Overview

St. Lucia is a beautiful volcanic island nation in the Lesser Antilles Island chain, sandwiched between St. Vincent and Martinique. It is one of the Windward Islands, named after Saint Lucy of Syracuse. On one side the gentle breezes of the Caribbean Sea kisses its long white beaches, while on the other side the Atlantic Ocean brushes up against the St. Lucia Island. It was initially colonized by France in 1660, but after many destructive battles, Great Britain took over the control of the island in 1814. The island is popularly called the "Helen of the West Indies" because it was switched so often between British and French control. St. Lucia finally became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations on February 22, 1979. It has a rich and long history of different cultures since colonial times. The people and natives of St. Lucia Island are known around the world for their friendly Caribbean charm and openness. There are many open-air markets, small villages, and history-filled fortresses and ruins in this island.

Activities & Attractions

Rising like an emerald from the flat Caribbean Sea, St. Lucia definitely grabs your attention. It features some of the only true tropical rain forests located in this region of the Caribbean. If you are a nature lover, then you will love the unique experience of visiting these rain forests. There are a wide variety of birds, frogs, and animals that you can observe in their natural habitat, and enjoy the beautiful sight of the varied flora and fauna of the place. Many orchards and domesticated fields are scattered in and around the rain forests as well.

The Diamond Falls, Latille Gardens, Mount Gimie and the Pigeon Island National Park are some of the other places of attractions you must include in your itinerary.

The island offers plenty of recreational facilities for the visitors to choose from. You have a choice of exploring the island either on horseback or by the sea on a yacht. You can windsurf at Cas en Bas and Vieux Fort. Waterskiing and boat rides are also recommended activities across St. Lucia Island. The island also has three different golf courses where you can happily tee off between the exciting sightseeing trips.

Lodging

St. Lucia vacation rentals and vacation homes are a great accommodation option. The hotels and villas in the Mazrigot Bay like the Ocean Cottage, the vacation club and the Great House offer stunning views of the Bay, the mountains and the sea. You can also opt for the Reef kite and Surf huts which are really good if you are not too bothered about luxury. The vacation homes, condos, villas and B and Bs in St. Lucia offer a varied range of facilities from lodging to high-end luxury accommodations. 

Transportation

One of the available options for touring St. Lucia Island is traveling by helicopter. There are tours that leave daily which will take you by air over the island and its scenic beaches. These tours give you a bird's eye view of St. Lucia and all of its destinations. Busses are available in Northern St. Lucia, around the capital city of Castries and at Gros Islet. These local buses are economical and convenient too. Taxis are also available and they will take you around in a group of four for a reasonable rate. If you want to get around by water, then boat charters are easily available at Castries, Marigot Bay, and Rodney Bay.