ST. LUCIA - DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

Honeymoons on St Lucia can be exciting. There are plenty of challenges for sporting visitors, whether it be on land or in the water!  Diving, snorkeling, sailing, yachting, wind surfing, hiking, running and trail riding are just a few of the soft adventure activities awaiting you in St. Lucia. 

The island of St. Lucia is for travelers seeking pleasure and enrichment through the wonder of the undiscovered, the adventure of the unfamiliar, the freshness of the unspoiled and the stimulation of the exotic. While the white-sand beaches are found in the north, few come to St. Lucia without touring the south, where the island’s natural attractions are concentrated. The drive down the west coast to the town of Soufrière at the base of Petit Piton, the shorter and steeper of the twin pinnacles, is one of the most scenic in all the Caribbean.   Here in the south of the island you will also be able to visit the Sulphur Springs, Cultural Heritage tours and Plantation tours abound, and botanical tours showcase the abundant flora of the island.  Don’t forget a tour of the Sulphur Springs and mineral springs.

St. Lucia’s iconic Pitons – a pair of volcanic spires that vault heavenward from the Caribbean Sea – define one of the region’s most romantic destinations. Though the trademark vistas that surround the Pitons are perhaps the most memorable, St. Lucia delivers robust, varied scenery from head to toe. Simply put, the island looks the way the Caribbean is supposed to look.  St. Lucia’s spectacle continues below sea level, where the underwater landscape often mirrors the mountain slopes above. Much of the coastline is under the protection of the Soufrière Marine Management Area, which prohibits fishing.  The result is a submerged fantasy of colorful fish and some of the most pristine coral reefs in the Caribbean.



With the sparkling Caribbean Sea on one side and the mysterious depths of the Atlantic Ocean on the other, sailors and fishermen will fall in love with St Lucia. Not only is it possible to charter any form of sea-going vessel anywhere on the island, but St Lucia also offers opportunities for some of the best deep sea fishing in the world. Described as "an angler's dream come true", it is home to several species of big game fish, and you may even catch a trophy white marlin as your prize!

Saint Lucia has also become one of the region's main centers for yacht charters, with operations at the Rodney Bay Marina and at Marigot Harbor.

Watersports are a way of life on this island, where a coastline of rain-forested mountains is frequently interrupted by natural harbors and bays. The island boasts some of the best underwater dive sites in the Caribbean. Many hotels offer scuba diving facilities and snorkeling equipment, as do a number of independent dive centers. Windsurfers will be challenged by the waves at Cas en Bas and Vieux Fort, the most popular spots for advanced and intermediate windsurfers, while beginners will find the calmer waters of the west coast perfect for sharpening their skills. Top-of-the-line equipment and instruction is available at most hotels and several windsurfing centers around the island.

In the north of the island lies Castries, the island’s capital, which is a busy hub of island commerce and culture. An active cruise-ship port, visitors can invest a few hours at one of two duty-free shopping pavilions along the waterfront.  Artists showcase paintings and sculptures in several galleries. Just a few steps from the harbor is the market, where vendors have gathered for more than 100 years to sell a bounty of fresh produce alongside fishermen hawking king mackerel, mahi-mahi and wahoo. You can easily find an open bar to soak in the wonderful experience of the day, dine at a fancy restaurant, and later head to a club for an evening of fun.  But it is on the weekend, particularly on a Friday evening, that the true spirit of St. Lucia comes alive. It all happens in the streets of Gros Islet  north of Castries, where the rhythms of Caribbean Music reverberate through the night air. Barbeque chicken, fish and conch kebabs are just a few of the mouth-watering foods available. And then, as the night explodes into a colorful festival which brings together native and tourist alike, one can only think and ponder a bit, on how beautiful it is to be in St. Lucia.  The Gros Islet “Jump Up” is not to be missed and starts around 11pm on Friday nights… just a short trip away from the Anse La Raye Seafood Friday evening.

St. Lucia Jazz has become one of the major events on St. Lucia’s calendar of events. During the month of May, the island moves to the beat of jazz when music fills the air and tourism takes on a whole new meaning to all. What started as simply a marketing event to boost tourism industry arrivals during a low peak period, has now developed into a truly St. Lucian Festival.  Since its establishment in 1992, St. Lucia Jazz has grown in magnitude and stature.  It is considered by patrons and the press as the “Premiere Jazz Festival” of the Caribbean region. George Wein (producer of over 30 Festivals worldwide) ranked St. Lucia Jazz among the top three Festivals in the world. In 1998, Motown recording artiste, Grover Washington Jr. placed St. Lucia Jazz among the best that he has ever attended. St. Lucia Jazz has surpassed the objectives set out for it and continues to attract international and regional media attention to the island. Visits to St. Lucia due to awareness of the island generated by Jazz continue well beyond the May period. Extensive international media coverage on television, radio and print media has resulted in added exposure; the estimated cost of which surpasses the Board’s overall annual budget.

St. Lucia Jazz encompasses multiple shows of acoustical/straight ahead jazz, new age jazz, fusion, rhythm and blues with acts emanating from the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe. The shows range from formal performances to intimate late night open air venues and late night club venues to open air picnic style events, which allow the St. Lucia Jazz to offer unparalleled variety and ambience.