St Lucia in a Day

Dear lilioftheworld.com reader, here is Lili, your co-editor. Today I will take you to another jewel of the Caribbean- St Lucia. St Lucia was one of the 12 islands we visited during a two-week cruise across the Lesser Antilles in the beginning of 2020 (yes, back then when travelling was smooth and easy). 

The article about St Lucia is part of the series of posts presenting the islands we visited and giving you tips on what to see and do “in a day”. The other islands we visited were:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Barbados
• British Virgin Islands
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guadeloupe
• Martinique 
• St Kitts & Nevis
• Saint Maarten
• St Vincent & The Grenadines
• Trinidad & Tobago

In order to read our recommendations for each island, just follow the links. We also shared our overall experience and tips when going on a cruise for the first time.

St Lucia

Before moving into our program for the day on St Lucia, some quick and interesting facts about the island. This is the only sovereign nation to be named after a woman. The French colonists gave the name of the island after St Lucy who is the patron saint of the blind and those with eye problems. Before its current name, the island used to have two other names- Iyonola and Hewanorra, both of them meaning “island of the iguanas”.

In general the island is quite small- only 43 km in length and 23 in width. However, its landscape is incredibly various- breathtaking mountains are exchanged with lush rainforests, volcanic sand beaches transform into colourful coral reefs under the water. St Lucia is also the only country having a drive-in volcano (definitely on the list for our next visit to the island).

St Lucia is rich in history and culture which is due to the fact that it changed many times its status. French and Brits were constantly fighting for its possession. Like in other articles, also here I would like to share with you my favorite local legend or interesting story. You can find it at the end of the article. 

Arrival at Castries

The port of arrival is the main town in St Lucia, namely Castries. As we had a short stopover in St Lucia- only 8 hours, we had to be the first to leave the ship. The main question for us was how to explore the island. The choice was between a car which is relatively cheap, but roads are narrow and slow, and a water taxi which is also a meaningful option for a short stay. We knew exactly what we wanted to see, so it was just a matter of finding how to get there.

After carefully considering our opportunities, we chose the option to travel by car. The main reason was that if we had opted for a boat, we would only see the Pitons (one of the main attractions on the island and St Lucia’s symbol), but nothing else. We decided to go to the nearest town to the Pitons- Soufrière, and to take a boat from there in order to see them from the sea. There is also mountain access to the Pitons, but the hike takes four hours- not an option for our short stay on the island.

We got a very cozy private car transfer for the price of €40 per person. And we headed towards Soufrière. 

Things to do in St Lucia:

• Viewpoint to Castries

Our first short stop was a viewpoint. This is a place located above the town of Castries which offers an amazing panoramic view to the harbor and to the whole town. Because of the steep road,, you are very fast high above sea level. This gives you a really breathtaking view. 

• Stop at a fishing village on the way- Canaries

Canaries (or Kanawe in Creole) is located on the West Coast of St Lucia. It is a small fishing village, nestled between Anse La Raye and Soufriere. You can enjoy the scenic views from both the Northern and Southern approaches. In our case we were coming from the North and I assume it was only thanks to the driver that we got to see this amazing view. There was no sign or other indication about this viewpoint. 

• Soufriere Bay and the town of Soufriere 

Before getting to the town of Soufrière, we made another stop for the panoramic view towards the bay. Luckily, we were among the very few visitors (the big tourist buses hadn’t arrived yet), so we can take our time to enjoy the view. Not only you see the town of Soufriere, but also the two majestic peaks- the Pitons. 

The bird eye view towards Soufrière

• The Pitons 

The road was again quite steep, so 10-15 minutes later, we were in the town of Soufrière. The first thing we did was head straight to the small boats quay. Our driver asked one of the locals whether he could take us to see the Pitons from the water. We needed just half an hour, nothing special, so we could negotiate to do so for the price of €30 for the four of us. The boat was definitely not a tourist boat, rather a fishing boat and the captain was a bit high at this moment. So, we were basically praying that we would come back safe :). 

We were as well quite lucky with the weather as the clouds went away and the shy sun lit the Pitons. Basically the Pitons are two mountainous volcanic spires. Their height is around 800 m (one of them a bit shorter- 740 m). The Pitons are extremely old formations – experts believe they appeared between 200,000 and 300,000 years ago during a period of intense volcanic activity. In their origin they are volcanic plugs – a structure created when magma (molten rocks) hardens within a vent or lava dome on an active volcano. 

What we learnt later during our cruise is that on many Caribbean islands there are peaks which have the name “Piton”. But at none of the other islands the Pitons were such a symbol- it is even depicted on the national flag. 

The Pitons as seen from Soufrière beach 

Soufrière

The French named the town for the nearby sulphur springs — another sign of volcanic activity— which they believed had therapeutic qualities. Just north of Petit Piton, the coastal town of Soufrière sits at the mouth of a gentle valley. Fishing boats painted in colorful stripes pull up along the shingled bay, and Soufrière. 

The population is about eight thousand, and it manages to look both neat and ramshackle at the same time, both busy and laid back. Much of the wooden creole architecture has disappeared over the decades in a series of fires — most recently, in October 2015 — but just enough survives to give the visitor a sense of Soufrière’s old townscape of steep-pitched roofs.

Colorful Soufrière streets

One thing not to miss during your walk across the town is the Church of the Assumption and its neighboring Town Square. The last was under construction for quite some years and we were lucky to see it just half an year after its opening.

After we finished our short boat tour, we enjoyed a short walk across the tiny town. We were almost the only tourists there (maybe because of the extreme heat). On one hand it was nice to walk when no one is bothering you, but on the other- it was a bit creepy. So we headed back towards the car to go for our next stop. 

Church of the Assumption, its inside and the square in front of it, Soufrière

• Anse Chastanet Beach 

After Soufrière we headed on a tiny stony road. It offered a land view towards the Pitons, so we stopped for taking quick photos. Then we headed towards the target point. The place was a super expensive resort which also has visitor’s access. 

The two crystal-clear bays of Anse Chastanet are part of a designated marine reserve. It protects miles of colorful coral reefs teeming with tropical fish. We were really disappointed that we didn’t have our snorkeling gear with us as the place was perfect for this purpose. There is a nice restaurant on the beach, so you can enjoy a peaceful meal by the crystal waters. We were not hungry yet, so we drove to the next stop.

Anse Chastanet beach, the restaurat on the second photo

• Hidden beach 

Our next stop was a hidden beach obviously famous among locals. Unfortunately I do not know the name, but maybe you can ask your driver and show him the photos.

The amazing natural formation

I’m sure there is no St Lucian who does not know it- we said in the beginning that the island is quite small. The beach was nothing special, but it had the strangest tree roots I’ve ever seen. The video below can explain why. 

• Marigot bay

Some people refer to it as “the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean”. Basically this is another luxurious resort and a picturesque marina, surrounded by steep hills. The inland portion of the bay forms a kind of hole, used to shelter boats from hurricanes. Marigot Bay is a historic landmark, having been the site of a number of battles between the French and British navies.

Once you arrive in the bay, you can catch the free boat which will bring you to the other side.

There you can either enjoy a stay at the beach or visit the famous restaurant where the movie Doctor Dolittle was filmed in the late 60s. Nowadays, this is the name of the restaurant which I was referring to earlier. We had a quick lunch there, expectedly the prices were a bit high, but let’s not forget we were in a luxurious resort. 

Doctor Dolittle Restaurant 

The beach looked really nice, but as we were a bit far from Castries and we already mentioned the tiny roads, we took the decision to get closer to the cruise ship. Otherwise, we would definitely stay on Marigot beach for a couple of hours.

Marigot beach and the yacht quay

• Vigie Beach

The last stop for the day was a beach located just north of Castries and right next to the airport. You literally go out of the airport terminal, cross the road and you can put your feet in the sand. An interesting fact is that the runway at George F.L. Charles Airport in Castries is so close to the water that it must be closed when cruise ships are sailing past.

Vigie beach

The beach is quite long with soft, white sand, the perfect place to spend a couple of hours. There are also some cafes where you can get drinks or snacks (of course beach vendors are also wandering down the beach). 

Unfortunately, the time was not enough for us to fulfill everything we had planned to do in St Lucia. The other things which we wanted to visit were Pigeon Island (an Islet connected to the mainland via a causeway, featuring a beach and the ruins of historic forts) and also Rodney Bay.

As we had anyway made the research, here are some more tips. You can further elaborate on in case you have more time at St Lucia. 

• Beach Selection

          – Jalousie Beach

          – Reduit Beach

          – Choc Beach

           – Pigeon Island Beach

• Local dishes at St Lucia 

          – Langouste: Local spiny lobster, cooked in a variety of ways

          – Bouyon: A thick red beans soup made with meat, ground provision and vegetables

          – Lambi: Conch

          – Green figs and salt fish: Unripe bananas and preserved fish, the national dish

          – Callaloo: Spinach-like soup made from the leaves of the dasheen plant

So, this was everything from St Lucia. At the beginning of our trip, the driver told us that St Lucia was conquered 7 times by the Brits and 7- by the French people. This is how it earned its nickname as the ‘’Helen of the West Indies’’, after the mythical Helen of Troy. Obviously it was because of its beautiful and unique nature. Even the short tour around the island showed us why it was that wanted. We hope that you also saw this and you enjoyed traveling with us. Do not miss our other Caribbean stories. 

Bolom

The locals (not only in St Lucia, but also in other Caribbean countries) believe that the bolom or ti bolom (i.e. little devil) are the souls of small children who died before being baptised. These souls become devil’s servants and go around in order to torture families. They do so by creating noises like small crying children. Thus they attract adults and allow the devil to take their soul. 

In order to prevent the bolom to entering the house, one should put a thin layer of salt on the doorstep and turn over the hem of one’s clothes. 

If you’d like to create a bolom, you can do so by leaving a raw egg under your pillow. On the third day, this little devil will be created. The tricky part is that you have to be quite fast and speak to the small devil first. If it happens the other way around, you will become a servant of the bolom. If you are faster, then you are the master of the bolom and it will fulfill your wishes. 

Getting rid of the bolom

Of course the locals thought of a way to get rid of a bolom. You can either tell it to count the grains of sand on the beach. If it makes a mistake, it should start from scratch. Provided that the bolom fails to finish the task by sunrise, it dies. Another way to get rid of it is to ask him to bring you water in an object with a lot of holes. Because of the constant back and forth, the bolom will get extremely tired and will eventually die. The locals really believe that many people in the country are having their own balloons abiding to their every wish. Luckily we did not see or hear any of them during our short stay.