Those who think that it is time to point to new horizons then travel to Saint Lucia, but where is Saint Lucia? It is located a few kilometres south of Martinique, in the Caribbean Sea, in the north of Venezuela, and on North American territory, which is why English, Creole, and a little French are spoken here. Supposedly, you need a St Lucia tourist visa to travel the country. You can choose your nationality and check St Lucia visa requirements. The Island of Saint Lucia is a small independent state belonging to the Commonwealth that separated from the United Kingdom in 1979. It is a tiny territory of just 600 square kilometres, about 10 kilometres wide by about 60 kilometres long. But I don't want to bore you, let's get to the facts! Although it is a very small territory, it is a beautiful place. Here I'll give you 11 reasons why you should travel to Saint Lucia right now. Surely you have no idea what to do in Saint Lucia, but here I will tell you everything you can do so that you have many unforgettable moments in these Caribbean lands.
1. Enjoy the Friday Night Party
One of the biggest attractions on the island of Saint Lucia tourism is attending the Friday Night Party, an unbeatable occasion to experience the Caribbean party, mingle with local people, and dance until the wee hours of the morning. The Friday Night Party is a night street party that takes place on Friday nights in various places on the island. The most famous is that of Gros Islet (next to Rodney Bay), with Dauphine Street being the busiest of all. Along Dauphin Street, you can find dozens of street stalls serving all kinds of food. There were from dumplings to grilled lobsters, through all kinds of skewers, battered vegetables, or portions of gratin pasta. In the same way, you can find all kinds of drinks, from soda or homemade juice to any type of alcoholic beverage. After dinner, you can continue to enjoy the night at any street music point. At the end of Dauphine Street, near the sea, there are giant speakers where people gather to dance to the rhythm of Zouk, reggae, or commercial pop. You can enjoy the night until sunrise, although it is recommended to go home around two o'clock, since, from that time, robberies on tourists tend to increase.
2. Tour the west coast of the island
The west coast of the island is spectacular and one of the best places in Saint Lucia, especially the route that goes from Castries to Soufriere. In Castries, you will be struck by its spectacular bay, or you will be able to see the president's house, easily accessible from the road. You cannot enter, but you can see the luxurious building and its imposing gardens. Later, you will find postcard-worthy landscapes full of coconut trees and small boats. But, without a doubt, the most spectacular image is that of the two pythons, the most emblematic symbol of the island. The pythons are two mountains of triangular orography and a steep slope that, despite not being too high (798 meters), are impressive due to their shape and the geographical contrast they represent as they are right next to the sea. From the road, there are several points of view, the most beautiful being the one that allows you to observe the town of Soufriere at the same time.
3. Explore the Soufriere volcano and go for a mud bath
One of the most spectacular activities that can be done on the island in case you wonder what to do in Saint Lucia is to visit the volcano, right next to the town that has the same name. The entrance allows you to walk through an extensive area full of fissures and black volcanic waters that give off a rather horrible stench. At the end of the 15-minute tour, a guide gives you a brief explanation of the origin of the place. Finally, you can pay for the ticket to have access to the bathing area. There are several thermal pools with hot water and a few buckets of mud to cover the entire body with mud—the perfect place to relax and get a skin treatment.
4. Watch the sunset from the magnificent western beaches
If the west coast is the most beautiful on the island and the sun sets in the west, this means that, at the end of the day, you should not miss a sunset from one of its stunning beaches. Many choose to enjoy it on Soufriere Bay beach in the company of their friends, although Anse Chastanet is also recommended. Still, it is more difficult to access due to its rugged road. Another excellent option is Sugar Beach, which I will tell you about below.
5. Climb to Gros Piton and then cool off at Sugar Beach
A more sporty and intense option is to make the ascent to Gros Piton. From the main road, there is a detour that takes you to the entrance of the national park. There, you pay the entrance (around 30 US dollars), and they assign you a guide to accompany you to the top. The presence of the guide is mandatory since, after the death of some tourists, it was considered that doing the ascent alone was too dangerous. Finally, after 3 hours of hard climb, you have the reward of being on top of the largest emblem on the island. Of course, if the day is not clear, the views will not be great, and, in addition, they are better from the road that leads to Soufriere from the north. To recover from the effort, it is best to cool off in the impressive Sugar Beach, strategically located between the two Python mountains. I think there is nothing better than seeing a sunset flanked by the two symbols of the island. To enjoy these natural beauties, the best time to travel to Saint Lucia with good weather can be done throughout the year, although it usually rains in July, August, and September, and the island is in the hurricane area.
6. Discover the "wild east"
The east coast is much less touristy and has few points of interest. However, if you have an extra day and you like less crowded places, it is worth exploring if you travel to Saint Lucia. You may discover another side of the island. In certain cases, tourists pass through the centre and make a stop at Ravine Poisson, a small town full of metal houses, much like favelas (the ones you find in Brazil), and surrounded by thick vegetation. From there, you can head to the seaside town of Dennery, where you can enjoy a plate of spicy chicken rice while enjoying spectacular views of the coastline. Finally, further south, and after taking an inland road, you can make a stop at LaTille Falls. The eight or ten meters of the waterfall and its natural pool are nothing new for many people. However, the place, a private property run by a local family, has its charm, as it is very well cared for. The favourite place of many is the pond at the entrance because you can sit down, put your feet in the water, and wait for hundreds of small fish to give you a free peeling session.
7. Visit Pigeon Island National Park (Gros Islet)
At the northern tip of the island, just above the village of Gros Islet, is the Pigeon Island National Park. It is worth paying the entrance fee (around the US $10) and spending two or three hours exploring the place. Completely different activities can be performed in a small area. You can enjoy exclusive little stands (you can even snorkel or dive) and, minutes later, climb up to Fort Rodney and continue up Sugar Hill to admire the spectacular views of Rodney Bay and its turquoise waters. Along the way, you come across different ruins of military buildings from the old wars between the French and the English. Sea, mountains, and history concentrated in less than 5 square kilometres.
8. Taste culinary specialities
Now that you know where is Saint Lucia, you will realize that although it is a territory with 180,000 inhabitants, it is a sovereign nation with its own traditions, customs, history, currency, laws, and its own culinary specialities. If you want to eat something very typical of the country, have a Chicken Roti, a huge pancake rolled with chicken, potato, and mustard that would rid a horse of hunger. To drink, try the typical "Simos", an energy drink made from a dried marine plant to which spices, sugar, and, optionally, cognac are added. You can also add peanuts. It is like a kind of potion with a sweet taste and thick texture. They say that there is nothing better for the virility of a man. You should know that the food of Saint Lucia is a mixture of diverse European, American and African cultures. A good part of their dishes is spicy and very seasoned, in the pure Caribbean style. Real delicacies are made with sweet potato, arrowroot, and cassava roots. The culinary specialities are also oriented to the use of fish and seafood with a touch of French cuisine and a touch of the Creole hand. They also serve beef imported from Argentina and have a special predilection for barbecues. Since the 16th century, rum has been the quintessential drink in the Caribbean islands. You can also get various brands of beers and delicious tropical fruit juices whose mix -coconut with papaya, strawberry with coconut, banana with strawberry and coconut, etc. gives rise to the original names with which they have been baptized. These can be served with or without alcohol.
9. Historical-cultural walks in Santa Lucia
Less than 200,000 people live here, most of them of African descent, and almost all of them are Catholic. The island used to survived thanks to the cultivation of bananas, although now, it has turned to Saint Lucia tourism. The culture has, of course, African influences and is very interesting, as is its history. You can learn about this history if you take one of the historical-cultural walks that it proposes. The first walk is, of course, through the city of Castries, it's capital. Some guides make the tour of the old town and its old buildings, talking about architecture and history. The city is beautiful and the point of arrival on the island. Another walk takes you to the Fond Latisab Creole Park in Babonneau. It is about visiting a community called Fond Assau that is located in Babonneau. In this place, you can learn about the traditional way of life of the island, fishing, cooking, hunting. And finally, the third historical-cultural tour is the visit to Pigeon Island (mentioned above), the place with the most history of all. Aboriginal people once lived here; it was a hideout for pirates and a military base. There is Fort Charlotte, a place of clashes between the French and the English, and the Choiseul village, a site with beautiful landscapes, history, and crafts.
10. Enjoy the water activities
Amy Winehouse was in Saint Lucia for six restful months, and with her presence, the fame of the Caribbean island grew and began to be on everyone's lips as a vacation spot. She had the opportunity to enjoy the sea by boat. Yes, like every island in the Caribbean, it offers many activities in the water. Think that on one side, you have the turquoise Caribbean Sea, and beyond the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, one of the most popular activities here is fishing. Sailors and fishermen can rent any boat for sea in almost any corner of Saint Lucia and embark on the adventure of deep-sea fishing in search of the large fish that swim there. Among the water sports, if you travel to Saint Lucia, there is also the possibility of practising windsurfing, snorkelling, water skiing, and parasailing. Those who practice windsurfing will be able to try the waves of Cas en Bas and Vieux Fort, and if you are just starting in this, it will be convenient for you to go to the west coast. In all the hotels, they will supply you with equipment, and as there are several windsurfing centres on the island, you will have plenty of instructors. There are also many companies dedicated to snorkelling tours, and they work in conjunction with hotels, so you don't even have to walk to the beach to hire one. And about water skiing and parasailing, there is a space for all categories of athletes, but please do not miss the panoramic parasailing flight over Rodney Bay. Precisely in this place and in Marigot Bay is where the most important marinas of Santa Lucia are, places where you can rent yachts and boats to go out for a walk or reach neighbouring islands such as the Grenadines.
11. The trails of the tropical forest of Santa Lucia
Saint Lucia, the smallest island in the Caribbean Sea, is a paradise island that in recent years has become very popular with international tourism, mainly among Europeans and Americans. The truth is that it is a place whose nature does not make you want to even light a cigarette. But well, if we talk about nature, we cannot ignore the beautiful tropical forest, one of the best places in Saint Lucia. It is in the mountainous interior of the island, located about 548 meters above sea level. It occupies an area of 7700 hectares and a total of 46 km of trails prepared for you to get lost in them. In this tropical forest live many exotic plants and birds; everything is colourful and exuberant. Tiny hummingbirds are flying among the flowers, dozens of fragrant orchids, parakeets on top of palm trees, and smells and colours everywhere. This forest remained untouched for centuries as the Arawak Indians associated it with evil spirits. Here lives the national bird of Saint Lucia, the Amazona Versicolor or Jacquot. It is a small bird that is in danger of extinction but lives here protected. Well, I told you that there is 46 km of special trails for hikers, so let's see what they are: There is the Barre De L'isle trail: it is not very difficult to follow, it has a cliff that divides the reserve into two parts, and it takes an hour to travel 1.5 km and an hour more to climb the cliff itself. Des Cartier Trail: this one is more difficult. You go through the Mahaut botanical garden, and part of it can be done by car. Then there is a 2 km path to walk. Edmund Forest Reserve Trail: this one is also difficult to follow and lasts about 3 and a half hours, but you can see everything: birds, bromeliads, mushrooms, orchids, lianas, trees with huge roots and wonderful smells and colours. En Bas Saut Trail: this one has moderate difficulty. It is within the Central Rainforest Reserve, an area of 19 thousand hectares east of Soufriere and at the foot of the highest mountain in Saint Lucia, the Gimie. There are waterfalls and lots of wildlife. To enter all these trails, it is necessary to obtain a permit from the Department of Forests and Lands. And, for now, this is all I wanted to say about the island of Saint Lucia. Now, it is your turn to speak. What did you think of this curious country? Did you know the best places in Saint Lucia? Would you add (or take away) something else to this list of the best reasons to travel to Saint Lucia?
