Take a mini-break in the Caribbean without leaving your house

Anyone who’s been spending time in self-isolation is bound to be getting antsy, and this week, St Lucia is launching a social-media series designed to transport restless travellers straight to the Caribbean.

Pitons and flowers in Saint Lucia — St Lucia's social-media series is designed to transport you straight to the island © Saint Lucia Tourism Authority

Launching 26 March at 11:00 a.m. EDT on Instagram Live, Facebook, and Twitter, “7 Minutes in Saint Lucia” is designed to give visitors a bite-sized taste of the West Indies via an array of island-appropriate programming. The series will air two times a week under the hashtag #7MinutesinSaintLucia: the first instalment a yoga class led by local expert Monique Devaux in full view of the famous Pitons, and the next, a cooking class on 31 March hosted by chef Shorne Benjamin.

On the evening of 2 April, there’s an hour-long dance party, with DJ Hollywood HP spinning reggae, dancehall, and soca, and on 7 April, a morning guided meditation session live from the beach. Later in the month, there’s also a hike on Tet Paul Nature Trail, a guided meditation from the Saint Lucian interior, craft cocktails composed with local rum, a local chef making cocoa tea, and a herbalist discussing the healing properties of various plants.

In an effort to contain the spread or importation of new cases of COVID-19, the office of the prime minister announced that the country’s airports would close to international and private flights on 23 March, with all ports remaining closed until 5 April. St Lucia only has a few confirmed cases so far, but its schools are closed and nonessential services are shut down.

“Our aim is to virtually share Saint Lucian culture and natural beauty in an authentic way while people stay safe at home,” honourable minister of tourism Dominic Fedee said in a press release, “hopefully providing a bright spot in their days.”

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