clubs. Once you go past the architectures of the re-
the nonchalant glamor of Saint Barts leads to the wild charm of sorts, you will delve into its more authentic soul: calm waves ca-
Tobago Cays, crossing the relaxed elegance of Barbados and lush ressing the Platinum Coast, boats dancing in the sunset, and the
nature of Saint Lucia. sweet smell of sugar cane in the wind.
A dream itinerary, of course, but especially a journey of Then comes Saint Lucia, a land that doesn’t appear: it unfurls.
self-discovery, seeking beauty, emotion, intimacy, and freedom. Its Pitons are two volcanic formations and sentinels guarding the
As the mysterious British novelist Patrick O’Brian described these sea. Those who dock in Marigot Bay or Soufrière immediately per-
waters: “It was the sea of our dreams. A kingdom of white sails ceive a different magnetism. The island cannot be easily tamed:
and transparent water”. Still today, those who choose to explore you explore it gently, following forest paths leading to hidden wa-
such locations enter a suspended world where luxury meets puri- terfalls or thermal springs. Or, simply, staying still, enveloped by
ty, in its enchanted berths, weightless sand, and sunsets so perfect the silence and a nature that is still primeval. At Jade Mountain,
they seem generated by artificial intelligence. But there is nothing the suites seem suspended above the landscape: the border be-
fake here. tween sky, sea, and relaxation vanishes, and everything becomes
The first location to catch our eye is inevitably Saint Barts, in an experience.
the French Antilles. It is a concept of elegance that spans from the Finally, as in a growingly lucid dream, you see the Tobago
boutiques of capital city Gustavia to the velvety curves of hidden Cays: uninhabited islands protected by a coral reef outlining a
bays like Colombier and Gouverneur. With its French accent and crystal lagoon. There are no official moorings. Only a sandy ocean
tropical soul, the island is an open theater where everything reso- floor where you are free to dock. There is no such thing as time
nates style, from the minimal-chic beach clubs to the whispered here, as you swim among the sea turtles, slide on your paddle
clinks of champagne glasses. The days go by like the wings of a board between spits of sand, enjoy a lobster cooked by local fisher-
bird, from swims in the crystalline sea to dinners at Eden Rock, men on the deck of your yacht, and the sky blooms with stars. It is
with the stars reflecting in the glasses and water. a journey in the purest form: silent, authentic, and intimate.

Protagonist Travel 79