St. Lucia

St. Lucia is a lush, mountainous island best known for the Pitons, two steep volcanic peaks that rise straight out of the sea near the town of Soufrière. The Pitons Management Area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most photographed views in the Caribbean.

Nearby, the Sulphur Springs are often called the Caribbean's only drive-in volcano, where you can see steaming vents and bathe in warm mud pools. On the northwest coast, Marigot Bay is a sheltered, picture-perfect harbor, and Rodney Bay has the island's busiest strip of hotels and restaurants.

Photo: Caribbeandy via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

St. Lucia has two airports. Hewanorra International in the south handles most long-haul flights from North America and Europe, while George F. L. Charles Airport near Castries handles regional flights. The drive between them takes about an hour and a half.

From Jamaica, you will usually connect through a regional hub or Miami.

St. Lucia will feel familiar to Jamaicans: English-speaking, green and mountainous, with rainforest, waterfalls and a strong local music scene. The island is smaller and generally calmer, and it is especially popular for honeymoons, with hotels built into the hillsides overlooking the Pitons.

Many St. Lucians also speak Kwéyòl, a French-based Creole, a leftover of the island changing hands between Britain and France many times. For its size, St. Lucia has produced two Nobel Prize winners: poet Derek Walcott and economist Sir Arthur Lewis.

Photo: Charles J. Sharp via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

• Hike Gros Piton with a local guide for views of the coast.
• Bathe in the mud pools at the Sulphur Springs.
• Swim at Sugar Beach, right between the two Pitons.
• Walk the Tet Paul Nature Trail, an easier hike with Piton views.
• Visit Pigeon Island National Landmark for forts, trails and beaches.
• Join the Friday Night Street Party in Gros Islet.

December to May is dry. Saint Lucia Carnival in July is the island's biggest party.

The north, around Rodney Bay and Gros Islet, has the most hotels, restaurants and nightlife and is close to the regional airport. Soufrière, in the southwest, is where you will find the famous hillside resorts with Piton views, ideal for honeymoons but farther from everything else. Marigot Bay is a quiet middle ground with a marina and waterfront dining. Many visitors on all-inclusive packages stay along the northwest coast near Castries.

• Currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD); US dollars are widely accepted
• Languages: English and Kwéyòl
• Driving: left-hand side
• Best for: honeymooners, hikers, and travelers wanting dramatic scenery

On Friday nights, the fishing village of Gros Islet holds a street party with grilled fish, music and dancing. Keep in mind that the drive from Hewanorra to the northern resorts is long and winding, so ask your hotel about transfers.