St. Lucia is an island in the Windward chain, between Martinique and St. Vincent, and (160 km) due west of Barbados. The capital city of Castries and surrounding villages in the north boast exclusive beach resorts and beautiful beaches, while the interior region is covered with thick jungles, vast banana plantations, and fertile valleys. To the south, in the area around the old French capital of Soufrière, there are sulfur springs as well as the Pitons (Petit and Gros), the island's unusual twin peaks that rise half a mile into the sky.
Things to See & Do
* The Pitons
* National Rain Forest
* The Sulphur Springs
* Mt Gimie
* Diamond Falls
* Latille Garden
Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Eastern Carribean Dollar (ECD)
Language – English and French Patois
Land Area – 616 sq km
Population – 155,000
Electricity – 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time – GMT minus four hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 1 - 758
Port Location – The main docking facility is Pointe Seraphine in Castries. It is within walking distance to the center of town. On rare occasions, if the port is unusually crowded, some ships may have to dock at Port Careenage, less conveniently located to the center of town.
Transport Links – St Lucia is served by many airlines including Caribbean Star and LIAT, the Caribbean Airline The main ports are Castries, Soufrière and Vieux Fort. L’Express des Iles, a high-speed catamaran service, operates between St Lucia and Dominica, calling at Martinique and Guadeloupe
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. 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. Hiring a taxi is easy and cheap, with standard trips having fixed rates.