St. Lucia Destination Guide

Visit this beautiful and historically significant bay and you will be greeted by the sight of yachts floating elegantly on the water. The historical context comes from a unique French-British skirmish that used Marigot bay as its backdrop - an English Admiral trapped a French squad in a most crafty manner. He had his troops camouflage themselves among the vegetation using palm fronds.

This good luck hill definitely has good views - of Soufrerie. Be sure to carry your camera for some great shots of the town with its quaint streets. You will also see village vistas and understand how the residents used to work at processing copra, cocoa and manioc.

Named after St. Lucia's resident Nobel Laureate, Derek Walcott, this square is an exquisite study of Victorian and colonial architecture. As you walk through the charming streets, you will see the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception standing proud in the shadow of a four-decade-old samaan tree. The Cathedral dates back to 1897.

Step into the life of a pair of fishing villages. You will see how the residents follow age-old traditions. Their curious dug-out canoes provide great visual interest for souvenir photographs.

This town can trace its origins to the French colonial rule in 1746. The oldest of St. Lucia's settlements, Soufrarie has a wonderful combination of natural and manmade points of interest. The Pitons, which tower over the horizon, stand in stark contrast to the colourful marketplace. The houses, decorated with vivid murals and gingerbread trims, seem tiny under the shadow of these giants. Another attraction here is the world's only "drive-in" volcano.

Set on the southern coast of St. Lucia, amid the towns of Vieux Fort and Soufrarie, is this charming location. Tradition and history is all around you here. Fort Citreon, the location of many a battle, now houses one lone cannon - an unforgettable sight for all who visit. There is peculiar proof of the presence of mankind from ages ago - a petroglyph or carved images in rock. The village has plenty of artists and craftsmen, with their wonderful creations available for sale. The surrounding areas also provide some of the best vistas of the island.

This tiny fishing village has everything a tourist could want - charming homes, hard-working and helpful residents, restaurants serving delectable seafood and the ability to turn itself into a festive mirror-ball of activity each Friday evening. Enjoy reggae and soca while dancing with locals up and down the little roadways. That is the way to start the weekend here!

This nature reserve covers an area of 40 acres and is home not only to a variety of tropical flora and fauna but also to some of St. Lucia's historical landmarks.

Natural beauty is all around you on this little isle, which has a walkway that joins the western coast of St. Lucia. Visit the museum and Interpretative centre for an overview of the island's history - right from the Carib Indians through the English-French battles and colonization to the present times. The museum, which occupies what used to be an English officer's mess in 1808, opens at 9am on weekdays and closes at 5pm. Admission charges are EC$0.50 for children and EC$5 for adults. You can get more information at the St. Lucia National Trust.

Once you know the basics, you can guide yourself through the sites. Most significant among these is Fort Rodney. This was the location from which Admiral Rodney of the British army watched the movements of the French ships. The Battle of the Saints, which was won by Rodney and his troops in 1782, is displayed in great detail at the museum. Another historical location is a ruined fort held by the English in the 18th century.

After all this history, if you want to wind down by soaking your feet in the cool waters of the ocean, you will find that Pigeon Island's pair of quiet beaches more than serve the purpose. Every year, these beaches are filled with activity and music during the St. Lucia Jazz festival.

Errard Plantation

Get an insider's view of life on a plantation. You will see how the fruit crops are gathered and understand the processes that make everything proceed smoothly like clockwork. The village is close to Dennery. You will make your way by road across the island, seeing the rainforest at its deepest and moving slowly out towards the coast. The high point of this tour is the polishing of the cocoa beans, which is done during the cocoa dance. Top it off with a delicious Creole meal.

La Sikwe Historical Sugar Mill and Plantation

La Sikwe is a sprawling plantation where you will be surrounded by beauty. Literally so, because it is part of a botanical garden. This popular tour is only possible if arranged in advance - your hotel staff can help you with that. You will see the history of sugar cultivation portrayed on a water wheel that is 40-feet high. There is also a theatre and museum, both worth a visit.

Marquis Estate

This is a real, working plantation, the biggest one in St. Lucia. Much of the produce from the Marquis Estate is part of St. Lucia's exports - coffee, bananas, cocoa and copra. You will enjoy a tour of the estate as it takes you on a drive along the sea, a boat trip over the Marquis River and a delectable mid-day meal at the main house.

Morne Coubaril Estate

When you walk over the roads, try to imagine sharing them with mule-driven carriages, for that was how it used to be in years gone by. Enjoy sweeping views of Soufrarie and a presentation about the processing of copra, cocoa and manioc. On the way, peek into the happenings at a worker's village.

Music plays a vital role in the lives and work of the people of St. Lucia, so your nights are bound to be set to lilting tunes and exciting times. Friday is the most happening evening, with a large number of establishments offering musical interludes and opportunities to shake a leg.

Le Chalet club at Castries, Gaiety at Gros islet and Indies Nightclub at Rodney Bay are the most popular ones for an evening of enjoyment. Plenty of hotels have some sort of musical entertainment scheduled for Friday nights. You can limbo along with the pros to the music of Steel Pan or Shak Shak bands. Or mix with the locals at Anse-La-Raye's Fish Fest Party or the "Jump Up" street dance at Gros Islet, where you can not only swing to the music but also eat delicious barbecued chicken washed down with all varieties of drinks.

But Friday is not the only festive time at St. Lucia - Wednesday evenings are equally entertaining. Live music, dancing and performances are held at a number of clubs including the Late Lime and Indies at Rodney Bay, the Lime restaurant, and the Derek Walcott Centre for Arts at the Great House Restaurant in Castries. You will be able to find music and entertainment almost everywhere on the amazing island that is St. Lucia.

St. Lucia has a happening history and vibrant cultural scene, so it is no wonder that marketers have decided to offer a new Heritage Tour to visitors. Make the most of this opportunity to understand this island and its culture.

Pigeon Island National Landmark

In the north end of Castries is Pigeon Island, now known as Pigeon Point. Packed with locations of historical interest, this is an exciting and enlightening landmark. This was the place where the Amerindians lived so many years ago. It served as a secret getaway for pirates and, later, as a base of armies. Fort Charlotte, which witnessed French-British skirmishes, now serves as a college for young St. Lucians. If you would like to see typical village life, visit the Choiseul Heritage site. You can not only pick up some artistic souvenirs but also see some wonderful scenes of natural beauty here.

Fond Latisab Creole Park - Babonneau

This 3-hour tour will take you through the typical life of a St. Lucia native. Wondering how the Amerindians lived? And how they cooked? You will find all the answers here. Everything from catching crayfish in the river to baking cassava bread and cooking on macambou leaves is exhibited here. Listen to traditional Chak Chak bands while watching the Amerindians sawing wood and collecting honey from beehives. The Babonneau community is beautiful to drive through, so you are bound to enjoy the ride to and from this location.

Castries Heritage Walk

Castries was the place where the French elite and British aristocrats lived - the real-estate gem of St. Lucia. This tour package includes some informative walks through the architectural history of St. Lucia. You will see the colonial influences and such landmarks as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Fond d'Or Nature Historic Park

History and nature come together at Fond d'Or, a perfect location for picnics and group outings. Amerindians lived here all those many years ago and traces of their life can still be seen. Hiking on the many well-planned trails here is a pastime that will reveal much of the wealth of this area. You could follow the trail out of the woods and on to the beach where Leatherback turtles come to nest. The nearby Interpretation Centre provides just the right atmosphere for resting after your walk. Nearby, the Latille Waterfall is another must-see.

Fond Doux Estate

Did you ever wonder how people lived on those sprawling plantations? Here is your chance to experience it firsthand. Tropical plants provide juicy fruit, which you can pick and taste to your heart's content. The tour also includes a full-menu Creole meal preceded by local beverages - rum punch, coconut water or fruit juice.

Morne Coubaril and Marquis Estates

This plantation is well worth the time invested in a tour. You could never explore all 40 acres of it unless you were guided around by an experienced and well-informed guide. There is everything someone could want for entertainment here - a museum, a theatre, a working village with houses and mills, a botanical garden and a restaurant. Close by is the Marquis Estate plantation, which is the source of most of the bananas, copra and crops that St. Lucia exports to the world.

An island with as much natural beauty such as St. Lucia is bound to have spectacular botanical gardens. The three main ones meet and go beyond expectations. You will be lost in the whirlwind of colour, scent and sheer beauty of these mini tropical havens.

Diamond Botanical Gardens

Awesome waterfalls and rejuvenating mineral baths are the most prominent features of these Soufrarie gardens.

Mamiku Gardens

This is a historical site and nature has added to it to make it one of the most desirable places for a tourist to visit. There are lots of walking pathways throughout the garden and scenic points have benches for you to stop and appreciate the beauty all around. The garden is located on the Vieux Fort Highway that goes around Micoud Estate's ruins.

Tropica Gardens

The northernmost of the three botanical gardens is the Tropica Garden. Brimming with beauty and the splendour of nature, this is another place you must add to your itinerary.

Maria Island

A tour of this island is well worth the time invested. You will use two modes of transport - first going to the Vieux Fort by road and then travelling over water to see some of the most spectacular creatures on earth: the Zandoli Terre lizard and the Kouwes Snake. Both these reptiles are indigenous to St. Lucia.

Fregate Island Tour

Experience life in a village where the main source of sustenance is fishing - visit Praslin. This tour first takes you to see some of the most unusual birds at the Nature Reserve. Then you can go deep into the island with the Southern Safari and see what else St. Lucia has in store for you. There is a special Heritage Sunday observed once a week in the summer.

Soufrarie

The tour begins with a visit to the awesome peaks of the Pitons that dominate Soufrarie's horizon. Moving on, you are taken to a nearby botanical garden where, among the pretty flowers, is the thundering Diamond waterfall. What could top this spectacle of nature's wonders? How about a volcano? The tour progresses through the charming town and culminates at the crater of the volcano. If you only have time for one tour, then this is it!

Anse La Raye Adventure

Approach this village and you see little houses made of wood and tiny boats bobbing in the waters. The scent of fresh baked bread wafts on the breeze. There is even a tropical waterfall to complete this serene picture.