Things To Do in St Lucia

This former pirate bay has been transformed into a slick marina and man-made lagoon which is a lively hub of activity day and night. You’ve got cocktail bars, upmarket restaurants, malls and beaches to keep you busy. During the day you can try your hand at the various watersports on offer, and at night you can sip cocktails and watch the yachts come in.

St Lucia’s carnival season generally starts in June and goes through to mid-July. You can expect street parties, show-stopping pageants through Castries Town and traditional steel bands.

Visitors and locals flock to this quiet fishing village every Friday to tuck into a seafood feast. Freshly caught lobster, shrimp and octopus are barbequed right on the beach while local bands provide the entertainment. Make sure you toast your seafood spread with some of the local spiced rum.

Head inland to explore St Lucia’s peaceful botanic gardens and the Caribbean’s most colourful waterfall. The well-kept gardens thrive on volcanic activity and are overflowing with exotic blooms and tropical wildlife. Cool off in the Diamond Falls – a small, mineral-laced waterfafll that runs over teal and copper-coloured rocks.

A range of tree-top adventures can be had in St Lucia’s thick rainforest. You can hop onto an air gondola and glide through the trees spotting tropical flowers and exotic birds, or get a Tarzan-style adrenalin fix by zooming through the forest on a zip-line. Look out for the striking, multi-coloured St Lucia parrots, which exist only on the island.

Snorkelling spots in St Lucia are among some of the best in the Caribbean. Anse Chastanet reef is a world-class diving site that’s home to turtles, trumpet fish and parrot fish. The water at Reduit Beach is shallow enough for beginners, while Anse de Pitons is a more challenging spot that snakes around the base of the Piton Mountains.

Step back into swashbuckling history on this former pirate base turned national park. You’ll explore the crumbling ruins of military buildings dating back to the 1800s, and top up your tan on Pigeon Island’s sugar sand beaches. Climb up to the lookout point at the top of the vine-wrapped ancient fort for views of the north-west coastline.

Thousands flock to St Lucia’s annual Jazz & Arts Festival, which is ranked as number two in the Caribbean, beaten only by Trinidad’s Carnival. It plays host to big-name jazz artists from around the world and lasts a whopping 10 days. Music-lovers will be treated to intimate performances, big open-air gigs and Caribbean vibes aplenty.

The warm waters surrounding St Lucia are home to more than 20 species of dolphins and whales including bottlenose and humpback. Take to the waters on a boat tour to spot them in their natural habitat and get a sea view of the island’s distinct topography.

St Lucia’s capital is an obligatory hangout for history buffs. See an almost-constructed 17th-century fortress, a 400-year-old Massay tree and the largest church in the Caribbean. Every week, a huge, vibrant market attracts locals and tourists alike, where you can browse hand-crafted souvenir stalls and pick up home-grown produce. It’s the best place to sample traditional Creole cuisine like accra, dasheen and plantains.

These mountains are St Lucia’s crowning glory. As well as snapping photos from every angle, you can follow an exhilarating nature trail right to the summit of Gros Piton – the bigger of the two and the easiest to climb. Wrens, Finches and tropical birds will greet you as you climb, and once you reach the top, you’ll enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the island.