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St Lucia map
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Electricity
The electrical current in St Lucia is 220 volts AC, 50 cycles, with three-pin sockets in square UK style, so you may well need an adapter. Some hotels offer dual voltage or transformers, so you are advised to check in advance. |
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Embassies & Consulates
British High Commission, 2nd Floor, Francis Compton Building, Waterfront, Castries, t 452 2484
French Embassy, Nelson Mandela Drive, Vigie, Castries, t 455 6060
Italian Vice Consulate, Reduit, PO Box GM848, t 452 0866
Venezuelan Embassy, Casa Vigie, Castries, t 452 4033
US and Canadian consular issues are handled in Barbados.
Canadian High Commission, Bishop’s Court Hill, St Michael, t (+1246) 429 3550
Embassy of the United States, Broad Street, Bridgetown, t (+1246) 436 4950 |
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Emergencies
Police, t 999 or 456 3700
Fire and Ambulance t 911
Air/Sea Rescue, t 452 2894, 452 1182, 453 6664 |
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Flights/Getting There
Please read about the two airports in St Lucia before planning your trip.
If you are flying direct from Europe, Canada or the eastern seaboard of the United States then you will fly into Hewanorra, the only airport that can take wide-bodied jets.
Flights from Britain to St Lucia are on British Airways from Gatwick, t 454 6172, Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick and Manchester, t 454 3610 or t 0870 380 2007. Flights to St Lucia from the United States are on US Airways, t 1800 231 3131, American Airlines, t 1800 433 7300, Delta, 1800 221 1212 and JetBlue Airways from JFK, and flights from Canada to St Lucia are on Air Canada, t 452 2550 and WestJet (seasonal service) out of Toronto, t 1 877 929 8646.
American Airlines route all their services via San Juan in Puerto Rico, with a connecting flight on American Eagle. This is generally slow and a nuisance, but it does have one advantage in that it enables you to arrive and leave from George FL Charles Airport in the north of St Lucia, rather than trekking all the way down to Hewanorra in the far south.
It’s worth noting that if you have difficulty finding a flight to St Lucia, or there is no flight on the day that you want to travel, then it is often possible to fly via Barbados, from where there are many transfers each day, including an evening flight that leaves after the scheduled arrival of the international services. Connecting flights will probably fly into the northern airport outside Castries.
Other inter-Caribbean airlines servicing St Lucia are LIAT, t 452 3051, who fly up and down the island chain and to Barbados, and Air Caraïbes, t 453 0357, which emanates from the French islands. SVG Air provide a useful daily shared charter service between St Lucia (Hewanorra)and St Vincent, Bequia and Canouan for anyone thinking of day trips or two-centre holidays. |
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Flora & Gardens
St Lucia, a volcanic island, is immensely fertile and there are a number of places where you can see an astonishing array of tropical plants, including several restored plantations with nice gardens. A few examples of tropical flowers that you are likely to see are plumbago, with its delicate pale blue flowers, allamanda and the many heliconias, including the red and orange balisier and the red, saw-toothed ‘lobster claw’. There are also more than 200 varieties of hibiscus, which open during the day and close at night, and orchids including dendrobium, vanda, scorpion and vanilla.
It is always worth taking a botanical tour, not least because Caribbean plants have wonderful local names, surprising stories and some unexpected medicinal uses. For the experienced horticulturalist however, the finest gardens are at Mamiku in the East of the island near Praslin.
Mamiku Gardens, near Praslin on the Atlantic coast, t 455 3729,
A truly magnificent private garden. Twelve acres set on a former eighteenth century plantation estate, centred on a pretty estate house. There are trails through the banana walks revealing many flowers, orchids and medicinal plants, as well as the ‘Mystic Garden’. Still a working plantation producing tropical flowers and fruits including bananas. Mamiku is often visited by foreign horticultural experts.
Fond Doux Estate, south of Soufrière, t 459 7545.
Abundant gardens with historical ruins and artefacts set in the rampant forests above Soufrière, a part of St Lucia’s Heritage Tourism Programme. You will see cocoa drying trays (boucans), old sugar works and an interesting medicinal herb garden. You can guide yourself on the garden and forest trails (open 9am - 4pm, with a plant identification booklet), or take a guided tour. Tropical Gardens Tour, 10am and 1pm daily, Tropical Gardens and Country Plantation Tour. Full day tour with picnic lunch, starts at 10am.
Diamond Botanical Gardens, Waterfall and Mineral Baths, Soufrière
Set inland behind the town of Soufrière, the Diamond Botanical Gardens are a very pretty profusion of tropical greenery, among which you will see with examples of many typical Caribbean plants, for instance several varieties of heliconia including bird of paradise and lobster claw, but also some less known ones,including the breadnut, a relative of the better known breadfruit. Also in the gardens are the old Mineral Baths, which were created by a King of France in the 1700s for the treatment of his troops, because of their very high mineral content (so high that the water discolours the riverbed and the baths themselves). Open Monday to Saturday 10am – 5pm and Sunday 10am – 3pm. General admission US$5, children under 12 US$2.50. Mineral Baths admission US$6 for a private bath or US$4 for an outdoor one. All inclusive guided tour including lunch US$30. |
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Food & Cooking
With its complex history and racial heritage, St Lucia has an interesting tradition of local food - with some strong French Creole influences of course – which is worth investigating. If you are staying in one of the large hotels then you are quite likely to be served up a fairly international menu, but there may be a local food night during the week. Outside the hotels there are plenty of restaurants, particularly in the Rodney Bay area.
Like much West Indian food, St Lucian food is quite hearty, with stews accompanied by rice ‘n’ peas or hefty vegetables such as plantain or sweet potato. The creole aspect introduces quite a few spices into the dishes, including féroce for example, a spicy fish filling that is often served in avocados. Other St Lucian specialities are puoile dudon a chicken stew flavoured with treacle and coconut. There are of course plenty of fish dishes.
Two other specialities worth noting are accras, which are made with saltfish, which was once looked down on as a slave staple, but which is now fondly retained. They are a favourite and make a good starter, battered balls of salted cod, full of herbs and pepper. They are served with hot pepper sauce. Boudin, or black pudding, is a local delicacy and a treat made on holidays. The black pudding is a blood sausage with sweet potato and herbs.
Local fare like this is most often found at street festivals, rum shops, and on occasions even at fresh food counters at supermarkets. For a fun evening out you can try Seafood Friday, a fish fry with the best in local fish and seafood set out on the streets of Gros Islet in the north and Anse la Raye on the west coast. There is also a weekly Fish Fiesta at Dennery on the Atlantic coast on Saturdays. For hearty local food at lunchtime, or even a cocoa tea at breakfast, you can try the stalls around the market in Castries. Also, there is always someone cooking up in Gros Islet.
If you would like to eat local food in a (slightly) more formal setting, try:
Kimlan’s, Castries, t 452 1136, inexpensive
Local restaurant with a nice balcony overlooking Derek Walcott Square in town. Hearty local and Creole fare and excellent fruit juices, a nice spot to get out of the heat and bustle of town.
Laurel’s, Bois D’Orange/Gros Islet, t 452 8547, inexpensive
A very rustic and local setting off the beaten track (on the road to La Brelotte Bay/Windjammer Landing). Excellent local food, Laurel cooks it herself and she is famous for local/creole dishes for lunch (souse, green fig and salt fish) and for dinner crayfish and lambi (conch).
Dasheene, Ladera Resort, Soufrière, t 459 7323, moderate-expensive
A creative take on local ingredients and cuisine, all in a fantastic setting of course, with one of the Caribbean’s most spectacular views. Chef Orlando Satchell creates delightful dishes are made accessible to the visitor, but which are still good hearty West Indian fare.
The buffets at the Lime and at the Triangle (opposite one another) in Rodney Bay Village are also a very good place to get hearty local fare at a good low price.
It is also worth noting that most of the villas in St Lucia have their own cooks, who would be delighted to introduce you to local food. You can accompany them to the market and cook under their instruction. |
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Golf
There is one main golf course in St Lucia, a championship course in the Cap Estate in the north of the island, and two others under construction. There are also two short courses, attached to Sandals La Toc and the Jalousie Plantation.
St Lucia Golf and Country Club, Cap Estate, t 450 8523, golf@candw.lc, www.stluciagolf.com.
Spread around the northern tip of Cap Estate it comprises of a 6829 yard, par 71 course. There are plans for a residential development and a new club house with seven tennis courts, a fitness centre, shops and a real estate office.
Green fees: nine holes US$85 includes cart, 18 holes US$110 includes cart, twilight rates (after 3pm), US$85 for as many holes as you wish. Club Rental, US$30-50, shoe rental, US$10, range balls US$5 per bucket. Golf lessons begin at US$40 per half hour.
A second championship course is under construction nearby. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, it is part of a villa development on 350 acres of land next to the closer to the Atlantic Ocean. It is already being described as 'Pebble Beach warm' because it will include the shorefront in its design.
Sandals La Toc, t 452 3081
Sandals St Lucia Golf Resort & Spa has a nine-hole par 3 course set in the La Toc Valley just south of Castries, nine holes, US$30, eighteen holes US$45, club rental, US$20.
Jalousie Plantation, t 459 7666
If you want to swing a club in the south of the island then there are 3 holes on the hilly land of the Jalousie Plantation Hotel, set beneath the dramatic Petit Piton. If you are not a guest you will need to buy a day pass, US$75, after which the golf is free. Club rental is US$10. |
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Health & Fitness
Fitness Centres
There are several gyms on the island, most of which offer aerobics classes. Some of the hotels also have gyms.
Sportivo Health & Fitness, Rodney Heights, Gros Islet, t 452 8899
Naturally ventilated, large open-plan gym with 1800sq area with free-weights and cardio machines, and a 2200 sq ft wooden sprung dance floor. Spinning, body step, body pump, body combat and tai chi classes. Personal trainers available. Located above Key Largo restaurant
Body Inc, Gablewoods Mall, t 451 9744
Weight training, step and regular aerobics, staff includes body builders Rick Wayne and Mae Sabbagh.
Gonard La Borde's Gym, Hospital Road, t 452 2788
Modern Weider equipment
Caribbean Fitness Expression, Vide Boutielle, Castries, t 451 6853
Jazzercise, step, stretch and tone sessions, a large weights room and restaurant. |
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Hiking
With so much rugged land, some of which is completely unexplored because it is so inaccessible, there are many good opportunities for walking and hiking in St Lucia. There are many organised walks, led by local guides, on which you can discover local flora and sometimes fauna. Most hikes have no need for specialist equipment, but the rainforest is often wet and muddy and so you may well need boots or shoes with a good sole. It makes sense to carry a waterproof coat against the inevitable shower of rain.
St Lucia Heritage Tours, t 458 1454, heritas@candw.lc, www.heritagetoursstlucia.org.
There are a number of guided and unguided visits to its sites and they also offer guided hikes, which besides the normal rainforest trails climb local peaks and follow rivers (often literally in the river, which is great fun).
The Forestry Department, t 450 2231
Forestry can also fix up a guide for you. Mr Augustin has a good reputation. Another good point of contact is Roger Graveson at Henry’s La Panache, www.ecotourismstlucia.info.
Hikes
Gros Piton / Fond Gens Libre Trail, t 459 9748
Wonderful walk with great views up the larger of the twin peaks. Not crowded at all. Very good track, well maintained by community of Fond Gens Libres. About five hours total, need to be quite fit as it is very steep in parts. Heat stress possible especially lower slopes in dry season, when trees lose their leaves, so start the walk as early as possible. A guide is essential. You’ll need at least 1.5 litres of water. Access roads poor and 4 wheel-drive needed. Price US$25 per adult, children half price.
Petit Piton
The Petit piton on the other hand is a demanding and in places dangerous climb. Unofficial ‘guides’ will offer to take you up for a price, but it is not recommended.
Piton Flore Rainforest, t 452 5092
A well-made track on the old French road that takes you on a circular tour around the outside of Piton Flore, a deep and shady rainforest. Most sections are fairly flat but at one point there is quite a long climb on well-made steps. It is also possible to make the steep hike to the top of Piton Flore, which has great views ranging from the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. The walk starts in village of Forestiere, 30 minutes drive from the north of the island, just about reachable in a car, through better in a jeep better and takes about 2 hours for the circular route plus 1 hour for Piton Flore ascent. You must call in advance, price US$10 per person.
Morne La Combe Rainforest Trail, t 450 2231
A very pleasant and easy, well-made trail which passes through dense forest interspersed with small openings giving great views of the Atlantic. Once the base of Morne La Combe is reached the track becomes very steep and a reasonable degree of fitness is needed. There are great views form the top, at 1446ft, over the Roseau and Mabouya Valleys. Allow 3 hours for the total trip. The entrance is on the main Castries to Vieux Fort Highway, so it can be reached by bus or car. Get off at the top of the Bar de L'Isle, pronounced the ‘badelin’, where there are guides from Monday to Friday. Entrance US$10 per person, gates closed other times.
Des Cartiers Forest Trail
Probably the best forest walk in the island. A very attractive 3-hour circular path through excellent mature rainforest and views for parrot watching. A wet area but cool. It is a 40-minute drive on poor roads inland from Micoud. It is possible to get lost in a tangle of banana feeder roads but there are signs and the farmers are very helpful. Jeep essential Guides are available from Monday to Friday, entrance US$10 per person.
En bas Saut waterfall walk
A long, steep descent by well-made steps to a waterfall in a cathedral-like setting on the Troumasse river, passing through very dense shady forest and ascending by another path which eventually leads into an old plantation. Aerobically challenging. A very wet area. Worth doing if you are staying in Soufrière. Accessed by road from Soufrière to Ravine Claire and then Fond St Jacques, then an atrocious track to the forest edge. You’ll need a jeep and a hardy spirit. Guides available Monday-Friday, cost US$10 per person.
Anse La Liberte coastal walk
A long descent through dry forest to a pleasant small Caribbean beach and a steep climb back on a separate track. Suitable for hikers and ramblers, hot, plenty of water needed. Look for the sign after leaving Canaries towards Soufrière. Two hours walking. Guides are on duty week days. Entrance is US$3 per person.
Morne Le Blanc/Laborie
Set above the town of Laborie in the south of St Lucia, with views from the summit as far as St Vincent.
The walks below originate around Balenbouche Estate in the south of the island.
Saltibus Waterfall and Rainforest Trail
A 2-3 hour moderate to strenuous rainforest trek beginning just north Saltibus. The trail leads into the rainforest, and then divides, heading to Mont Grand Magasin and to the Saltibus Falls, a stunning series of waterfalls and deep river pools. The trail is managed and maintained by the Saltibus Tourguide Association in collaboration with the St Lucia Forestry Department. There is a small user and guide fee.
River Doree - Devil’s Bridge
Visit the legendary Devil’s Bridge which spans a narrow river canyon of over 50 feet. You can hike up the River Doree for about 45 minutes from the main road or reach the bridge on a local road. Great picnic and river bathing spot.
Balenbouche River
Starting from the Amerindian rock basins at the mouth of the Balenbouche river, you can walk through shallow water upstream for about 40 minutes. You will see many birds, and an ancient Amerindian stone carving about 10 minutes upstream. Higher up, the river narrows into a canyon lined by trees with amazing root systems reaching down over 20 feet.
Hiking & Camping
Dive Fair Helen do a good Rainforest Walk & Camping excursion (duration 1½ days and 1 night), which includes transportation, meals and camping equipment (tents and sleeping mats). You will need to take your back pack equipped with camping attire, bed linen, touch lights, sun screen lotion and insect repellant. The cost is US$190 per person. |
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History/Population/Politics
St Lucia has been battled over constantly during the last five hundred years and it changed hands a staggering fourteen times, mainly between the French, who still own the nearby island of Martinique, and the British. As a result the population is a thoroughgoing mix of African, British and French. It eventually became British in 1816, but despite this it has retained a strong French Creole character. Although virtually all St Lucians speak and understand English, many islanders, particularly those living in rural areas, still speak French Creole or Kweyol. The language is recognisably French when you hear it, but it is not mutually comprehensible with French.
Population
The population of St Lucia is around 160,000. The greatest concentration of people lives around the capital, Castries, and in the north of the island. They are mostly of African descent but there is a mix of European and so you will see varied skin tones.
Politics
St Lucia has been an independent nation since 1979, when it took its independence from Britain. It is still a member of the British Commonwealth and it retains a Parliamentary system with a Prime Minister at its head and a Governor General, appointed by the British Queen as the official head of state. Currently St Lucia is led by Stephenson King of the United Workers Party (UWP), which has been in office since 2006. |
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Horse Riding
There are two riding stables in the north of the island, close to the hotels, with rides that generally take place in the rugged north-east, often overlooking the Atlantic.
International Pony Club, Beausejour, Gros Islet, t/f 452 8139, m 715 5689, stefanof@candw.lc
Offers a selection of trail rides incorporating the beach and countryside, with time for swimming and beach picnics.
Trims Riding School, Cas en Bas, t 452 8273
Take rides down to the beaches on the Atlantic side of the island. |
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Island Hopping
Before you decide to head off to one of the other Windward Islands near St Lucia, or Barbados or Jamaica (which have direct flight connections), it’s worth considering that St Lucia is almost a two-centre island in itself. The north and the south of the island have a completely different atmosphere from one another. The area around Castries and Rodney Bay is highly developed with large and international hotels and it has a feel of the modern world come to the Caribbean. The south, on the other hand, has a far stronger feel of the traditional West Indies, with its slower, agricultural life and gracious small hotels that offer the best in local hospitality. If you want a combination of two different Caribbean experiences, the two sides of the island can make an excellent foil to one another.
Suggested options for Island Hopping
If you do decide to look farther afield, then the most obvious choice for a second destination to combine with St Lucia is Martinique, a French island that lies about twenty miles to the north. It is often visible on a clear day and can be reached by boat and plane. This has the advantage of the extraordinary cultural difference between the former British colony and the (still) French overseas Département, where level of development is striking, and noticeably French. The people on the other hand are distinctly West Indian with a French twist. Curiously there are also some similarities between the two islands, mainly in the Creole way of life, which are interesting to tease out. If you don’t fancy a whole trip, it is quite possible to take a day trip to Martinique, see below.
Other combinations include St Lucia the (relatively) large Windward Island with a tiny, slumberstruck Caribbean cay, say Bequia or Carriacou in the Grenadines.
A very useful SVG Air shared charter service operating on a daily basis linking St Lucia (Hewanorra) with St Vincent, Bequia and Canouan brings the Grenadines much closer. It is just 20 mins from St Lucia's international airport to St Vincent.
St Lucia is a hub in the local area for sailing, so you could charter a yacht to take you down to the Grenadines, but it is also possible to link all the Grenadines by ferry. Barbados has a completely different feel again, both geographically (it is not a volcanic island) and culturally. Instead of having a French Creole aspect, it is quite English (well, relatively speaking). If you have difficulty getting a flight into St Lucia, you can always fly via Barbados, to which there are many more regular international flights, and you could take a few days en route.
You can always island hop by yacht. St Lucia has good marine facilities and some extremely pretty coves.
When you plan your inter-island trip remember about the two airports in St Lucia. Local flights often fly into Vigie in the north, so if your chosen accommodation is in Soufrière try to fly into Hewanorra.
Sunlink Tours
Offer a variety of Island hopping trips, including the Grenadines Tour, the Alternate Grenadines and the Martinique Experience.
Scheduled inter-Caribbean airlines that fly in and out of St Lucia include:
Air Caraïbes, t 452 2463, which serves the French Caribbean islands, and LIAT which has flights to Antigua, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Vincent, Barbados and Trinidad, t 452 3056
Charter Airline Services
These companies can fly you between the two airports in St Lucia if you do not want to make the transfer by road.
Eagle Air Services, PO Box 838, Vigie Airport, t 452 1900
Helenair, PO Box 253, Vigie Airport, t 452 7196
SVG Air
A local Caribbean airline that specialises in private charters to the Grenadines, often from Barbados, but also from St Lucia and Grenada, even from as far as Puerto Rico. SVG Air has eleven 5-19-seater planes including a 7-seater jet.
By Boat
L’Express des Iles, t 452 2211, www.express-des-iles.com
Runs from Martinique to Dominica and Guadeloupe and sometimes makes a crossing to St Lucia.
Flying Ray, St Lucian Wave Riders, t 452 0808,
A day trip to Martinique on a 60ft double deck catamaran. A 90 minute crossing followed by duty free shopping and a visit to the main city Fort de France. On the return trip there is a stop at Anse Noire, a very pretty cove, for a barbecue and Ti Punch and swimming and sunbathing. Departure – 7.30am from Rodney Bay Marina, return – 5.30pm, cost US$138, passport information needed by noon the day prior to the tour. |
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Local Organisers
Local organisers are on-island specialists that can help you get the most out of your trip and experience the best an island has to offer. With their local knowledge and contacts they can help arrange an event or celebration, book suitable excursions or simply arrange transfers between locations. The local organisers on Definitive Caribbean have been specially as offering a consistently high quality of service. Our recommended companies on St Lucia are:
| Awesome Caribbean WeddingsAwesome Caribbean Weddings is a small company with a fantastic brief. It is a dedicated wedding arranger on St Lucia, which is one of the most romantic destinations in the Caribbean and already has an excellent reputation for weddings. Set up by two friends from England who have been in St Lucia for over ten years, Awesome Caribbean Weddings has an extremely broad range of imaginative suggestions that will help you turn your wedding day into something exceptional and very special.
| St Lucia Representatives LtdSt Lucia Representative Services was formed in 1976 and after rapid growth in the 80s it merged with Sunlink Travel in 1994. Today St Lucia Reps, as they are more usually called, has a permanent staff of 89, with other trained freelancers who are called on during busier periods. St Lucia Reps/Sunlink Tours provide a full range of destination management services, incentive and group travel services, travel and tours, airport transfers, executive car services and a concierge service for discerning travellers
| | Sunlink ToursSunLink Tours is the tours division of St. Lucia Representative Services, a St Lucian owned ground handling company established in 1976. SunLink tours has a dedicated team of highly trained tour co-ordinators and offers tours of the highest quality. Tours can be tailor made for individuals or groups and special occasions and can be booked online. |
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Local Transport
Public transport in St Lucia is a network of minibuses operated by private owners. It is possible to rely on them and they go literally everywhere on the island, eventually. They run between 6am and 10pm each day, but have a reduced service on Sundays and public holidays.
All roads lead to Castries, where the terminus is near the Market building (ask around for your destination). Out in the country there are bus stops (they’re convenient for sheltering in in the rain as well), but the drivers tend to stop anywhere that they feel like and sometimes don’t even swing off the road. Simply stand at the roadside and wave frantically and they will stop. If they have space, that is. If not they will just pass on by. To get off, just shout ‘Driver! Stop!’
If you want to travel north from Castries then you can use the most frequented route, Route 1A, which runs to the village of Gros Islet. It costs up to EC$2.50, with a minimum fare of EC$1. It is preferable to have small change on hand. Payment is usually passed forward to the driver.
Other routes do not operate so frequently and they trend to operate early, so if you are visiting Soufrière by bus, or the North from Soufrière you may find that the last bus goes in the mid afternoon. Perhaps consider an overnight stay. It is possible to travel the whole way around the island on local buses, but be prepared to spend the whole day doing it.
Routes and Travel Times
Buses carry their route number in the windscreen. Castries – Gros Islet, Route 1A (15-30 minutes), Castries – Soufrière, Route 3D, (1 hour), Castries – Vieux Fort, Route 2H (1 hour), Soufrière – Vieux Fort, Route 3D (45 minutes). |
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Medical
Generally St Lucia is pretty benign with regard to health and there are only a couple of diseases that you can encounter here that are not an issue in Europe or the States. Check that your coverage for polio and tetanus is in date. There is no malaria on the island, but there are very occasional outbreaks of another mosquito-borne disease, dengue fever. If there is an alert then you need to make sure that you don’t get bitten.
Vaccinations
There are no special requirements as far as vaccinations are concerned, but if in doubt please check with your GP.
There are five medical facilities:
In Castries is Tapion Hospital, t 459 2000, which is private and relatively expensive and has an emergency service. Victoria Hospital also in Castries, t 453 2421 is very basic. Around the island there is the Rodney Bay Medical Centre, t 452 8621, clinics in Dennery, t 453 3310 and Soufrière, t 459 72581 and the St Jude Hospital in Vieux Fort, t 454 6041. If you are seriously ill the best option is probably to be taken by air ambulance to Martinique which is part of France and therefore a member of the EC. |
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