The natural beauty of St. Lucia is reason enough to visit this Caribbean island. Once you arrive, you’ll find plenty of spots to discover and things to do during your stay.
If you need a good excuse to visit St. Lucia, even if you’re on a budget, consider these four reasons why this island should be your next vacation destination.
4 Reasons to Visit St. Lucia ASAP
Gorgeous Beaches
Lounging on the many gorgeous beaches is a must on every visitor’s St. Lucia itinerary. You can do so without having to open your wallet, but you can also find water sport equipment rentals, such as stand-up paddleboards and snorkeling gear, if you feel like getting active.
Some of the most popular spots to warm up on St. Lucia include Reduit Beach, Jalousie Beach, Anse Chastanet, and Pigeon Island National Park. But there’s more to do on St. Lucia’s beaches other than getting sunshine and swimming in the Caribbean waters.
For a unique experience, try horseback riding along the beach. Atlantic Shores Riding Stables provides guided tours on horseback and private excursions. This is an excellent activity for a romantic getaway, and you’ll also get to traverse a bit inland to see some of the best views from St. Lucia.
The Towering Pitons
If you visit Jalousie Beach, you’ll notice the twin Pitons peaks towering above you. The taller mountain, Gros Piton, and the smaller one, Petit Piton, are volcanic peaks that you can access on foot if you’re up for a rugged hike.
Climbing up and back on Gros Piton will take all day, but you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the island and the shimmering Caribbean waters. On a clear day, you can see the island of Saint Vincent, which is over 20 miles away.
Lush Rainforests
Ready for more action after a day of beachgoing and mountain climbing? Head inland to explore St. Lucia’s amazing rainforests.
You can depart on foot from one of the many trailheads or take an aerial tram or zip line tour of the rainforest if you’re feeling extra adventurous. The island is home to iguanas, endangered parrots, mongoose, and dozens of other animals that you may see on these trails.
Photo credit: Sugar Beach Residences via Flickr
Vibrant Local Culture
St. Lucia’s culture is a unique mix of African, French, and English influences. If you’re interested in learning more about the people who live here, plan an afternoon of shopping, dining, and viewing art across the island.
There are many cultural activities you can add to your vacation plan, including interacting with the friendly locals at the Castries Market. This open-air market bustles with local vendors selling meals, spices, clothing, and a variety of souvenirs and goods.
Other ideas include dining at the Coal Pot Restaurant (serves Caribbean, Creole, and French dishes as well as St. Lucia’s national specialty: Salt Fish and Green Fig), or appreciating local art at Zaka Art Café. This is a café and art studio that employs five full-time artists. Visit to see a collection of Caribbean masks, totems, and other locally-made pieces.
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Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind Waking Up Wild; an online magazine dedicated to opening your eyes to the wonders of the wild & natural world.
Having visited 50+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, and aims to promote responsible travel experiences.
26 Comments
The gorgeous beaches and lush rain forests are a 1-2 combo pretty darn tough to beat Meg. Stunning combo really. We would love to visit for that chill island feel too. Not too far from the Tri-State either which would be a treat. Fab post, as always of course ;)
Ryan
Absolutely Ryan – as a nature enthusiast, you really can’t beat St Lucia! Awesome that it’s so close to you and convenient to get to. Hope you have the chance to travel soon :)
Reasons I loved St Lucia: I hiked through the forest down (yay!) to the beach (even more yay!) in Belvedere with my dear friend and fellow camp counselor, Menalick, I saw (and half the time, ate) fresh coconuts, cacao seeds, Jamaican plums, limes, golden apples, nutmeg, tamarinds, almonds, cashews, breadfruit, and dasheen. That’s just what I was able to identify! Plus there are tons of other local foods here that are SO tasty and really plentiful!
So glad to hear you had a fabulous time!
The Pitons are just spectacular aren’t they! We hiked them, starting with the easier Gros Piton peak. ❤
They are indeed! Isn’t that an incredible hike!
You missed the volcano! Next time you go back visit Soufrière Volcano in the southern part of the island. It has a road that goes right up to and through its center … we were told it’s the world’s only drive-through volcano.
Great point! Didn’t know it was the world’s only drive through volcano – thanks for sharing Venice! :)
Go for the chocolate OMG it’s to die for. October is Chocolate Heritage Month in St Lucia, and seriously, there are plantation tours where you can actually harvest the beans, infused spa treatments and even delicious local traditions like cocoa tea.
We actually didn’t try any chocolate while there, I guess I’ll have to plan another trip for October!
Great post! We’ve been trying to decide between St. Croix or St. Lucia. I’m kind of drawn to book a villa right on the beach on STX, but you may have convinced me to go to St Lucia instead. Maybe I should flip a coin haha
Thanks Rebbeca – I’m a big fan of St Lucia haha but why not do a bit of island hopping and enjoy both :D
I actually didn’t like St Lucia at all. Everyone trying to sell us something, trying to rip us off. Calls like “hello whitey” everywhere we went. Not a very comfortable experience.
Sorry to hear you didn’t have a great experience Kristeen. Perhaps if you’re willing to give it another chance in the future you’ll be able to see some of the magic we saw :)
Simply beautiful.
Absolutely!
People always say Saint Lucia is the place to fall in love with your partner all over again. Well I’m a solo traveler, though can confirm it’s an equally great place to fall back in love with yourself :D
Love it Loretta! More power to you :)
Seafood should have a heading here. Be sure to visit any fishing village on a Friday and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Ah an obvious oversight on my part! Totally agree it’s deserving of a heading in it’s own right :)
St Lucia is my Caribbean dream!!
Hope you have the chance to travel soon! :)
I’ve got another reason for you … for the sandals :D Sandals resorts: Sandals Regency La Toc, Sandals Grande St Lucian, and the chilled-out Sandals Halcyon Beach.
Very true! Great resorts :)
I’m not hiking lol but I did enjoy the Pitons from a catamaran cruise. Absolutely unforgettable view.
Definitely a relaxing way to spend a day, and with great scenery too! That’s what I love about St Lucia though there’s something for everyone’s level of adventure :)