| Mountainous and lush, St. Lucia offers a wide range of things to do amid great tropical beauty. Dive, hike, swim, sail, shop or sightsee and enjoy the tasty local cuisine at the end of the day. Find the Caribbean that used to be in places like Soufrière, a French colonial town at the base of the landmark Pitons, St. Lucia's twin peaks that rise half a mile straight out of the sea. Here and all over the country, the island's fine resorts will spoil you.
Green mountains dotted with thick jungle and sprawling banana plantations, rain forests, fertile valleys, honey-colored beaches and charming villages make St. Lucia one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean.
Sports: Hiking is a good way to experience the island's natural beauty. There are numerous trails through the large rain forest covering the southern half of St. Lucia. Among them, the Barre De L'Isle Trail features four panoramic look-out points. Horseback riding - countryside rides, beach rides and plantation tours are also popular. Scuba and snorkeling sites are impressive. Anse Chastanet, on the southwest coast near St. Lucia's twin mountain peaks of Petit Piton and Gros Piton, has an underwater reef that drops to a stunning coral wall. Rodney Bay and Marigot Bay are centers for bareboat and crewed yacht charters, while island waters are filled with king mackerel, barracuda, white marlin and dolphin.
Things To Do and See: Wrapped around a sheltered bay, the capital of Castries is a bustling place with one of the region's liveliest, most colorful markets. Here country women, often dressed in traditional garb, sell luscious fruits and vegetables, plus local handicrafts. To the south, Morne Fortune (the Hill of Good Luck) was the site of several 18th century battles between the French and British. There's a military cemetery, small museum, old cannons and spectacular look-outs. Connected to the mainland by a causeway, the Pigeon Island National Historic Park has military ruins, a museum and interpretive center and two beaches. The island's natural attractions include Mount Soufriere volcano, where visitors can actually walk into the millions-of-years-old crater; the Diamond Botanical Gardens, and the Fregate Island Nature Reserve.
Shopping: A wide variety of local handicrafts and products include artwork, wood carvings, clay pottery, clothing and house- hold items made from batik and silk-screened fabrics. straw hats and baskets, spices, coffee and bottled hot pepper sauces.
Festivals: International jazz artists perform at the St. Lucia Jazz Festival in May on Pigeon Island. There's music and dancing, plus a costume parade band competition for St. Lucia's Carnival in July.
Island Trivia: Historians believe that St. Lucia is one Caribbean island that Columbus never visited.
Language: English, French-Creole patois
Electricity: Most of the island is 220 or 230 volts.
Currency: The Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$), however, nearly all hotels and all but the smallest restaurants bills in U.S. dollars. |
