St Lucia is one of the jewels of the Caribbean and lies on the cusp between the gruff Atlantic Ocean and the warm Caribbean Sea.

Discovering St Lucia

St Lucia promises tourists a tropical climate, dramatic volcanic terrain, unique animals and numerous breathtaking attractions. The island is structured around two tooth-like peaks, Gros Piton and Petit Piton, and visitors can look forward to climbing the 800m high Gros Piton and to exploring the island's interior by signing up for the popular rainforest hikes.

Natural attractions abound on St Lucia, and one of these is the Pigeon Island Nature Reserve, which is located on an island joined to the mainland by a manmade causeway near the northern town of Gros Islet. A wonderful destination for a day trip, Pigeon Island is also a National Landmark, and activities on offer include hiking to Signal Peak and Fort Rodney to enjoy unparalleled views of the Atlantic. Gros Islet also tempts visitors with exhilarating kite-surfing lessons and several gorgeous beaches including the popular Reduit Beach.

No visit to St Lucia - a Caribbean island destination that will delight all couples and families with school-age children - would be complete without sampling the island's traditional dishes. St Lucia cuisine includes wonderful seafood concoctions as well as the tasty stew known as the "coal pot", and all visitors are invited to the weekly "jump-ups" or food festivals that are held throughout the island.

Popular Areas to Visit

Castries is the St Lucian capital, and this modest city lies on the island's north-western shore. Castries' majestic natural harbour is one of the island's main attractions and can be viewed from the Morne Fortune lookout point adjacent to Government House. The city's further highlights include the fascinating Jeremie Street market and the more upscale Derek Walcott Square.

The old capital of Soufriere features the enchanting Diamond Botanical Gardens, which delights visitors with its hot mineral springs and crystal-clear waterfalls. A further must-see is Sulphur Springs Park, where visitors can drive around the edge of a collapsed volcano and revel in watching the scintillating patterns created by the copper oxide, sulfur and iron deposits in the crater.

The town of Vieux Fort, with its trendy local restaurants, lies in the island's south-eastern quarter and is the location of the island's largest fish market. Vieux Fort is also the gateway to the Maria Islands Nature Reserve, and these islands are known for their excellent snorkeling reefs and their exotic wildlife, which includes indigenous iguanas and leatherback turtles.

Negotiating St Lucia

Although most locals speak the French patois, English is the island's official language and English-speaking tourists can easily make themselves understood. The St Lucia currency is the East Caribbean Dollar and there are plenty of duty-free shops dotted all over the island. When in St Lucia, wise-buys would be the handcrafted jewellery and a bottle or two of the potent local rum.

St Lucia offers visitors stunning Caribbean island getaways that they will remember for the rest of their lives.