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Central America & Caribbean
St Lucia
vital statistics
- Castries
- 184,000
- English
- East Caribbean dollar
If the idea of lush peaks watching over harbours and beaches floats your luxury yacht then a visit to this Caribbean island, part of the Lesser Antilles, might just suit. Sure, you can drop and flop at any of the luxe resorts on its coastline, but there’s so much more to do as well. Zip-line through the forest near Rodney Bay, check out the changing colours of the Diamond Waterfall before taking a soak in the adjacent mineral baths, or hike through the rainforest at the foot of Mount Gimlie to see amazing birds. Of course, there is also action aplenty on the water, from whale watching to kitesurfing and scuba diving.
Don’t miss out on the biggest party of the year, the St Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, held in the capital Castries every May. But at other times, the town of Soufrière is a better bet for visitors. Located on a crescent bay, its colourful village is backed by the island’s major features, the two huge mountains, know as the Pitons, that erupt from the sea.