Surrounded by the Caribbean sea and the Atlantic ocean, St Lucia is a beautiful island country in the West Indies. Formerly known as Lyonola followed by Hewanorra, St Lucia now is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. From twin volcanic peaks, azure waters, white sand beaches, foamy waves, rainforest adventures to waterfalls and nature trails, St Lucia has it all, making the country the treasure trove of the Caribbean. If you are planning to travel to St Lucia, you have come to the perfect place! In this article, we will take you through the unique things to do in St Lucia.
Best things to do in St Lucia
Explore South St Lucia
If you are visiting St Lucia for the very first time, then you definitely should explore the southern side of the island country. And if you are someone looking for a luxurious but recluse retreat in the Caribbean, then this is the perfect place to kickstart your journey to the beautiful blue waters, sandy beaches and natural wonders against the iconic Pitons. These factors put the southern part of the country as one of the top things to do in St Lucia for couples.
Hike to Gros Piton
One of the most sought after tourist attractions in St Lucia, Gros Pitons are volcanic plugs that are covered with dense forest area. If you are up for some adventure in the island, then the hiking trails up to Grand and Gros Piton are a must. The hike to peaks covers a long stretch of 4.7 km and is quite difficult as the path is quite steep and is filled with boulders and other obstacles. But the climb to this UNESCO world heritage site is worth it as the peaks offer a spectacular view of the culmination of the land and the sea.
Tet Paul Nature Trail
The Tet Paul Nature Trail is perfect for tourists who are not into serious hiking trails. It is a 1 km hiking journey that takes you to a viewpoint that overlooks the Petit Piton. If you’re lucky and have sunny weather, you might catch a glimpse of the island next door – St Vincent. To experience the Tet Paul Nature Trail to its fullest, you can book a tourist guide for around $10.
Tourists must note that they have to pay a nominal entrance fee to explore this beautiful trail.
Get a private villa – Stonefield Villa Resort
If you are looking for places to spend your honeymoon, then Stonefield Villa Resort in St Lucia should definitely be on your bucket list. One of the very first resorts to start operation in Soufriere, this stunning villa has an amazing private pool to itself and also opens up to the picturesque views of the Gros and Petit Piton and the Caribbean sea. This private villa also has ample natural light that gives its guests the opportunity to sunbathe and spend some romantic time sipping coolers by each other’s side.
Amazing retreats in South St Lucia
Jade Mountain Resort – Situated in the private area of Anse Chastanet, Jade Mountain Resort is one of the most expensive resorts in the country and also one of the best, when it comes to quality of service. The place has access to infinity pools and also offers a magnificent view of the pitons and the surrounding ocean.
Anse Chastanet- Just like the Jade Mountain Resort, Anse Chastanet is another luxury resort in St Lucia and is run and maintained by localities of the area. Both Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet are the only resorts in the island that gives its visitors an exclusive view of Gros and Petit Piton hovering over the Caribbean sea.
Sugar Beach – Nestled in one of the best beaches in the southern side of the island, the Sugar Beach hotel has been declared one of the best hotels in the Caribbean island. Since the hotel is situated on the south west coast of the island, it is exactly between Petit and Gros Piton.
Explore Mount Soufriere – Sulphur Springs Park
One of the best things to do in St Lucia is go explore the Sulphur Springs park. The island country is famed for having the only drive in volcano in the world. You can take your car to the crater of the volcano to witness this magnificent wonder of mother earth. If you are interested in knowing all about volcanoes, make sure to book a guide to help you understand the intricacies of a volcano and its surrounding areas. We advise you to take a walk back to your car/home to experience the charming views of the island country.
Enjoy Mud Baths
Once you are done with seeing the caldera of the volcano in the Sulphur Springs Park, you can end your journey with a calm and soothing mud bath inside the sulphur springs pools that are known to have medicinal qualities. To calm your body and soul, you can put the volcanic mud all over your body, keep it for sometime and ultimately rinse it thoroughly. This mud is known to have made people look younger. So the next time you are in St Lucia, make sure to take the mud baths.
Go to the Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens
The botanical gardens of the island are one of the top St Lucia tourist attractions. From native plants, tropical plants to trees and plants known to have healing qualities, the botanical garden of the island is completely breathtaking. The area is a part of the Soufriere Estate and is most definitely one of the most unfiltered and protected estates on the entire island. If you are someone who likes exploring the indigenous flora of a particular place, then you should definitely make it to the Diamond falls botanical gardens. And don’t forget to avail a guided tour to know and understand about the local flowers, plants and trees of the place.
Visit the Diamond Falls
One of the most Instagram worthy spots in St Lucia, the Diamond waterfall in Soufrière Estate is around 45 feet high and is underlined with minerals creating a spectrum of beautiful colors. This gorgeous waterfall has also been seen in various movies including ‘Romancing the Stone’. So if you are in St Lucia, make sure to visit this popular tourist attraction.
Soufriere
Close to the Stonefield Villa Resort, the fishing village of Soufriere was established back in 1745. If you are visiting St Lucia, make sure to pay a visit to this beautiful village prior to traveling to other St Lucia tourist attractions.
Anse Chastanet Beach
One of the best beaches in St Lucia, Anse Chastanet beach is an intrinsic part of the Anse Chastanet Beach Resort. If you are into water adventures like snorkeling and diving, then this beach is your go-to place. The stunning beach also has few restaurants and live bars for people to enjoy local food and drinks and experience the beach life to the fullest. Since every beach in the island country is accessible to all, you can head to the Anse Chastanet beach according to your own wish. Planning to stay very close to the beach area? You can choose to book your stay at the Anse Chastanet Beach Resort.
Go for Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
If you love being in water, then you should definitely try out snorkeling, scuba diving and other water sports in Saint Lucia. The coral reefs near the Anse Chastanet beach provide a once in a lifetime under-water experience. So if you are at St Lucia, make sure to enroll yourself to the Snorkeling and Scuba diving tours available on the island. Visitors must note that these tours also take you to other St Lucia tourist attractions that are close to the snorkeling and diving sites like – the banana plantation that is very near to the Roseau Valley and Anse Raye, a fishing village famous for its fresh fish and other local food.
Experience the rum tasting tour
Like the other Caribbean islands, St Lucia also has a number of rum distilleries. If you are a connoisseur of drinks, you should definitely go for the rum tour that is available on the island and learn how rum is made from sugarcane. The St Lucia distillers also provides an up-close behind the scenes tour of rum-making and also allows you to savor the local rum.
Take a tour of North St Lucia
Castries, the capital city of St Lucia is located on the northern side of the island. From inclusive resorts, lively restaurants, bars, water parks, tropical forest, bays and more, the northern part of the island has a lot to offer for its visitors. Here are few of the North St Lucia activities that you can definitely undertake:
Visit Pigeon Island National Park
Previously a refuge for pirates and then a military fort, the Pigeon Island National Park was transformed into a major landmark of the island in 1972. If you have at least half a day at your disposal, make sure to visit the Pigeon island national landmark to take a tour of the ancient ruins. Since the island is surrounded by sandy beaches, and snorkeling sites, it also acts as a beautiful viewpoint that offers a stunning view of the Caribbean sea and the Atlantic ocean.
Rodney Bay
Calm, serene and beautiful, Rodney bay in St Lucia is the perfect place to try out different watersports. The bay has a number of places where people can go for snorkeling and other water adventure sports. If you are visiting St Lucia with kids, then you must take them to the Splash island water park and plan fun things for them as well.
Reduit Beach
One of the top beaches and attractions in St Lucia, especially when it comes to watersports, the Reduit beach in the island is famous for its white sand that stretches along the entire coastline. You can snorkel, sail or simply walk by this sandy beach and enjoy the almost perfect life that this tropical island has to offer.
Castries Market
Thinking of shopping in St Lucia? Castries market should be on top of your list. Be it little souvenirs or from the island, indigenous art or fruits and vegetables, you can buy everything from this outdoor market. And while you do so, you get the opportunity to engage with localities and learn more about the island.
Marigot Bay
Owing to its spectacular white sand beaches against the backdrop of beautiful palm trees, visiting Marigot Bay should definitely be on your ‘Things to do in St Lucia’ list. If you are interested in intense exploration of the bay, then you should surely rent a kayak and explore the under-water life of St Lucia.
Rainforest Adventures – Aerial Tram
One of the must do St Lucia activities is taking the Rainforest Aerial Tram. Situated at Castries Waterworks Forest Reserve, you can board the Aerial Tram to go to the top of the mountain and witness breathtaking views of the northern part of St Lucia and tropical forest. You can visit the ecological park through this aerial tram and enjoy the serene life – away from the hullabaloo of the cities in the island.
FAQs:
What to do in St Lucia for a week?
If you are traveling to St Lucia for a week or more, you can try doing various things on the island like – you can scuba dive, hit the beach, go kayaking and snorkeling or go for rainforest adventures.
What are the best things to do in St Lucia on a cruise?
If you are on a cruise to St Lucia, then you can try the following things – visit the Pigeon island national park, go to Castries and Soufriere, explore Rodney bay village and Marigot bay or go on a hike to the natural parks and forests.
For more information on St Lucia, you can read the following articles:
