A Day in Lovely St. Lucia

"ST. LUCIA! I have been DYING to visit St. Lucia!" Anyone who knows me is aware that this island has been at the top of my Bucket List for years. I have heard so many wonderful things about St. Lucia, seen amazing photos, and as a former travel agent, I have arranged several honeymoons on this island popular for weddings and honeymooners. So I was overjoyed when the opportunity to visit this elusive island finally arose on a 15 day Southern Caribbean cruise.

A little background:   St. Lucia is one of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, near the middle of the Eastern Caribbean islands, north of Barbados. St. Lucia is only 27 miles long and half that wide, covered in rain forests and volcanic remains, with beautiful beaches. The Atlantic Ocean laps at its eastern shore, and the Caribbean Sea on its west coast. St. Lucia has a subtropical climate, and trade winds help it stay cooler and more mild than other Caribbean islands, although we still found it uncomfortably hot in April. The French settled the island in the 1700's, and their culture is still obvious in the Creole dialect spoken here. St. Lucia was later under British control until it became independent in 1979. 

The island is a little more off the beaten path than most Caribbean destinations, but it is also more exotic, and some say more romantic, than other islands in the Caribbean. It is highly ranked for a honeymoon, wedding, or romantic getaway. U.S. News & World Report Travel ranks St. Lucia at #2 in Best Places to Visit in the Caribbean, #6 in Best Beach Honeymoon Destinations; #8 in Best Caribbean Beaches, and #14 in Best Islands in the World! Cruise Critic ranked St. Lucia among the “22 Most Beautiful Cruise Ports in the World” in 2016, and stated “This Caribbean island creates a sense of awe for visitors with its unspoiled rain forests and idyllic beaches.”

When our cruise ship docked, my first impression was of a lush, tree-rich hilly island, unlike the mostly flat coral islands in the Caribbean. With a limited amount of time in port, we had pre-arranged a tour with other cruisers in order to make the best use of our time.

Castries, where our cruise ship docked, is one of the prettier cities on a Caribbean island. The schools are beautiful, most people were busy with work, and the economy was thriving. Walls lining the streets were beautifully painted by artists. I saw no evidence of graffiti, as the people take pride in their beautiful island.

As our van drove out of town, our guide pointed out Derek Walcott Square, with its 400-year-old samaan tree, and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, built in 1897, and told us of their history.

Economy:  Our first stop was a banana plantation, known as "green gold", where we were shown how bananas grow and told of their economic importance. Sugar cane was St. Lucia’s main crop until the 1970’s, when banana farms were divided and sold to the workers, helping to spread the wealth. We tasted products made from bananas – hot sauce, barbecue sauce, ketchup, and mustard, all served on dried banana chips, and several in our party bought bottles of the condiments to take home. Bananas are now the island’s main crop, although the fruit brings in less revenue than in years past.

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The lovely view from the chef's house where we were served lunch.

We dined at the home of a chef, which was surrounded by lush trees and offered stunning views overlooking the island. Lunch was an assortment of native fried foods and exotic fruits, freshly prepared. We felt privileged to be welcomed into the home, and were encouraged to tour the beautifully furnished rooms, although I’m sure the chef enjoys a lifestyle above the average St. Lucian. It was difficult to tear ourselves away from the gracious hospitality and the lovely backdrop, but our driver insisted we had much more to see.

Twin Pitons:  Our next stop was an overlook of the town of Soufriere and a stunning view of the dramatic Twin Pitons. It was amazing to see the most famous sight on the island right in front of our eyes. I had waited for this moment for a long time! The Pitons are two beautiful, volcanic spires covered in emerald vegetation, which rise out of the sea. Gros Piton is over 2,600 feet above sea level, and is actually easier to climb than Petit Piton, nearly as tall at about 2,450 feet. It takes most hikers, using guides, between 3 and 5 hours to climb to the top of the steep and rocky volcano. The Pitons, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are the most photographed landmark of St. Lucia, and a local brand of beer is named for them, “Piton” (which was mighty tasty, by the way.)  

View of the Pitons from an overlook

I always try to taste the local beer!

Soufriere was St. Lucia’s first settlement, founded by the French in 1746. Soufriere Volcano, known as Sulphur Springs, is the world’s only drive-in volcano. We expected a volcano more similar to the ones in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. However, this dormant volcano does not have magma, but steamy and odorous sulfur gases released from several dozen fumaroles (steam vents) in the bubbling mud. In the 1800’s, sulfur was mined here. Observation decks allow views of the seven acre site, and guides give history and answer questions.

Sulphur Springs also offers hot spring mineral-rich mud baths, which are believed to have a healing, restorative effect on the body. A woman in our group had heard glowing reports of this experience from a friend who had traveled here, so she had planned this cruise with the sole intention of immersing herself in the bathing pools of purifying mud. Sadly, no one else in our party was willing to join her in the 110 degree F. baths on a hot day. I was tempted to try the experience, but I really needed to cool off, so I headed with the tour guide to nearby Toraille Falls.

 
Toraille Falls’ cool water drops 50 feet over a cliff, cascading into a pool in a beautifully landscaped garden. The pond is surrounded by a semicircular wall of ferns and greenery, reaching straight up to the top of the waterfall. It was like swimming at the base of a terrarium, and is an experience I will never forget. Only one other person “swam” in the shallow pond, although it can get quite crowded. The pounding waterfall provided an invigorating back massage, the cool water was very refreshing, and I didn’t want to leave! Changing booths are available here for those who want to take part in the mud baths or the waterfall.


Pictured right:  Me, on the left, with a new friend enjoying the waterfall and pond.




After changing, we watched the cute goats climbing on the hills with such sure feet, then drove through the fishing village of Anse-le-Ray. This village of lesser means is sustained by one of St. Lucia's main traditions, fishing in dug-out canoes. We could see fishermen in the distance, standing in their boats, casting and hauling in their nets for the daily catch.

Soufriere Beach is covered with dark sand that we did not find particularly pretty. There are many amazingly beautiful beaches in St. Lucia, but we were at this beach mainly for the view. This beach is popular with the locals, and it offers a vista of one of the Pitons. On the opposite side of the beach is a very large rock formation with a rare natural window, jutting out of the sea.  

We were intrigued as vehicles slowly made their way up the very steep, narrow road next to the beach. On the far side of that hill is “the nicest resort on the island”, according to our guide. There are numerous hotels and luxury resorts scattered around the island.

The guide drove us through Gros Islet, another fishing village, and he described a fun weekly street party that takes place there. Family and friends meet up for drinks on Friday nights, at the end of the work week. The colorful carnival scene features soca and reggae music and a "jump up" (dancing in the streets). I would have loved to participate in that custom and mingle with the locals!

Our tour guide drove us high above Marigot Bay to show us a panoramic view of “the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean”, according to author James A. Michener. Marigot Bay is unique in that it has a spit of land that stretches out toward the middle of the bay.  Several movies have been filmed here, including Pirates of the Caribbean, and in 1967, Dr. Doolittle’s beach scene with the giant pink snail.

Left, the beautiful Marigot Bay


The guide returned us to the cruise terminal, and we thanked him for an educational day.  We boarded the ship with an appreciation for the people and the culture of St. Lucia.

Our ship began it’s late afternoon sailaway from Castries, and I watched the passing views from the top deck in the late afternoon sunshine. The captain sailed slowly along the coast and over to the Two Pitons, where he halted the ship to allow time for the passengers to enjoy a close-up view from the sea. He slowly turned the ship so that everyone could appreciate the view of the Pitons, so close it felt as if you could touch them. We could not truly appreciate their large size until another cruise ship passed and was quickly dwarfed by the Pitons. The setting sun slowly changed the colors and appearance of the mountains, and we departed St. Lucia, a new favorite island in the Caribbean.

Our cruise ship stopped for this view, and 

another cruise ship sailed even closer to the Pitons.

Have you visited beautiful St. Lucia? If so, what was your favorite thing to see or do while there? Would you like the challenge of hiking the Grand Piton? Would you take, or have you taken, a mud bath? Or would you prefer, like me, to cool off under a refreshing waterfall in a 50’ tall terrarium? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Psalm 121:1-2:    
"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?  
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."