St. Lucia Travel Information

Go to St. Lucia for the first time by cruising there to experience walking out onto the deck of the ship and viewing Castries Harbor for the first time. It is simply beautiful.

The habor was one of three experiences that made our visit to this eastern Caribbean island so memorable.

The other two were the ATV ride along an equally beautiful, private and unspoiled coastline for some members of our family and the volcano mud bath for others.

If it is the right time of year, the hills surrounding the harbor will be lushly green and splashed with flowering trees.

The water will shimmer with that unique Caribbean green. The city of Castries itself will beckon people off the ship with shops and bustling activity.

Whether arriving by ship or plane, visitors will find not only numerous beaches for relaxing but also natural, historical and cultural attractions.

Natural attractions include hiking, biking, horseback and ATV rides, plus a unique excursion to take part in a volcano mud bath. The Central Rainforest Reserve covers 19,000 acres and has numerous hiking trails.

Among cultural and historical attractions are Pigeon Island National Landmark, Fond d'Or Nature Historic Park and Fond Doux Estate.

The island is ranked 16th in total tourism. Only slightly more people visit the island via cruises than with stopovers.

Deciding when to go depends on the weather. The annual Caribbean hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, although September and October are the worst months.

As a result, St. Lucia has a heavy number of visitors from December through May, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Average high monthly temperatures during that time range from 84 to 87 degrees Fahrenheit. Rainfall reaches its lowest point from February through April.

The number of visitors declines somewhat in June, climbs again in July and drops sharply during the heavy rain months of September through November.


Unique attractions include Pigeon Island National Landmark with a history of Amerindians, piracy and battles between the English and French; Fond d'Or Nature Historic Park with more island history, nature and culture; and Fond Doux Estate,  an authentic working plantation.

Noteworthy regular attractions include an emphasis on touring the back country by hiking, biking, horseback and ATV mentioned above.


U.S. and Canadian stopover visitors require a passport. Cruise visitors simply need to have their ship IDs available when leaving the ship and returning.

St. Lucia has strong and consistent visits from December through May, drops in June and peaks in July. The lowest visit months are September and October.


Temperatures are unusually consistent. The average high temperature is in the mid-80s year round, while the average low temperature is in the high 70s. tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August.


Currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar. U.S. dollars and major credit cards are widely accepted. Tipping is typically 10-12 percent of a bill. There is an 8 percent government tax on hotel and restaurant bills.


English is the official language, but French patois is common thanks to England and France exchanging control of the island 14 times over history. The geography is volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys. The economy increasingly relies on tourism and offshore banking.

• State Department
  
• CIA Factbook
  
• Caribbean Tourism Organization
  
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration