St. Lucia Travel Guide (Updated 2024) (2025)

St. Lucia is best known as a romantic getaway. It’s a gorgeous tropical island with long sandy beaches and beautiful, natural surroundings that honeymooners love.

First known as “Louanalao” by the indigenous Arawak in 200 CE, the island is filled with beautiful birds, orchards full of banana, coconut, mango, and papaya trees, world-class diving, and crystalline blue waters. It’s part of the Lesser Antilles chain of volcanic islands in the Caribbean and caters mostly to couples, families, and luxury tourists so it’s not the best island to visit if you’re traveling on a budget.

That said, it’s incredibly beautiful here so, for a short trip, it’s worth the cost.

No matter your budget or travel style, this St. Lucia travel guide has all the practical information you need to help you plan your visit so you can make the most of what this tropical utopia has to offer!

Other Things to See and Do in St. Lucia

1. Go birdwatching

St. Lucia offers numerous opportunities for birdwatching. The Bois D’Orange Swamp, the Rain Forest, and Boriel’s Pond are the best places to find species like the St. Lucian Parrot, the White Breasted Thrasher, the St. Lucia Peewee, the St. Lucia Oriole, and the St. Lucia Wren. On the Frigate Island Nature Reserve, you can see thousands of stunning migrant Frigate birds.

2. Explore the weekly market in Castries

This is the largest and most colorful open-air market in St. Lucia. Other than tropical fruits and veggies, the market sells handwoven baskets, mahogany statues and bowls, and other souvenirs. Come here to take in the local pace of life and pick up some St. Lucian coffee to bring home!

3. Hike the trails

St. Lucia has many scenic hiking trails, including the Barre de L’isle Rain Forest Trail, which takes you to the top of Morne la Combe. The hike takes three hours in total and it’s very steep — but you’re rewarded with views of Mount Gimie, deep valleys, the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. Another favorite of mine away from the crowded resort areas is the Enbas Saut Trail, where you can immerse yourself in the island’s rainforest. It ends up at the Enbas Saut waterfall where you can cool off with a swim. Bring water and good hiking shoes no matter what trail you take!

4. Swim in Sulfur Springs

These hot springs are just south of Soufriere and one of the main attractions on the island. You can walk through the crater full of steaming, bubbling pools, and hot springs, and there are warmer sulphuric pools where you can bathe. Admission to the springs is 22 XCD and includes access to the Black Water Pool (Mud Bath).

5. Go zip-lining

If you’re looking for something adventurous, try zip-lining through the rainforest canopy. Adventure Tours St. Lucia has a total of 12 lines, including the highest, longest, and fastest line on the island. There are also five net bridges and lots of opportunities to catch some gorgeous views over St. Lucia. Expect to pay 245 XCD for the TreeTop Canopy Adventure and 420 XCD for a full day of zip lining. Note that flip-flops aren’t allowed so bring closed-toed shoes!

6. Visit Gros Islet

The village of Gros Islet has a huge party every Friday night. Vendors sell local food and drinks (including tasty barbecue), and a general carnival atmosphere turns the village into a giant street party. Listen to local bands and DJs crank out Caribbean music and spend the evening dancing in the steamy tropical heat.

7. Hang out on the beaches

St. Lucia’s beaches offer turquoise waters, powder-white sands, and plenty of opportunities to soak up the sun’s golden rays. Reduit Beach is one of the longest beaches on the island, with 8 kilometers (5 miles) of sand on Rodney Bay. If that’s too crowded, check out photogenic Jalousie Beach between Gros and Petit Piton, or Marigot Bay on the western coast with its scattered, secluded beaches.

8. Hike Tet Paul Nature Trail

Located near Soufrière Tet Paul Nature Trail is part of the World Heritage-listed Pitons Management Area. It’s an easy to moderate hike. From the top of some steep steps called the “Stairway to Heaven,” it offers spectacular panoramic views of St. Lucia and, on clear days, of Martinique and St. Vincent. Admission is 27 XCD.

9. Visit Morne Coubaril Historical Adventure Park

Morne Coubaril Historical Adventure Park offers a combination of adventure and history. It has 8 zip lines, a historical plantation estate, and a traditional village tour. You can also take a horseback ride to the beach or volcano and hike to a mineral waterfall. The historical estate tour costs 30 XCD, the rum and chocolate tasting tour is 205 XCD, and the zip line canopy adventure also costs 205 XCD.

For more information on specific cities in the Caribbean, check out these guides:

  • Aruba
  • Bahamas
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Curaçao
  • Jamaica
  • Saint John

St. Lucia Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

  • Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
  • Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
  • Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
  • Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
  • SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
  • LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
  • Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
  • Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!
St. Lucia Travel Guide (Updated 2024) (2025)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Terrell Hackett

Last Updated:

Views: 5409

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (52 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Terrell Hackett

Birthday: 1992-03-17

Address: Suite 453 459 Gibson Squares, East Adriane, AK 71925-5692

Phone: +21811810803470

Job: Chief Representative

Hobby: Board games, Rock climbing, Ghost hunting, Origami, Kabaddi, Mushroom hunting, Gaming

Introduction: My name is Terrell Hackett, I am a gleaming, brainy, courageous, helpful, healthy, cooperative, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.