What you need to know about Balenbouche and St Lucia

Mosquitoes are always present to an extent, but they are not as bad here as in the summer months in the northern hemisphere. We have several ways of controlling mosquitoes, including mosquito eating fish and BT (Bacillus Thuringiensis, a naturally occurring bacteria which destroys the larvae). After you’ve lived on the island for a while, your body adjusts and mosquitoes don’t bother you much.

For our Balenbouche estate guests, the best defenses are: Sleeping under the mosquito nets, wearing repellent and light, long-sleeved clothing, burning citronella or incense, and using the standing fans. Some insect bites are caused by sand flies found on or near the beach and in large grassy or sandy areas. Mosquito borne viruses such as Dengue Fever, Chikungunya and Zika break out periodically, but the risk to visitors is very low and they rarely cause serious complications.

Yes, most definitely, since we are surrounded by nature and the buildings are open plan and not screened. However, there is nothing poisonous or really harmful! The insects you will typically encounter are mosquitoes, moths, spiders, beetles and roaches. We strongly advise that you put all food in the fridge or plastic containers, and the organic waste in the small buckets with lids. We do put out roach bait, but try to minimize the use of toxic chemicals. We live more or less in harmony with the ecosystem and encourage our visitors to try the same. So, if you are squeamish about bugs, Balenbouche Estate is not for you!

The most common wildlife are birds, lizards (anoles), geckos, the small coqui frogs and the large cane toads. These all help control the insect population. Apart from that, you might catch a glimpse of a possum, mongoose, tree rat or mouse. Rodents are kept in check by our cats, and occasional traps. Finally, we have 3 tortoises, a few cows, two horses, and 6 friendly dogs. The dogs serve as security, tour guides and companions. As much as we seek to co-exist with all life in and around our property, please do let us know if any of the large or small critters become a nuisance.

The crime rate on the island is fairly high, so we like to be cautious. As a general rule, lock your valuables in the rooms/closets provided or leave them with us for safekeeping. We also lock our bedrooms at night, and suggest you do the same. Our dogs do a good job of alerting us whenever someone enters the property, and our family and staff who live on property is always on alert. All st lucia beaches are public, so we cannot control access. Please do not take any valuables to the beach, and report any suspicious activity on or near the property.

The tap water is drinkable and comes from a nearby spring, after which it is treated and piped in by public works. Up until 1998, we used only rain and river water, and still have this as a back up and for watering plants etc. We filter the tap water with a simple Brita filter which takes out some of the chlorine and improves the taste. We discourage the use of single use plastic bottles. As you know, the quality of bottled water is often not even as good as tap water.

All our cottages are equipped with a fire extinguisher, and we have an extensive first aid kit at the main house. Your room keys have a small whistle or alarm which you can activate in an emergency. On occasion, we experience heavy storms or flooding. For this there will be adequate warning and we will take all necessary precautions. Earthquakes are rare but small tremors do occur.

Our liability policy currently only covers certain organized tours. We are not responsible for any injuries or lost and stolen items. Please take the necessary precautions such as reading the information and signage provided, keeping your valuable items in a safe place, and making responsible choices in keeping with your health and level of fitness. We encourage getting an individual travel insurance and/or checking with your credit card company what it covers.

The nearest ambulance is stationed 15 minutes away, the closest health center 10 minutes and the nearest hospital (St Judes) 20 minutes.  Medical services on the island however are basic and serious injuries or special procedures are often done in Martinique. The private hospital up north (Tapion) probably offers the best care, but there is also a brand new hospital OKEU. The old Victoria Hospital has now become the designated respiratory clinic for Covid patients.