Located within the Caribbean, the West Indies island nation of St. Lucia has come to be a popular tourist destination thanks to it’s beautiful scenery and decidedly laidback atmosphere. That laidback atmosphere has made the island particularly popular with families and newlyweds. From hiking one of the island’s iconic Pitons to exploring the fishing village of Anse La Reye, join ViewCation as we take a look at the best things to do in St. Lucia (Caribbean).
Hike to the Top of the Pitons
Strangers to the Caribbean may furrow their brows when they hear mention of the Pitons, but they’ll soon become familiar with the dual iconic landmarks that punctuate the island of St. Lucia. The Pitons is the name given to a pair of volcanic spires that can be found on the island. The taller of the two Pitons goes by the name of Gros Piton and is around 800 meters tall. It’s smaller cousin, the aptly named Petit Piton, is a comparatively shorter 750 meters, though it’s considerably steeper and harder to climb up.
Climbing up either of the Pitons is a great challenge for tourists, though they’ll have to keep in mind that each climb is, indeed, a challenge. Climbing Gros Piton is more popular due to the spire’s increased height and reduced steepness. The trail to climb Gros Piton begins at the beach below, and you’ll need to hire a guide as accompaniment.
For the average hiker, the hike up and down Gros Piton will take several hours and may pose a considerable challenge. The hike is worth it for numerous reasons, including the incredible views that you’ll be treated to once you get to the top of the summit. In addition to the incredible views at the top, each Piton itself is also graced with plentiful plant life to peruse while making the difficult trek up and down. If you don’t think you’ll be up for tackling the hike up and down either of the Pitons, you can simply get an excellent view of their twin peaks by taking a boat trip out to Piton Bay.
Experience the Beaches of the Caribbean
It goes without saying that you’ll want to take some time to experience the beaches of the Caribbean while visiting the island nation of St. Lucia. Two of the best beaches on the island are Anse Chastanet Beach and Reduit Beach. The best way to access Anse Chastanet Beach is by water taxi.
True to the laidback appeal of St. Lucia as a whole, Anse Chastanet Beach is popular with tourists for it’s extraordinarily calm waters. These waters are expectedly great to go snorkeling in, though you can still enjoy Anse Chastanet Beach plenty by just laying on the sand.
Reduit Beach is slightly more popular than Anse Chastanet Beach, but that also means that it’s typically a good deal more crowded. Still, Reduit Beach has attained it’s popularity for good reason, as it’s got plenty to offer tourists. In addition to it’s blue waters and expansive sands, Reduit Beach is also located near a shopping district that just so happens to be a great place to shop for souvenirs or get lunch.
Go Bird Watching at Pigeon Island National Park
Pigeon Island National Park spans nearly 50 acres of St. Lucia’s northern end and it’s got plenty to offer tourists. As one might surmise by the park’s bird-inspired name, Pigeon Island National Park is one of the best places on the island of St. Lucia to go bird watching. However, Pigeon Island National Park has plenty more to offer than just it’s namesake birds, including hiking trails galore. Besides all of the natural landscapes and wildlife that can be found within the boundaries of Pigeon Island National Park, the park is also home to several preserved historical buildings.
Go Swimming Underneath Toraille Waterfall
If you’re looking to go for a swim on the island of St. Lucia, one of the very best places to do so is underneath the stunning Toraille Waterfall. The entrance to the pool where the water falls is guarded by a lush botanical garden that you’ll have to work your way through in order to take a dip. The falling water creates a mist that cools your skin almost instantly, making the experience of visiting Toraille Waterfall indescribable! If you’re looking for a sight that exemplifies the full unique beauty of St. Lucia, this might be it.
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Take a Dip in the Sulfur Hot Springs Located at St. Lucia’s Singular Soufriere Drive In Volcano
The Soufriere Drive In Volcano makes a good case for being the only “drive in” volcano in the world. The location is centered around a steam crater that is constantly bubbling and heating up it’s sulfur hot springs. Taking a dip in these sulfur hot springs is one of the most relaxing things that you can do on the entire island of St. Lucia, though the experience isn’t complete without taking a mud bath first!
In addition to the being relaxingly warm, the hot springs water at the Soufriere Drive In Volcano is also beneficial to tourists thanks to it’s high amount of naturally occurring minerals. The water is generally around the temperature of that found in a hot tub, meaning that the average visitor shouldn’t be too uncomfortable in the heat. The mud baths take advantage of the area’s volcanic mud, which is just as good for the skin as the sulfur hot springs water itself.
Experience the Unique Tastes of the Caribbean
While visiting St. Lucia, visitors should certainly take the opportunity to try out some of the unique culinary experiences that the Caribbean has to offer. One of the most popular dishes on the island goes by the name of “bouyon”, and it’s a Creole stew that’s incredibly hearty and consists of vegetables, dumplings, and the meat of your preference in a thick stock. The dish is slowly cooked in a clay vessel, traditionally over a low flame made from mangrove tinder. Besides bouyon, another food item that you’ll often find being offered on the island of St. Lucia is “roti”. Roti is simply thin bread that’s cooked over coals, and it would make the perfect side to accompany your bowl of bouyon.
Check Out a Cricket Match
When people think of the Caribbean, the sport of cricket likely isn’t the first thing that pops up into their minds. However, the sport is actually incredibly popular in the region thanks to the influence of British colonialists. Cricket is particularly popular on the island of St. Lucia, and those who want to see for themselves how the islanders have taken to playing the game should be sure to check out a match!
Of course, you’ll only be able to check out professional cricket matches during the sport’s season, though the sport is so popular on the island of St. Lucia that you’ll typically find local matches being held all year by islanders. Big matches are held at the giant Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, which is located in the village of Gros Islet.
Visit the Morne Coubaril Estate
Families looking for a vast array of activities to take part in while visiting the island of St. Lucia need look no further than Morne Coubaril Estate. The estate rose to prominence historically for it’s sugar farming, though today also grows cacao, cassava, coffee, and various tropical fruits. The estate offers tours of these different farming areas, allowing tourists the chance to see how these exotic crops are raised.
In addition to it’s enlightening farm tours, the Morne Coubaril Estate also offers visitors the chance to go horseback riding and experience what has come to be known as one of the best zip lines the world over. The best way to finish off a visit to the estate is to taste a fresh glass of sugarcane juice.
Take a Trip on a Catamaran Charter
There’s little doubt that one of the best ways to take in the sights of St. Lucia as a whole it to take a peak around the island by water. Anyone looking for a chance to do so should look no farther than a catamaran charter, which will offer visitors the chance to slowly traverse the waters around St. Lucia and soak in all of the island’s beautiful scenery.
Go Scuba Diving in St. Lucia’s Artificial Reefs
The waters around St. Lucia are known for their various artificial reefs, which were caused by historical shipwrecks. While this might sound like a bad thing, these artificial reefs actually increase the growth of coral in the waters and therefore promote biodiversity. Because of this, artificial reefs are typically pretty popular areas to go scuba diving.
The waters around St. Lucia have a few notable artificial reefs. There are some artificial reefs located in the waters off of the aforementioned Pigeon Island National Park, but the area of St. Lucia that’s known as the Soufriere Marine Reserve features the most impressive artificial reefs of all. As established, artificial reefs tend to feature an incredibly diverse array of sea life, and the artificial reefs found around the waters of St. Lucia will allow scuba divers the opportunity to see such sea creatures as moray eels and eagle rays.
Explore Anse La Reye
Anse La Reye is a fishing village that has come to be a popular tourist destination on the island of St. Lucia. The area features numerous banana plantations, as well as some notable historical buildings. One of these buildings is a cathedral that has been standing since the 16th century.
With it’s decidedly laidback atmosphere, the island nation of St. Lucia has come to be known as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean amongst families and newlyweds. Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that the sport of cricket is incredibly popular on the island of St. Lucia thanks to the influence of British colonialists, and that one of the island’s most popular dishes is a Creole stew? As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more ViewCation videos are on their way!