Explore the real-world places that appear in My Best Friend's Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Hewanorra International Airport, Jade Mountain Resort, Anse Chastanet Beach, The Pitons, Soufrière Sulphur Springs and 8 more.
Vieux Fort — Elsie and Ginny arrive for the honeymoon
Elsie and Ginny land here at the start of their week together, arriving on what was supposed to be Elsie's honeymoon flight with her now-ex-fiancé. The airport arrival marks the story's true beginning — Elsie nervous and raw from her broken engagement, Ginny buzzing with something she refuses to name. As they step off the plane into Caribbean heat, Ginny lays out the terms of their deal: for one week, Elsie has to ask for everything she wants. It's the moment the honeymoon — and everything it will become — officially starts.
Hewanorra International Airport, opened in 1971 in the southern city of Vieux Fort, is Saint Lucia's main international gateway. It replaced smaller airstrips and enabled large-scale tourism on the island. A major terminal expansion was completed in the 2010s to handle growing visitor numbers.
Hewanorra remains Saint Lucia's primary international airport, serving flights from North America, Europe, and the Caribbean. A significant modernization project has been underway to expand the terminal and improve passenger facilities. It is the arrival point for most tourists visiting the island.
Visit: Hewanorra International Airport (landmark)
Soufrière — The honeymoon resort, their home for the week
Jade Mountain is the extravagant resort where Elsie's ex-fiancé booked their honeymoon, and where Elsie and Ginny spend their transformative week. Each room — called a sanctuary — is open-walled on one side, looking directly out at the Piton mountains and the Caribbean Sea. Ginny and Elsie share the intimate space, the lack of a fourth wall making it impossible to ignore how close they are. It is in this sanctuary that Elsie first asks Ginny for a kiss, that the two of them begin to unravel the years of unspoken feeling between them, and where Ginny finally allows herself to hope.
Jade Mountain was designed by architect Nick Troubetzkoy and opened in 2006 as an expansion of the adjacent Anse Chastanet Resort, which itself has operated since 1968. The resort is famous for its dramatic cantilevered architecture, with each sanctuary deliberately missing its fourth wall to frame the Pitons. It has been repeatedly named among the world's most romantic hotels.
Jade Mountain Resort continues to operate as one of the Caribbean's most celebrated luxury properties. It offers infinity pools in each sanctuary, a world-class spa, STAR (Star Trek Astronomical Research) observatory, and farm-to-table dining. It remains a top destination for honeymoons and romantic travel.
Visit: Jade Mountain Resort (landmark)
Soufrière — Beachside mornings and the first real conversations
Elsie and Ginny spend lazy mornings on the dark volcanic sands of Anse Chastanet Beach, where the water is improbably clear and the Pitons loom in the distance. Here Elsie practices asking — for a second rum punch, for sunscreen on her back, for Ginny to stay close — and begins to understand that asking for what she wants feels terrifying only until it doesn't. The beach is where the charged silences between them become impossible to ignore, where hands touch and linger and neither of them pulls away.
Anse Chastanet is one of Saint Lucia's most scenic and beloved beaches, tucked into a sheltered bay near the town of Soufrière. Its dark volcanic sand is characteristic of the island's southern geology, and its protected waters make it a premier snorkeling site with vibrant coral reef systems just offshore.
Anse Chastanet Beach is accessible to both resort guests and day visitors. The bay is renowned for snorkeling and diving, with a coral reef starting just meters from shore. Beach chairs, watersports equipment, and food and drink service are available through the adjacent resort.
Visit: Anse Chastanet Beach (park)
Soufrière — Gros Piton & Petit Piton, the iconic twin peaks
The Pitons are the backdrop to almost everything Elsie and Ginny do during their week in Saint Lucia — visible from their open sanctuary, from the beach, from the water. Ginny, who has spent years cataloguing all the ways she loves Elsie, thinks the Pitons are almost too on-the-nose: two peaks that have always existed side by side, dramatic and inseparable. The two of them hike Gros Piton together, and the physical challenge of the climb becomes its own kind of honesty — sweat-soaked and breathless at the summit, Elsie grabs Ginny's hand and doesn't let go.
The Pitons — Gros Piton (798 meters) and Petit Piton (743 meters) — are volcanic spires formed approximately 250,000 years ago and are Saint Lucia's most recognizable landmarks. They were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004 as part of the Pitons Management Area, recognized for their outstanding natural beauty and ecological significance.
Gros Piton is open for guided hikes, which are mandatory and can be arranged through the Saint Lucia National Trust. The hike takes approximately 3–4 hours round trip and rewards climbers with panoramic views of the island and Caribbean Sea. Petit Piton is a more technical climb and less frequently attempted by casual visitors.
Visit: Gros Piton Nature Trail (park)
Soufrière — The drive-in volcano, a comic and tender excursion
Elsie and Ginny visit the Sulphur Springs on one of their excursion days, navigating the bubbling, sulfurous landscape together. Elsie, who has spent her whole adult life going along with what others plan, is delighted to have chosen this herself. Ginny watches her with barely concealed adoration as Elsie grimaces at the smell and laughs anyway, scraping grey volcanic mud onto her arms because she wants to, because she asked for this. The absurdity of the setting — smelling of rotten eggs, covered in mud — becomes one of their most tender moments.
Saint Lucia's Sulphur Springs, located near Soufrière, is often marketed as the world's only drive-in volcano — a collapsed volcanic crater visitors can enter by vehicle or on foot. The site features active fumaroles, boiling mud pools, and mineral-rich springs, and has been a tourist attraction since the 18th century when French soldiers allegedly bathed in the thermal waters on the orders of King Louis XVI.
The Sulphur Springs Park is a managed tourist attraction operated by the Saint Lucia National Trust. Visitors can tour the volcanic crater with a local guide, bathe in the adjacent thermal mineral pools, and apply the famous grey volcanic mud, which is said to have skin-rejuvenating properties. It is one of Saint Lucia's most-visited sites.
Visit: Sulphur Springs Park (park)
Soufrière — A lush excursion, Ginny confesses her feelings take shape
Elsie chooses the Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens because she wants to — because Ginny told her she could want things — and Ginny falls even more irrevocably in love watching Elsie stand beneath a cascade of mineral-colored water, dripping and delighted. The gardens become the setting for one of the novel's most intimate exchanges, where Ginny very nearly tells Elsie how she has felt for nearly fifteen years. They photograph each other in front of the waterfall, the images capturing a before-and-after they won't recognize until later.
The Diamond Estate has existed since 1765 when King Louis XVI of France granted the land to the Devaux family, who developed the mineral baths for French troops. The botanical gardens surrounding Diamond Falls were developed over subsequent centuries, with the waterfall fed by volcanic mineral springs that give it its distinctive amber and green hues.
Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens and Mineral Baths is a privately owned attraction open to visitors daily. The grounds feature tropical gardens, the famous multi-colored waterfall, and restored mineral baths where visitors can swim. It is one of Saint Lucia's most picturesque and frequently visited sites near Soufrière.
Visit: Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens and Mineral Baths (historic site)
Between Soufrière and Anse La Raye — Snorkeling and a turning point
Elsie asks to go snorkeling, which surprises even her — she would never have suggested something like this before the deal. Ginny rents equipment and guides her into the water at Anse Cochon, one of the island's best snorkeling bays. Underwater, everything is quiet and weightless. When Elsie surfaces, gasping and grinning, she grabs Ginny's arm to point at something she saw, and Ginny thinks: this. This is everything. The easy physical contact between them has shifted into something charged and deliberate by the time they swim back to shore.
Anse Cochon is a small, remote bay accessible primarily by boat or a steep trail, which has helped preserve its coral reef system. The area was once used for fishing and is part of the broader marine ecosystem along Saint Lucia's west coast. Its relative seclusion has made it a favorite of divers and snorkelers.
Anse Cochon Beach is a popular stop on snorkeling and diving boat excursions departing from Soufrière and other west coast towns. The bay features vibrant coral reefs, calm water, and a small beach. Day-trippers typically arrive by catamaran as part of organized island tours.
Visit: Anse Cochon Beach (park)
Castries — A day trip to the capital, Elsie learns to ask strangers, too
Ginny brings Elsie to Castries for a day away from the resort, insisting that the 'ask for what you want' deal applies in markets too. Elsie, who has always been politely indecisive, makes herself ask the vendors for tastes, for prices, for recommendations, for the story behind the spices. She buys Ginny a small carved turtle because she wants Ginny to have it, and watching Ginny's face when she hands it over, she understands for the first time how much she has been withholding — not just from others, but from herself.
Castries Central Market, housed in a distinctive green iron structure near the waterfront, has been the commercial heart of Saint Lucia's capital since the 19th century. The original market building dates to 1894 and was partially destroyed by fire multiple times, with the current structure rebuilt in the early 20th century.
Castries Market operates daily and is divided into the main covered market selling fresh produce, spices, and local foods, and the craft market next door offering souvenirs, local art, and handmade goods. It is a major stop on cruise ship itineraries and a lively hub of local commerce.
Visit: Castries Central Market (landmark)
Marigot — A sunset sail and the night everything changes
Elsie asks for a sunset catamaran sail, and they spend the golden hour on the water, rum punches in hand, the sky going coral and violet above Marigot Bay. This is the evening Elsie asks Ginny for more than a kiss — asks with full knowledge of what she's asking, her voice steady for the first time. Ginny, who has held herself together for fifteen years, finally lets herself believe. They return to the resort changed, the sail marking the definitive turning point from best friends to something irreversible and wonderful.
Marigot Bay is one of the Caribbean's most beautiful and historically significant natural harbors. British Admiral Rodney allegedly hid his fleet here from the French by disguising ships with palm fronds during the 18th century. It has appeared in several films, including the original Doctor Dolittle (1967), and attracted yachters and sailors for generations.
Marigot Bay is a thriving hub for sailing yachts and water-based tourism. The bay is lined with restaurants, a marina, boutique hotels, and ferry docks. Sunset catamaran cruises regularly depart from and pass through the bay, making it one of Saint Lucia's most scenic and visited spots.
Visit: Marigot Bay (landmark)
Soufrière — A candlelit dinner Elsie plans entirely herself
For one of their dinners, Elsie takes over all the planning — Ginny's challenge to her, her proof that she can want things and ask for them without prompting. She books a table at the open-air restaurant at Ladera, perched on the ridge with an unobstructed view of the Pitons. Over a candlelit meal she ordered herself, Elsie talks about her ex-fiancé for the first time with real clarity — not grief, but relief — and Ginny listens without filling the silence, letting Elsie arrive at her own realizations. It is the night Elsie admits she has never before chosen anything for herself.
Ladera Resort was established in the 1990s on the ridge between Gros and Petit Piton, designed with open-wall rooms and suites facing the twin peaks. The resort's restaurant has long been regarded as one of Saint Lucia's finest dining experiences, emphasizing locally sourced ingredients and panoramic Piton views.
Ladera Resort's Dasheene Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for both guests and non-guests. It is consistently rated among Saint Lucia's best restaurants, known for Caribbean-inspired cuisine and what is arguably the island's most dramatic dining view. Reservations are recommended.
Visit: Dasheene Restaurant at Ladera (restaurant)
Gros Islet — The novel's emotional homestretch, near the airport shuttle
As the honeymoon week draws to its end, Elsie and Ginny find themselves in the north of the island, near Rodney Bay, with the clock running down. The proximity of departure makes everything feel more urgent — Ginny braces for the end of the week to mean the end of everything, for Elsie to retreat once they're back in their real lives. But Elsie, who has spent seven days practicing asking for what she wants, asks Ginny the most important question of all: whether they can try, for real, once they're home. It is the answer to nearly fifteen years of waiting.
Rodney Bay was developed from a swamp in the 1970s when the United States military dredged the area to create what became one of the Caribbean's premier sailing marinas. Named after British Admiral George Rodney, the area has grown into the island's main tourist and nightlife district, anchored by the marina.
Rodney Bay Marina is a full-service yacht marina accommodating hundreds of vessels and serving as a hub for charter sailing, boat rentals, and water sports. The surrounding area is Saint Lucia's most developed tourist zone, with hotels, restaurants, shopping, and nightlife. The marina hosts the annual ARC transatlantic yacht race.
Visit: Rodney Bay Marina (landmark)
Gros Islet — History and open sky, a moment of pure joy
Elsie and Ginny spend an afternoon exploring Pigeon Island, climbing the ruins of Fort Rodney to stand at the top of the island and look out over the Atlantic and Caribbean simultaneously. Ginny, who has always been the one to suggest adventures, is moved watching Elsie stride up the hill first, not waiting to be led. At the summit, Elsie says she never knew she could feel like this — free and certain at the same time. Ginny doesn't say I know, though she does. She just takes her hand.
Pigeon Island has been strategically significant since the 18th century, when British Admiral Rodney used it as a base to monitor French movements in Martinique before his decisive victory at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782. Originally a true island, it was connected to the mainland by a causeway built in the 1970s. The site preserves military ruins, barracks, and fortifications from the colonial era.
Pigeon Island National Landmark is managed by the Saint Lucia National Trust and is open to visitors daily. The site includes ruins of Fort Rodney, an 18th-century signal station, a small museum, beach access, and restaurants. The landmark also hosts the annual Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival on its grounds.
Visit: Pigeon Island National Landmark (historic site)
Soufrière Waterfront — The sail that begins the unraveling
Early in the week, Ginny books a group catamaran tour departing from the Soufrière waterfront as a low-stakes way to ease Elsie into asking for things. On the boat, surrounded by other tourists and crew, Elsie has to ask the bartender for her drink, ask a stranger to take their photo, ask Ginny to move closer so they fit in the frame. Each small ask loosens something in her. By the time they sail past the Pitons from the water, Elsie's hand is resting on Ginny's knee and neither of them mentions it.
The Soufrière waterfront has served as a departure point for fishing vessels and inter-island transport for centuries. The town of Soufrière, established by French colonists in the 17th century, was Saint Lucia's first European settlement and later capital. Catamaran and sailing tours became a mainstay of the local tourist economy beginning in the 1980s.
Catamaran and sailing tours depart regularly from the Soufrière waterfront and nearby jetties, offering day trips along the west coast to the Pitons, snorkeling stops, and Marigot Bay. Multiple operators offer shared and private charters, making it one of the most popular visitor activities in the south of the island.
Visit: Soufrière Waterfront Jetty (tour)
More by Meryl Wilsner: All Meryl Wilsner books
Other nearby maps: Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe locations map