Comparison St. Lucia and DR

[Hlywud]

My recent vacation pictures are posted http://www.worldisround.com/articles/132404/ , review is still being written for Debbies Caribbean Resort Reviews.

The DR content needed now follows with some general comparisons between the DR and St. Lucia

Language in St. Lucia is English with a Patois (Creole Dialect) if you know some French and listen closely you can understand a bit. No language barrier.

Money EC dollar, $2.50 EC = 1$US, US is accepted everywhere.

DR has more beaches, in St. Lucia mountains plunge into the sea but where the beaches are they are spectacular with high visibility and calm water, beautiful bays and lagoons, some of the best diving and snorkelling in the Caribbean.

Towns and villages in St. Lucia, even though there is similar poverty, buildings are similar to the DR, a municipal water system covers the island and is potable but what is noticably missing is the garbage strewn on roadsides that we see in the DR, sanitary landfills and garbage pickup are the norm in St. Lucia. Very clean in St. Lucia. Largest city is Castries (64M) (Santo Domingo 2,100M), very cosmopolitan and modern city with decent roads. Total island population 153M (DR 8,338M)

Density of population St. Lucia 647 per sq. mile (DR391per sq mile)
Size DR - 18,696 Sq Miiles St. Lucia 239 sq miles

Driving, definitely like the DR, crazy and possibly crazier because they use the wrong side of the road. Robert could do it being from the other side of the pond

People like in the DR are very warm and friendly.

Literacy: no schooling age 25 & Up in St. Lucia is around 18% while the DR is 48%

Religions both countries are approximately 90% roman Catholic.

Real Estate is St. Lucia on average is more than 3 times similar in the DR.

Cost of living, very high in St. Lucia, it is not a cheap island, but also wages are much higher than in the DR. Aproximately 25% unemployment rate. DR 28%

GNP St. Lucia .5 billion US DR 8 biilion
Public Debt St. Lucia 96 million DR 3.76 billion

Tourism recepts 221 Million US in St. Lucia and 1.14 billion US in the DR.

Just a few facts!
It takes a decent driver 2 hours to travel 26 miles from Castries to Vieux Fort along the west coast road due to the hills and winding in and out around the mountains, an absolutely beautiful drive, similar to those who know the back route from Islabon to Santiago via Moca.

Sources Altapedia Online

While I love the DR, St. Lucia is a much smaller island and overall is more lush and tropical than the DR, weather is consistant day in and day out. A beautiful spot to visit.

 

[deelt]

Based on my understanding of St. Lucia, the country has recognized its competitive advantage and as take on a more public role to be a more environmetally sustainable country. They are seriously looking at the use of alternative and renewable sources of energy among other progressive positions. St Lucia is also the host of the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute, http://www.cehi.org.lc/

Check where some of their stategies came from:
http://www.canari.org/tourism.pdf

Canari is one of the leading environmentally-focused org in the region.

Lastly, there are many Trinidadians over there in St. Lucia. Trinidad has cutting edge schools...they have invested their oil monies wisely which is more than what can be said for DR. Everytime I meet some one from there I always come aways impressed with the quality of the people and their work.

Just my two chavos

While I love the DR, St. Lucia is a much smaller island and overall is more lush and tropical than the DR, weather is consistant day in and day out. A beautiful spot to visit.

 

[Dolores1]

Spent five days in St. Lucia last summer. Did some traveling, would have liked to do more, but no way were we renting a car (they drive on the opposite side) and everything there was very very expensive compared to the DR at the time.

My conclusion is that what St. Lucia has over DR is only marketing. They are getting US$700 the night for rooms that the DR is getting US$100. Visited one hotel where they are charging US$800 per room without a/c, TV, even telephone in the room. Again, that's niche marketing.

If I were them, I would stick to high priced boutique hotels with Caribbean charm. But they are about to make the same mistakes as we have and cater to the mass market bringing in big resorts with lots of rooms in time for the world cricket event. If that happens, they will end up getting US$200 for the same room, at most.

Some areas in St. Lucia reminded me of Samana.

 

[MoReNiTa GuApA]

Glad to hear....

That most of you enjoyed St. Lucia. Yeah it is my home country, but I prefer to visit the DR more frequently than St. Lucia simply because of the high prices.

Hillbilly: what do you prefer Piton or Presidente? lol

 

[MoReNiTa GuApA]

Oops....

sorry I meant WUD. :ermm:

 

[Ken]

I've spent a total of 5 months on St. Lucia and agree the people are friendly, the island is cleaner than the DR, and there is a lot beautiful scenery I prefer the DR for a number of reasons. Among them, I have never felt like I was on an island even though I have lived here for 19 years, but it doesn't take long on St Lucia and the other islands in the chain to know you are on an island. Also, I find the people warmer in the DR than in St. Lucia.

 

[Hlywud]

Dolores

Spent five days in St. Lucia last summer. Did some traveling, would have liked to do more, but no way were we renting a car (they drive on the opposite side) and everything there was very very expensive compared to the DR at the time.

My conclusion is that what St. Lucia has over DR is only marketing. They are getting US$700 the night for rooms that the DR is getting US$100. Visited one hotel where they are charging US$800 per room without a/c, TV, even telephone in the room. Again, that's niche marketing.

If I were them, I would stick to high priced boutique hotels with Caribbean charm. But they are about to make the same mistakes as we have and cater to the mass market bringing in big resorts with lots of rooms in time for the world cricket event. If that happens, they will end up getting US$200 for the same room, at most.

Some areas in St. Lucia reminded me of Samana.

I can agree with your stements, niche marketing and catering to the "Robin Leach" clientele, there are also many more luxury yachts that seek harboring in St. Lucia but these guys definitely have the $$$'s

Generally also, everything is very much more expensive in St. Lucia but still a beautiful spot to visit. I went due to an incredible "special" otherwise I would be were the masses are, in the DR.

Pitons and Presidente are very similar in taste, as long as ice cold there are no bad beers, Pitons was a much smaller bottle though.

 

[Ken]

The St Lucia equivalent of the Dominican guagua is in much better condition and less crowded.

 

[marliejaneca]

Wud,
Largest city is Castries (64M) (Santo Domingo 2,100M), very cosmopolitan and modern city with decent roads. Total island population 153M (DR 8,338M)

I am confused in reading this. I understand the total pop is 153 million-right,so the way I read this you are saying Castries has 64 milliion - which is not right-right?
I know I am not reading this right, can you explain to me what you are saying. I am assuming (not smart probably) that SD has 2.1 million? This seems low to me as well, when I lived in the DR 12 years ago, SD was boasting a population of over 3 million, has it decreased that much?
Sorry, I am not nit-picking, I just wouldn't think that the largest city in St. Lucia would have 64 million people living in it ?
P.S. Nice pics, did you ever inquire to who owns your "future" home in the hills - must be someone of extreme importance to own a "shack" like that !!!!

 

[Hlywud]

Wud,
Largest city is Castries (64K) (Santo Domingo 2.1M), very cosmopolitan and modern city with decent roads. Total island population 153K (DR 8.338M)

I am confused in reading this. I understand the total pop is 153 thousand right,so the way I read this you are saying Castries has 64 thousand -. I am assuming (not smart probably) that SD has 2.1 million? This seems low to me as well, when I lived in the DR 12 years ago, SD was boasting a population of over 3 million, has it decreased that much?
,
P.S. Nice pics, did you ever inquire to who owns your "future" home in the hills - must be someone of extreme importance to own a "shack" like that !!!!

My mistake the K is right above the M, k for thousands and M for Millions,

when I win the lottery I will own that home.