The sun, the sea, the heat and the paradisiacal landscapes make up the best postcard of an unforgettable vacation and a lifestyle enviable ... Luckily in the world there are places where it is summer all year round and one of them is the island of Saint Lucia.
If you like the idea of a Caribbean vacation with everything I just described (add snorkeling, diving, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and horseback riding), then this little island should be on your travel route. Here is all the information you need to complete the journey:
Saint Lucia
It is part of the Windward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles and is between Saint Vincent and Martinique, north of Barbados. The Arawak were their original people but Europeans arrived in the late XNUMXth century, early XNUMXth century. Although the French did it first, bringing African settlers and slaves to cultivate sugar cane, it was finally the British who were left with control of the island.
That is why today Saint Lucia is part of the British Commonwealth and it is totally independent since 1979. It has a mountainous geography as it is of volcanic origin, so between mountains there are fertile valleys and beaches. Its capital is Castries, but there are four other cities of importance. The island is shaped like an avocado, or mango and while the Atlantic Ocean bathes its east coast those of the west are bathed by the warmer Caribbean Sea.
How to go to Santa Lucia and get around the island
It has two airports: Hewanorra International Airport at Vieux Fort and the George FL Charles which is close to Castries. American Airlines, Air Jamaica, Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Delta, are some of the companies that fly regularly.
Cruises also arrive at the port of Pointe Seraphine, although the main port is that of Castries, and that of Vieux Fort is more cargo. How do you move around the island? There is a buss around the north of the island, around Castries and Gros Islet, until 10 p.m., and there are also minibuses for up to ten people and taxis.
If you want to move around the islands then there are companies of catamaran, ferries and charters that for example reach Rodney Bay, Marigot Bay, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique or the Grenadines. And of course there are also airplanes.
Climate and currency in Saint Lucia
Enjoy a climate humid subtropical and cool winds blow all year long. Yes indeed, between June and November it can rain. Winter is relatively dry and it is advisable to bring something warm.
The currency here is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, depending on the US dollar in your exchange rate, at a rate of 2 EC $ per dollar. A tax of EC $ 65 is charged as an island departure tax. The current is 220 volts at 50 cycles but some hotels have 110 volts at 60 cycles. The plugs are three-prong, the British standard.
What language do they speak here? English, but French-patois is widely spoken.
Things to do in Santa Lucia
The gateway to Santa Lucia is Castries. It is a beautiful city of French origin, dating from 1650, where around ten thousand people currently live. It does not have many attractions, it is more of a place of passage, but even so, if you stay a couple of days, you can visit its historic buildings and the colorful Jeremie Street Market.
The old capital is called soufriere and you can get there by bus from Castries. It is the place where the Pitons mountains, and the volcano, so the usual thing is to do the hike up the volcano with the help of a guide. There are the Pitons Falls, also with its own path, and there is a route that goes up and down and leaves you on the Anse Chastanet, a nice and quiet beach.
You can also dive at the foot of the mountains, visit underwater waterfalls or cliffs or visit old sugar and cocoa plantations. In Soufriere there are many hotels. If you want to get there by taxi from Castries it is possible but it can cost you around $ 100 per trip.
But don't you want cities but beaches? Then the beaches of the west coast are the best because they are bathed by the Caribbean Sea. Over here it is Marigot bay, surrounded by hills, which many people call «The most beautiful of the Caribbean».
Here there are many resortsYou may choose to stay in one of them, and private residences. It is a deep-water bay that always hides from bad weather. Water taxis are free so it's easy to get around. At the top of the hill is the village Marigot and its views, imagine, are wonderful.
About a 20 minute drive from Castries is Rodney Bay. It is one of the great tourist destinations of Saint Lucia and its entertainment capital. Around the bay is accommodated the urban center with its hotels, restaurants, resorts, luxury marina, shops and nightclubs. It is a city by day, with the typical movement of banks and businesses and shopping centers, but there are also many street vendors, many cafes and bars and many picturesque sites. It is to walk.
My advice is that you go to Santa Lucia with money because you will want to do everything that is offered to you: horseback riding, kayaking, sailing, fishing excursions, snorkeling, sea-trek (those helmets with which you can breathe underwater ), the novel snuba (combination of diving and snorkeling), watching whales and dolphins, kitesurfing or jetovator, windsurfing, water skiing or just sunbathing, swimming and enjoying.
Lastly, Gros Islet is a town in the extreme north of the island which has several nice beaches and many tourist resorts. While many of its beaches face the Atlantic, they are almost virgin so if you are looking for deep solitudes, it is a very good destination. You arrive by bus from Castries.
The best beaches? reduit beach, for many the best of all. It is not expensive and in the extreme south there is usually a party on weekends. There are bars on the sand and you can have picnics. You can swim and do water sports. You enter from Reduit Avenue and it's on Rodney Bay. Another lovely beach is that of Pigeon Island, islet that is connected by a bridge to the main island. You pay entrance because it is a park, EC $ 13, 35.
Halfway between Castries and Soufries is the Anse cochon, 200 meters of dark sands and almost magical surrounded by jungle. It is accessed by a staircase of 166 steps! Also aim Anse Castanet and Anse des Pitons. And ready. Of course, your base beach will depend entirely on your hotel, but when exploring that any of these be included in your tour is the best. TO vacation in Saint Lucia then!