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St Lucia map
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Airport
There are two airports in St Lucia and it may be important which one you fly into.
In the north of the island is George FL Charles Airport (SLU) or ‘Vigie’, which is situated conveniently close to the capital Castries and to the hotels in the north of the island. It is the ‘local’ airport, which handles Caribbean flights (no bigger than 50 seats) from no further afield than San Juan in Puerto Rico. Many of the hotels are in the north of the island and so if you have the choice (ie you are coming from another Caribbean island), it will probably be most convenient to fly into here.
There are check-in desks for LIAT, American Eagle and smaller charter airlines such as SVG Air and Carib Aviation. There is a small restaurant/bar – La Vigie - a branch of the First National Bank, washrooms, telephones, a book shop, and Tambou, the duty free shop. Vigie Beach is across the road so you can enjoy a drink or snack at one of the beach shacks before departure. For arriving passengers there are several car hire booths.
Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) is the ‘long haul’ airport. Located right at the southern end of the island, close to the town of Vieux Fort, it is about an hour south of Castries. Only Hewanorra can take wide-bodied aircraft, so if you are on a transatlantic flight or arriving from the eastern seaboard of North America, you will fly into here. It is not that convenient for the hotels in the north of the island, but if you are staying near Soufrière then it is probably better to fly into this airport if you can.
In the Arrivals area you will find a number of booths and personnel for car hire companies, tour companies such as St Lucia Helicopters, a branch of the St Lucia Tourist Board and a branch of the Bank of St Lucia, which has an ATM machine. Upstairs there is a restaurant and bar with a viewing window. Beyond Immigration and Customs on departure you will find a small selection of duty free shops for locally made goods as well as the usual cigarettes and spirits and a couple of snack bars.
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Art, Artisans, Galleries
There is quite a strong art scene in St Lucia. A number of resident and local painters exhibit and sell their work around the island in studios and galleries and often in the hotels. The most renowned St Lucian artists are probably Dunstan St Omer, who designed the national flag, and Llewellyn Xavier OBE, both of whose work is known internationally and is on display. Craft is also ever present in St Lucia. As you drive around the island you are very likely to come across stalls at the roadside, some of which will have some interesting local work and are well worth a look.
Choiseul, a small waterfront town in the southwest of the island, is a creative centre of St Lucia. Local artisans produce wooden and stone carvings, paintings, pottery, baskets and calabash trinkets. It is possible to buy the products directly from the artisans’ houses or workshops, but their goods are also sold at the Choiseul Arts and Craft Centre in La Fargue and in the main market in Castries. For more information contact the Choiseul Association of Craft and Heritage Tourism (CATCH), t 459 9267/455 1244, catch@candw.lc.
Local artists include Jean Baptiste, who works in brightly coloured silk, often depicting fish and parrots, and Nigel ‘King Mansell’ Mondesir. He is one of a group of craftsmen that operate from the Look Out station above the Beacon Restaurant above Soufriere – a good spot for a view to the volcano and down over the town.
Studios and galleries to visit include:
RODNEY BAY
Arts and Craft Garden, opposite Café Claude, Rodney Bay, t 452 8181
Sells locally made and Caribbean arts and crafts, gifts, pottery and clothing. Open 9am–5pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays to Saturdays. Closed Wednesdays and Sundays.
Caribbean Art Gallery, Rodney Bay Yacht Marina, t 452 8071, caribbeanart@candw.lc
Maps and elegant old Caribbean prints as well as some modern art.
Llewellyn Xavier, Silverpoint, Cap Estate, t 450 9155, xavierl@candw.lc
Probably the best known St Lucian artist. His work is exhibited in permanent collections around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Oxford University, England, and the Barbados Museum. Viewing by appointment only.
The Inner Gallery, Reduit Beach Avenue, Rodney Bay, t 452 8728, info@theinnergallery.com, www.theinnergallery.com
Set across from The Lime restaurant in the orange Home Services building, the Inner Gallery features originals and prints from local artists including Arnold Toulon, Michelle Elliot, Jonathan Gladding, Dunstan St Omer, Cedric George and Alcina Nolley. They have another space at the Marina Village at Marigot Bay, t 458 3466, and an art supplies shop at JQ Rodney Bay Mall, t 452 0248.
West India Art Company Gallery, s.st.rose@candw.lc
Small gallery at the Hyatt Regency hotel showing work from local artists. It includes original paintings by the artist Arnold Toulon who applies paint using phone cards and etches the surface with an ice pick.
CASTRIES
Artsibit Gallery, Castries, t 452 7865, floissach@candw.lc
Local and Caribbean art including paintings, pottery, sculpture and prints. Also a framing service.
Bagshaws, Castries, t 452 7570
Unique silk screen designs available for purchase at the shop. Also an opportunity to see live demonstrations of silk screening.
Caribelle Batik, Howelton House, Castries, t 452 3785
Set in an old (supposedly haunted) house in excellent tropical gardens, with a terrace bar to take in the view, Caribelle Batik specialises in batik. The whole process is on view, from the creation of the pattern in boiling wax through dying and the removal of the wax to reveal the final product.
Eudovic’s Art Studio, Castries, t 452 2747, info@eudovicart.net,
www.eudovicart.net
Space to showcase renowned St Lucian artist Eudovic’s abstract wood carvings. He uses a variety of local wood including the stumps and roots of the extinct laurier canelle tree, found deep within the rainforest.
St Lucia Fine Art, Pointe Seraphine, t 459 0891, caribbeanart@candw.lc
Collections of Caribbean art, watercolours, oil paintings, drawings, hand painted silk, limited edition prints, antique maps, prints, mixed media and cards. They ship worldwide and provide certificates of authenticity for all their products.
The Harbour Gallery, Alliance Française, Pointe Seraphine, t 456 0899
A series of revolving artistic and photographic exhibitions held in the Alliance Francaise, the white Pyramid building on Castries harbour.
SOUFRIERE and the SOUTH
Anse Chastanet Art Gallery, Anse Chastanet Hotel, Soufrière, t 459 7000
Featuring local and visiting artists who have worked at Anse Chastanet
Livity Art Studio, between Colombette and Canaries
Set in two small buildings on the main road owned by St Lucian couple Euginia and Sabinus, who trained in Choiseul. They have a range of attractive models sculptured from calabash, chairs and weaves available for purchase. |
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Banks
Banks are open Monday – Thursday, 8am – 2pm with extended opening hours on Friday till 5pm. They are closed at weekends, but there are banks open in Rodney Bay and in the JQ shopping mall on Saturdays mornings from 8am – 12 noon. They are closed on public holidays. Banks generally require customers to show their passport and air ticket when converting foreign dollars, particularly when converting back to your home currency. Most banks have ATMs.
Castries
First Caribbean International Bank, t 456 1000, First National Bank, t 455 7000, Royal Bank of Canada, t 456 9200, Bank of St Lucia, t 456 6000
Rodney Bay
Bank of St Lucia, t 456 6023 (Gros Islet), First Caribbean Bank, t 452 9384, Royal Bank of Canada, t 752 9252, Scotiabank, t 452 8805
Soufrière
Bank of St Lucia, t 456 6000, First Caribbean Bank, t 459 7255
Vieux Fort
Bank of St Lucia, t 454 6000, First Caribbean Bank, t 454 6255, First National Bank, t 454 6213, Scotia Bank, t 454 6314
There is a branch of the Bank of St Lucia at Hewanorra Airport where you can exchange your EC Dollars back into foreign currency. A passport and ticket are required to show that you are leaving. You must also present your original exchange certificate. |
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Bars & Nightlife
St Lucia can be extremely lively and so the island is fun if you like to go out. The best nightlife is in Rodney Bay Village, where the bars, restaurants and clubs stand shoulder to shoulder along the road and the action often spills out onto the street. Some are bars only, but most restaurants will allow you into their bar for a drink. There is nowhere else on St Lucia with such a concentration of bars, but of course there are individual, usually lower key bars scattered around the island.
St Lucia’s most famous evening out is Friday night at Gros Islet (in the village just north of Rodney Bay). This has become a bit of a tourist attraction, but it still fun and is well worth attending for a drink and a dance to local music. Another similar option is JJ’s at Marigot Bay. There are also a couple of ‘fish fry’ evenings, in which towns bring out stalls to cook food and lay on some music and even entertainment, in Anse la Raie and Dennery. Of course the larger hotels, and some of the restaurants, offer up evening entertainment. There are a few more St Lucian clubs, which can be fun if you’re up for some local dancing.
Here is a selection of the best bars in St Lucia -
RODNEY BAY
Delirius, Rodney Bay, t 451 3354
Stylish, contemporary establishment in the centre of Rodney Bay. Popular with the fashionable crowds around Rodney Bay. Large choice of original cocktails and a well priced food menu.
Gaiety, Gros Islet Industrial Estate
The main discotheque in the northern area, open mainly at the weekends. They also stage concerts and plays, so call in advance
Iguana’s, Rodney Bay
Large, brightly-decorated bar on the waterfront, right at the end of Reduit Beach Avenue. Mainly an older crowd, some expats, cocktail bar, VIP section and some crowd-pullers (eg bucking bronco competitions).
Lime on the Bay, Rodney Bay, t 452 5463
Open cocktail bar and restaurant with a friendly mix of locals and tourists. Live bands, karaoke and DJs rotate through the week. Can get lively at the weekends.
Rumours, Rodney Bay
Popular with a white St Lucian crowd, very lively, some snacks, particularly busy on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Spinnakers on Reduit Beach
A deck with a fantastic setting right on the sand overlooking Rodney Bay, bar often lively at sunset and beyond.
Scuttlebutts, Rodney Bay Marina
Bar/restaurant in Rodney Bay Marina, frequented by yachties, especially during the ARC Atlantic Rally for cruisers in December. Liming and dining.
The Lime, Rodney Bay
Ever popular with the locals to kick-start weekend evenings, women get in free to the Late Lime Club on Wednesdays.
Upper Level Nightclub, Rodney Bay
A nightclub that sees a lively crowd, particularly at the weekends
CASTRIES and the SOUTH
Janette’s Place, La Feuille
Friendly, low key bar full of St Lucians. Plays an eclectic blend of West Indian music and serves all the local drinks.
JJ’s Paradise, Marigot Bay, t 451 4076
Stylish waterfront setting on Marigot Bay, approached on a boardwalk through the mangroves. Deck with a view, hardwood bar with luminous green portholes, low seats and drapes. Welcoming crowd of islanders, yachtsmen and hotel guests from the bay, particularly lively on Wednesday’s fish night. Live entertainment and DJs.
Kimlan’s, Derek Walcott Square, Castries
Early evening drinking in town, closed Sundays
The Wharf, Choc Bay
Beach bar, can be very lively
Anse la Raye
Fish Fry on a Friday night, not a club but a lively outdoor event in this west coast village
Dennery Fish Fry
Saturday Seafood Night, similar to Anse la Raye, an evening of music and barbecued seafood on the streets of Dennery, a town on the south-west coast |
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Beach Bars
Besides the regular beach bars in the northern areas, near Castries and around Rodney Bay, you will find other bars with magical settings around the island, particularly in the isolated coves of the west coast.
Anse Mamin, just north of Anse Chastanet
Bar with sports, kayaking and mountain-biking in the valley behind, a nice bar at which to spend the day.
Doolittle’s, Marigot Bay, t 451 4974
A popular spot for breakfast, lunch or dinner on a small strip of sand on the northern side of this extremely pretty bay, accessed by ferry. Happy Hour is from 5pm-7pm, perfect to watch the sunset over Marigot Bay.
Harmony’s, Malgretoute Beach, beneath the Petit Piton, t 459 5033
Popular with St Lucians at weekends.
Jambe de Bois, Pigeon Island, t 450 8166
Cool and easy hang-out right on the waterfront looking back to Rodney Bay from the sheltered side of Pigeon Point. Good juices and healthy food, book exchange.
Piti Piton Bar, Anse Chastanet, t 459 7000
Bar and restaurant attached to the hotel in a very pretty cove just outside Soufrière. Serves a variety of tropical cocktails, beers, and liquors.
The Reef, Anse de Sables, near Vieux Fort, t 454 3418
Good eatery and popular haunt for windsurfers and kitesurfers set on an expanse of beach near the airport. Sundays see a large local contingent enjoying a family bbq, a swim and of course some lively music.
Sandy Beach, Anse de Sables
Good for snacks, again popular with sportsmen.
Spinnakers, Reduit Beach, t 452 8491
Nice wooden deck with a fantastic setting on the superb sand of Reduit beach, lively crowd, a constant feed of sports on the tv.
The Wharf, Choc Bay
Rotis and salads on a nice and generally unfrequented bay not far north of Castries. |
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Beaches
St Lucia has a mix of white, golden and dark volcanic sand beaches. The most popular are on the calmer, western coast, particularly in the less mountainous part of the island in the north, where the sand is generally whiter (the reason that the majority of the hotels have been built there). The sea can be choppy at certain times of the year in the North, especially around Christmas. Some bays may also have currents, so be aware when swimming.
As you head further south along the Caribbean coast the terrain becomes steeper but the beaches are equally pretty, set in pretty coves between massive headlands that tumble down to the sea. These beaches tend to have dark volcanic sand, but they are still very attractive. Some also have beach bars, so you can spend a good day out on them.
The Atlantic side of the island also has a number of very attractive beaches, most of which have white sand and many of which are completely unspoiled. However, do be aware of the Atlantic swell and undertow as people have drowned due to the dangerous currents. Some of the beaches are protected by an offshore reef making them safe for swimming, but do ask before heading out. The southern end of the Atlantic side has excellent sand and winds.
You are advised to keep aware about security on the remoter beaches on St Lucia, both of your belongings and yourself. Do not leave valuables unattended in your belongings while you are swimming.
A pick of St Lucia’s beaches include:
Caribbean Side
Choc Bay, north of Castries
Nice white sand, bar, watersports available
La Toc Bay, just south of Castries
Light sand, difficult to access due to an all-inclusive hotel
Labrelotte Bay
Curve of light grey sand, home to Windjammer resort
Marigot Bay, Caribbean side
One of the prettiest bays in the Caribbean. Just a little sand on the palm-fringed spit at the entrance to the harbour. Waterfront restaurants and bars in the bay
Pigeon Island National Park, opposite Rodney Bay
Numerous small white sand beaches, beach bar, watersports and some historic buildings inland
Reduit Beach, Rodney Bay
St Lucia’s main beach, with hotels, all the sports and facilities, beach bars
Smuggler’s Cove, Cap Estate (between Le Sport and Club St Lucia)
A tiny cove at the foot of a steep wooden staircase, dark sand, good snorkelling and a small bar open sporadically, normally quiet
Vigie Beach, opposite Castries airport
Nice stretch of palm-backed white sand, not usually frequented, some bars by the airport
Atlantic Side
Anse Lavoutte, Atlantic side
Popular for body surfing, partly protected by reef
Cas En Bas, Atlantic side, off a road opposite the entrance to Gros Islet
Attractive, reef-protected curve of beige sand with a bar, popular with windsurfers (strong onshore winds) and the St Lucians at weekends, often deserted otherwise, development underway, sometimes a 4-wheel drive needed to reach it
Donkey Beach, further south
Very picturesque stretch of Atlantic sand
Grande Anse, Desbarra, Atlantic coast, only accessible by 4 x 4
Two miles of golden sand, unsafe for swimming, one of the main sites for turtle watching tours between March and August.
Honeymoon Beach, south of Micoud
Lovely stretch of sand in a remote cove, access hard, by 4 wheel drive, surrounded by hills, swimmable but beware, strong waters
Secret Beach, south of Cas En Bas, Atlantic side
Very secluded, strewn with volcanic rocks
The South of St Lucia
Anse Chastanet, north of Soufrière
Dark sand, very attractive, within a resort, famous for its diving and snorkelling
Anse Cochon, Caribbean side, near Anse la Raye
Accessed by boat mainly, but also by road for those staying at Ti Kaye Village, good for snorkelling (it sees quite a few day sails on a snorkelling stopover)
Anse des Sables, southern end, Atlantic side
Long stretch of white sand, popular with the wind and kite-surfers
Anse Mamin, north of Anse Chastanet
Small bay, beach bar, sand and stones
Choiseul, Laborie, southern coast
Very local beaches, pretty palm-backed grey strands
Malgretoute Beach, beneath Petit Piton,
Palm backed, stony with limited sand, on the Caribbean side just outside Soufrière, with a small restaurant |
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Calendar of Events
2009
JANUARY
18-24 Jan, Nobel Laureate Week, honouring Derek Walcott and Sir Arthur Lewis.
FEBRUARY
22 Feb, Independence Day, 30th anniversary with parades and concerts.
20-22 Feb, 2nd Sir John Compton Memorial Trophy Diamond Dash, race to Martinique and back., St Lucia Yacht Club, Rodney Bay
25 Feb-01 Mar, 30th Independence Anniversary Exhibition, at the Beausejour Cricket Grounds, Gros Islet.
MARCH
tba Mar, St Lucia Kite Surfing Fiesta, The Reef Kite & Surf, Vieux Fort.
APRIL
03 Apr, 2009 Digicel Home Series, West Indies vs. England, 5th Digicel ODI, at Beausejour Stadium
MAY
01-10 May, St Lucia Jazz Festival, main stage at Pigeon Island with a broad menu of jazz, R&B, soul etc. Very popular event with fringe activities in Castries, Soufriere and at Fond d’Or Nature & Heritage Park. This year’s main line-up currently includes Amy Winehouse, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Michael McDonald, Jeffrey Osborne, KC & The Sunshine Band, George Duke and Chicago.
JUNE
07 Jun, St Lucia Carnival, official launch of the carnival season. A variety of competitions will run through to July for Carnival Queen, Calypso Monarch, Panorama Champions, Party Monarch and culminates with Band of the Year.
JULY
Carnival Season continues.
20-21 Jul, St Lucia Carnival, street party with music for ‘jumping-up’ and a costumed Parade of Bands competing for Band of the Year.
AUGUST
01 Aug, Emancipation & National Heroes Day.
31 Aug, Fet L Woz/Feast of St. Rose de Lima, also known as La Rose Festival with activities and singing throughout the island.
SEPTEMBER
28 Sep-02 Oct, 19th International Billfish Tournament, hosted by the St Lucia Game Fishing Association at the IGY Rodney Bay Marina. The tournament is a qualifying round for the Rolex/GFA Offshore Championship.
OCTOBER
17 Oct, Feast of La Marguerite, cultural flower festival.
22 Oct, St Cecilia’s Day, Patron Saint of Music.
25 Oct, Jounen Kweyol Entenasyonnal/International Creole Day celebrates Creole food, music, games and folklore.
NOVEMBER
22 Nov-19 Dec, ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) sets off for St Lucia from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.
DECEMBER
12 Dec, Festival of Lights when Christmas lights are turned on and a lantern making competition is held.
13 Dec, National Day and Festival of Lights
19 Dec, ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers), race officially ends at noon.
St Lucia public holidays 2009: 01 & 02 January, 22 February, 10 & 13 Apr, 01 May, 01 June, 01 August , 13, 25 & 26 December.
Please note that the above events and dates may be subject to change/cancellation. Please check locally for confirmation of details. |
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