St Lucia

Getting Around By Air

Helicopter transfers operate between George F L Charles and Hewanorra airports.

Getting Around by Water

Boat charters are easily available at Castries, Marigot Bay and Rodney Bay.

Getting Around by Road

Traffic drives on the left. All major centres are served by a reasonably good road network. The main cross-island route runs from Vieux Fort in the south of the island to Castries in the north. Roads are narrow and mountainous roads are steep, often with hairpin bends which are not marked.

Bus: Minibus services connect rural areas with the capital. There is a good service from Castries to Gros Islet in the north of the island with buses departing every 30 minutes during the day. Many services also operate on weekends and holidays.

Taxi: Hiring a taxi is easy and cheap. Standard trips usually have fixed rates, however, these should always be agreed upon before you get in as tourists are vulnerable to being overcharged. When hiring a taxi at night always choose a reputable company. Tipping is unnecessary.

Car hire: Cars can be obtained either in Castries, Soufrière and Vieux Fort, or through hotels. Hotels and local tour operators run coach trips for groups.

Regulations: Seat belts must be worn at all times.

Documentation: On presentation of a national driving licence or International Driving Permit, a local licence will be issued by the police or car hire firm for a fee.

Main Airports

George F L Charles (SLU)(services inter-island connections and small aircraft from Puerto Rico only) is 3km (2 miles) from Castries. To/from the airport: Taxis or buses are available into Castries. Facilities: Bar/restaurant, a shop and car hire.

Hewanorra (UVF) is 67km (42 miles) from Castries respectively. To/from the airport: Taxis or buses are available into Castries. Facilities:Bar/restaurant, left luggage and lockers, shops, tourist information, outgoing duty-free shop and car hire.

Getting There by Water

Main ports: Castries, Soufrière and Vieux Fort.

L’Express des Iles (website: www.express-des-iles.com), a high-speed catamaran service, operates between St Lucia and Dominica, calling at Martinique and Guadeloupe (journey times - St Lucia–Martinique – 1 hour 20 minutes; Martinique–Dominica – 1 hour 20 minutes).

St Lucia is also served by a number of cruise lines as well as local passenger/freight lines. The duty-free port at Pointe Seraphine offers two-berth cruise ship facilities, duty-free shopping, restaurants and bars; it may be visited by anyone, although a valid passport and an airline ticket are required to make duty-free purchases.

For information on airports and sea ports contact the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) (website: www.slaspa.com).

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Food and Drink

St Lucian food is a combination of Creole with French and West Indian influences. Most hotels have restaurants, in addition to a wide range in the major towns serving many different types of food. Waiter service is the norm.

National specialities:

• Fresh seafood, including langouste (local lobster) cooked in a variety of ways.

• Lambi (conch).

• Green figs.

• Salt fish.

• Fried plantain.

National drinks:

• Rum, often served in punch and cocktails.

• Caribbean beer, including the locally brewed Piton and Heineken.

Tipping: An optional 10 to 12% is sometimes added to bills.

Nightlife

St Lucia’s nightlife is based mainly in hotels and restaurants. On Friday nights, the village of Gros Islet hosts a weekly ‘jump up’, popular with locals and visitors alike; Anse La Raye hold their Friday Night Fish Fry BBQ. Indies and The Late Lime are two of St Lucia’s most popular nightclubs, both featuring live entertainment. There is little nightlife during the summer, but during the winter the resorts are lively, with plenty of local music and dance.

Shopping

Special purchases include unique batik and silkscreen designs made into shifts, sports shirts, table mats, cocktail napkins and shopping bags produced at a studio on the road between Castries and La Toc. Other craft outlets sell locally made bowls, beads, straw hats, flour-sack shirts, sisal rugs, bags, sandals and woodwork. Pointe Seraphine features over 30 duty-free shops (open seven days a week), bars and restaurants placed around an open piazza. Another duty-free shopping complex is at La Place Carenage. Duty-free shopping is available to all visitors, provided they present their passport or airline ticket when purchasing goods.

Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1230 and 1330-1630, Sat 0830-1230 and 0900-2100 in shopping malls.

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Hot, tropical climate tempered by trade winds throughout most of the year. The driest period is from December to May and there is increased rainfall in summer and towards the end of the year (June to November).

Hotels

St Lucia has a range of accommodation to suit every taste and budget, from deluxe hotels to self-catering apartments. All-inclusive holidays are very popular and several hotels now offer this option. Most hotels provide some form of entertainment in the evening, from calypso music to the ever-popular limbo dancing. A government tax of 8% and service charge of 10 to 15% are added to bills.

Guest Houses

A wide range is available; some offer self-catering facilities.

Camping/Caravanning

Camping is available at Anse La Liberte.

Accommodation Information

St Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association

PO Box 545, Castries, St Lucia

Tel: 452 5978 or 453 1811.

Website: www.stluciatravel.com.lc

Passports

Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except:

1. (a) nationals of Canada and the USA with valid proof of identity and holding return/onward tickets (for stays of up to six months).

Note: As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport or other approved document when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced as early as 1 January 2008. For further details about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit the website of the US Department of State: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html.

Visas

Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above except:

2. nationals of Australia and Latvia who do require a visa, unless continuing their journey to next destination by the same aircraft without leaving the airport.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Types of Visa and Cost

Single-entry Tourist: £35; Business: £40; Student: £30. These prices are for those applying in the UK. Cost depends on nationality of the applicant and the place of application. Postal applications must include an additional £5 postage fee.

Validity

Determined at the Immigration Department in St Lucia.

Applications to:

Consulate (or consular section at embassy or high commission); see Contact Addresses.

Working Days Required

Two to three if applied for in person, depending on nationality of applicant.

Health Care

Costs of health care are high and full health insurance is essential.

Note

* A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age arriving from an infected area.

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• Travel back in time on a Plantation tour. Fond d’Or Nature Historic Park covers the Amerindian settlements and historic buildings of the sugar age and the tropical forest surrounding it.

• Get active at the sandy beach of Anse de Sable which offers ideal windsurfing conditions for both novices and experts. The waves at Cas en Bas and Vieux Fort are a challenge even for the most experienced. Island guests can enjoy waterskiing and parasailing above Rodney Bay. 

• Go snorkelling and scuba-diving on St Lucia’s natural and artificial coral. It is not uncommon to see turtles, nurse sharks and seahorse whilst swimming in the clear blue waters. Popular diving sites include Anse Chastanet, Anse Le Raye, Coral Gardens at the base of the Gros Piton, Fairy Land at the base of Anse Chastanet and Lesleen M Shipwreck.

• Head out to sea on a turtle and whale watching trip - a great experience for all animal lovers. St Lucia is said to be one of the best places in the world to see whales - 20 species can be seen off the coast, including sperm whales, pilot whales and humpbacks.

• Go sailing. Hotels offer hobbycats, dinghies and small speedboats by the hour or half-day. From Marigot Bay and Rodney Bay, the more experienced sailor can hire a variety of craft. Tour operators can also arrange for stays to be coupled with a ‘free floating’ holiday on board a chartered yacht visiting the neighbouring islands.

• Soar above the rainforest on a canopy tour. Adrenaline lovers can fly along a series of ziplines from 30 to 150m (100 to 500ft) in length connecting nine platforms 9 to 15m (30 to 50ft) above the ground.

•Explore the island’s rainforest, mountain and plantation walks. Local guides are available to help climbers tackle the Pitons. The main areas designated for birdwatching are the Bois d’Orange Swamp, Boriel’s Pond and the Rain Forest.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

•Explore Castries, one of the most beautifully situated Caribbean cities. Surrounded by hills, its large harbour at the head of a wide bay is a constant hive of activity. Head for the spacious Derek Walcott Square which features a 19th-century Catholic Cathedral,standing in the shade of a 400-year-old samaan tree. There is also a colourful, bustling market.

• Walk up Morne Fortune, which affords the visitor the chance to inspect the fortification which defends Castries. It also provides a magnificent panorama of the city and the surrounding area.

• Check out the weekly Friday street party at Gros Islet, on the northwest coast of the island, stages a street party every Friday. Nearby Pigeon Island National Landmark has a small museum telling the history of the island. It was from here that Admiral Rodney set sail in 1782 and destroyed the French Fleet in one of the most decisive engagements in European history.

•Head to the top of Marigot Bay, a secluded, palm-fringed paradise. From here you can visit the Cul de Sac - an area famous for its three large banana plantations where the original Dr Doolittle was filmed.

•Take a trip to Soufrière, the second-largest settlement on the island. This deep-water port stands at the foot of two extinct volcanoes known as the Pitons. Rising to 798m (2,619ft) above sea level, these are probably St Lucia’s most famous landmarks. The town itself is typically West Indian, a cluster of brightly painted arcaded buildings set against the jungle vista.

• Marvel at the Diamond Waterfalls in the Diamond Botanical Gardens and Sulphur Springs - St Lucia’s ’drive-in volcano’.

• Visit the picturesque little villages of Choiseuland Laborie, whichare surrounded by splendid vegetation. The Morne Coubaril Estate is also worth a visit. 

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

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