Every single day I am perusing the internet and travel magazines in search of some amazing new place to visit to escape the hustle & bustle of American living! My 1st choice is typically an island because of the obvious reason – they’re incredible! When I came across the island of St. Lucia some years ago, I was intrigued! From the pictures, it looked gorgeous, so I added it to my travel bucket list!
It took a few tries for me to visit this mystical place. My 1st attempt at St. Lucia was postponed due to Covid. My 2nd attempt was canceled due to a volcano erupting on a nearby island, St. Vincent & the Grenadines. But finally, (they say 3rd time’s a charm), it all worked out and I was able to visit! I couldn't wait to make memories in this stunning place!
St. Lucia is a sovereign island nation in the southeastern Caribbean with a population of close to 200,000 people. The official language of St. Lucia is English though many residents speak Saint Lucian French Creole. The currency of the island is the East Caribbean Dollar (XCD).
The best time to visit St. Lucia is December-February. That’s when the weather is at it’s best! March, April, October, and November are great months to visit if you want to avoid the crowds, but there will be more rain than usual.
St. Lucia boasts some of the most beautiful beaches, refreshing waterfalls, a drive-in volcano, unbelievable hiking trails, and the majestic Pitons! What are the Pitons you ask? Well, they’re St. Lucia’s most famous landmarks! Gros Piton & Petit Piton are two mountainous volcanic spires towering over the Caribbean Sea near the town of Soufriere. Did you know that you can hike these beautiful mountains? More on that later in this blog!
This volcanic island is one of the more mountainous islands in the Caribbean. There is beauty at every corner of St. Lucia! And I mean that! Are you ready to explore this lush island? Yes?! Then let’s go!
Arriving in St. Lucia: If you are flying into St. Lucia, the island has two airports. The main airport located on the southern tip of the island is Hewanorra International Airport (airport code: UVF).
The 2nd airport is George F. L. Charles (airport code: SLU). However, this airport services inter-island connections and small aircraft.
*Travel Tip 1: When my friend & I arrived at Hewanorra airport, it was BUSY! The lines to get through customs were long! St. Lucia does offer a service called ‘Fast Pass’ to navigate the lines at UVF more quickly! Get all the info here: Fast Pass Service.
*Travel Tip 2: Another way to save time at St. Lucia’s airport is by filling out your immigration form online. This is only to be done for passengers arriving by air. You can find the form here: Electronic Immigration Form.
Getting from Hewanorra airport to your hotel
I don’t know if you’ve heard but getting around St. Lucia is an adventure in itself! Some of the wildest driving I’ve experienced has been on this island (LOL)! Our taxi driver had us up in the mountains going around hairpin bends like it was nothing! Swaying from side to side on every sharp turn was crazy! I loved it though!
There are quite a few options when it comes to navigating St. Lucia. Below are a few services that’ll get you from the airport to your St. Lucian digs in no time!
☀️ Shuttle services
☀️ Rental car
*NOTE: I cannot stress this enough - the driving in St. Lucia is chaotic! On top of that, the island is very mountainous! St. Lucia is also a country that drives on the left side of the road. Please be careful if you are thinking about renting a car and driving on your own! It can be very dangerous if you're not familiar with the roads!
☀️ Ferries
☀️ Helicopter
☀️ Taxis: A taxi will be readily available at the airport to take you where you need to go! Be aware that taxi services will be expensive if you plan on exploring the island. We met a great driver that showed us the island for a great price! Just shoot me an email for his info! Also, check with your hotel/Airbnb for ways to schedule rides from the airport!
St. Lucia has two different regions that will cater to all types of travelers: the North side and the South side. The south side of St. Lucia, near the town of Soufriere, is best if you’re looking for seclusion, nature, and adventure! A lot of luxury hotels can be found on this side of the island. You’ll also find the stunning Pitons, Sulphur Springs, Tet Paul Nature Trail, and more!
Map of St. Lucia! credit: World Atlas
The North side, near the capital city, Castries, will cater to travelers looking for beach activities and nightlife! It’s where all the action is! This side of the island is where you’ll enjoy Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay, Pigeon Island, the Gros Islet Street Party, and more!
☀️ South side Hotels
☀️ South side Airbnb’s
☀️ North side Hotels
Just a quick recap! During my stay in St. Lucia, I decided to stay at the Harbor Club on the north side of the island. The hotel is approximately a 90-minute drive from Hewanorra airport. I chose this hotel because I’m a Diamond member with Hilton (hello points) and this hotel is close to the action (Rodney Bay)! Pigeon Island is also nearby!
This nautical-inspired hotel offers 115 rooms and suites, refreshing swimming pools, 4 restaurants, and lounges with gorgeous views of the marina! This is not a beachfront property, but it's just minutes away from Reduit beach (which is gorgeous)!
During our stay at the Harbor Club, we decided to upgrade to the double swim-up room located on the 1st floor of the hotel. We fell in love with this room! Being able to open the doors and go right into the pool was a vibe!
I love the swim-up room @ Harbor Club St. Lucia!
Food! Let’s talk about it!
The buffet breakfast served every morning @ Julia’s wasn’t my favorite (I skipped it most mornings actually), but lunch & dinner was OK. Dockside Pizzeria however served delicious pizza! It’s a perfect place for lunch!
If you’re looking for a nice, upscale dinner, then 14 North is the spot! The restaurant is located on the top floor overlooking the marina! The ambiance was amazing, and the food is excellent (I thoroughly enjoyed the lamb chops and wine)! There is also a bakery at the hotel, 7th Heaven Bakery. I didn’t get to try it, but my friend loved it!
What I loved about this hotel the most was spending lazy days at the pool bar and getting to know the locals (shout out to Lex, Vido, Sisco, and G)! Most evenings, the hotel would have live entertainment dockside which made the nights even more fun!
All in all, our stay at the Harbor Club was good. I will say the hotel is a bit dated and could use some updates in certain areas, but all in all, my friend and I had a fun time here! I’d stay here again when I'm back in St. Lucia!
Let me tell you something – there is no shortage of adventure on this island! From beautiful hikes to chasing waterfalls to exploring the island by ATV, you can find it all on this island!
Experiencing St. Lucia by water is a must! Viewing the Pitons from a catamaran is an incredible experience! Check out these companies that offer boat tours around the island:
☀️ CATAMARAN TOURS
☀️ HIT THE BEACH & SNORKEL
You can’t visit the islands and not snorkel, right?! Here are the top snorkel spots in St. Lucia for a beautiful day at the beach:
South side beaches
North side beaches
☀️ WATERFALLS
I love me some TLC, but in St. Lucia – you must chase the waterfalls! The top waterfalls on the island are:
Now that we've had fun in the water it's time to enjoy St. Lucia's land activities! ATVs, mud baths, zip lining, hiking, plus more!
☀️ ATV/BUGGY
Exploring the island by ATV or a cool Buggy is a MUST! Check out these tour companies:
☀️ MUD BATH
Did you know that St. Lucia is home to the only drive-in volcano in the world?! Detoxify your body with a mud bath! Visiting Sulphur Springs St. Lucia is a must! The entrance fee is around $10 (28 XCD) so have cash on you. Also, the best time to visit is in the evening! It’s way less crowded! *Note: Wear swimwear that you don’t mind getting dirty because that mud can be hard to clean off!
☀️ ZIP-LINING
If zip-lining through a tropical rainforest sounds exciting (which it is), then reserve your spot now:
☀️ HIKING
This beautiful mountainous island has plenty of hikes for adventurers to traverse! Let’s strap up our hiking boots and check them out:
☀️ Easy hikes
☀️ Moderate hikes
☀️ Challenging hikes
So, I hiked Petit Piton and it was an arduous journey let me tell you! My limits were tested that day! This was easily one of the most challenging and terrifying things I’ve ever done! But summiting this mountain was so worth it! Check out my blog on this crazy climb NOW!
*Tip: Hiring a guide is essential for the more challenging hikes! I used the tour company, Island_trekkers to hike Petit Piton! Another guide that came highly recommended is ‘Mervin the Mountain Goat’! His WhatsApp is 1-758-384-7844.
☀️ WHERE TO EAT
Did you know that the national dish in St. Lucia is green figs and salt fish? Yep! Seafood is plentiful on this island! Restaurants here will cater to a broad range of travelers (and taste buds)! It’s time to eat!
☀️ Local spots
☀️ Beachfront restaurants
☀️ Upscale restaurants
☀️ NIGHTLIFE
When I booked my trip to St. Lucia, I chose the north side of the island because I wanted a little action! My friend Tiffany & I connected with some locals that took us to a karaoke bar, and a few other nightclubs/bars.
Honestly, there isn’t much to the clubs in St. Lucia, but we did enjoy the Gros Islet Street Party that takes place every Friday (as it has for the past 50+ years) from 6 P.M-2 A.M!
The party is hosted on Dauphin Street. They’ll be plenty of vendors selling drinks and food while the DJ is blasting some damn good music to party to! We danced the night away with other tourists and the locals before heading back to our hotel around 2 A.M.
Before I wrap up this blog, let me leave you with a few tips for visiting this amazing island!
☀️ I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – the driving in St. Lucia is wild so be prepared.
☀️ Be sure to have a transportation plan while in St. Lucia. There are minibuses, but there is no real public transportation. Renting a car or hiring a driver is a must (I would however go with the latter. St. Lucia is very mountainous. Let the locals navigate the roads for you)!
☀️ You can use USD along with the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD) in St. Lucia. If you’re paying with USD, you will receive your change back in XCD. Always carry cash on you as some places won’t have card readers.
☀️ Tipping is discretionary. The tipping culture in St. Lucia is a bit different from the U.S.A. St. Lucia depends heavily on tourism so if the service is amazing, gratuity will be appreciated. Be aware that a lot of the resorts will charge a service fee. Leaving an additional tip is totally up to you!
Honestly, a week just wasn't long enough for me on this gorgeous island! I quickly concluded that I was not ready to leave while waiting to catch my flight back home! Matter of fact, St. Lucia - would you all like a new resident?! (Serious question)!
I wholeheartedly enjoyed my time in St. Lucia! I had the time of my life! The locals treated us like family, I conquered my fears (thanks to Petit Piton), and I made some incredible memories! I am for sure counting down the days until I’m back here again!
Right about now, you should be packed and ready to head to the airport to catch that flight to St. Lucia! Am I right?! Be sure to have a Piton beer for me when you arrive! Enjoy St. Lucia!
