St. Lucia is one of the Caribbean's most beautiful and geologically diverse islands.

Sophisticated but not snobby. Classy but not pretentious. Beautifully landscaped with rain forests, mountains and gorgeous beaches.

That's St. Lucia, an island that's been honored overall with a Five Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. Bestowed exclusively to travel and tourism products, this award is given to those deemed to be of pinnacle quality.

St. Lucia's two towering Pitons, which rise almost a half-mile high above the southeast coast, are world famous landmarks. They are distinctive enough to be ranked a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Less well known and equally dramatic are the 19,000 acres of mountains and valleys that make up the rich St. Lucia National Rain Forest where wild orchids, giant ferns and birds of paradise flourish.

Part of the British Commonwealth, St. Lucia's French and Creole history have a pronounced influence almost everywhere. It's the basis for the names of most of the cities and fishing villages such as Castries and Vieux-Fort and Gros Islet. Pronouncing the names can be a challenge.

And although English may be the official language, a French-based Creole or patois is still the preference for many everyday conversations. St. Lucia's French heritage is further evident in the architecture of many older towns where the buildings are trimmed in gingerbread and second-story verandas overlook the streets.

The Creole presence is perhaps at its most spicy and flavorful in the many superb restaurants and dining rooms. Coupled with the island's beautiful and striking topography, the French flair only intensifies St. Lucia's distinctiveness.

Shaped almost like a mango, St. Lucia extends 27 miles in length and 14 miles across at its widest. The calmest side, and the one with the best beaches and the largest number of resorts, is the western Caribbean coast. The Atlantic Ocean borders its eastern side

At sea level the dramatic black sand beaches rival those of Hawaii's Big Island. And St. Lucia has the world's only (so-called) drive-in volcano.

St. Lucia was rated the world's 5th best honeymoon destination by Modern Bride magazine in 2004. The island was described as “secluded and sexy” in a survey that went to 3,000 American travel agents.

St. Lucia's outdoors aren't just for looking. An excellent system of hiking trails lead to rugged mountain peaks and meander along the coast. At Pigeon Island National Park, you can swim or take a walk to the ruins of an old fort.

What is presently the Caribbean 's only jungle biking facility also operates on the island, headquartered at one of the old plantations. Scuba diving, wind surfing, turtle watching and fishing are all popular here. And the waters around St. Lucia offer excellent whale watching.

Anse de Sables Beach, located just north of Vieux-Fort Fort on the east coast, this white sandy beach is one of the island's finest and longest. It's also considered one of the best spots in the Eastern Caribbean for windsurfing because of the constant onshore trade winds. A wind surf center gives lessons and rents equipment. The beach also overlooks the Maria Islands Nature Reserve.

St. Lucia's shore diving is outstanding.

This tiny island also has produced two Nobel Laureates. The late Sir W. Arthur Lewis won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1979. Poet Derek Walcott won the 1992 Nobel Prize in Literature. By coincidence, both happened to be born on a January 23rd.

Detailed Background: Facts & Map
Courtesy of the CIA

St. Lucia Arrival Briefing
What you need to know if you go.

Calendar of Events
What's happening when & where

Getting Married in St. Lucia
This is one of the top honeymoon destinations

Where To Stay
Choose your location carefully

New Hotels Set to Open
From luxury 5 star to all-inclusives

Hotel Renovations & Upgrades
You'll see why things just keep getting better

St. Lucia Road Map
From our Skyviews links partner

St. Lucia Tourism Info
From A - Z

Major Attractions

Barre d'Isle/Mt. La Combe
Look out for the beautiful witch
with the cow foot

Castries Walking Tour
The Saturday market is the best sight

Cultural Tourism
An award-winning program

Des Cartiers Rain Forest Trail
The island's most visited trail

Diamond Falls & Mineral Baths
Will take 10 years off your life...supposedly

The Drive-In Volcano
The only one in the world...maybe

Eastern Nature Trail
An easy shoreline walk

Ecotourism Activities
Turtles, whales and more

Edmund Forest Reserve/Mt. Gimie
The island's longest hike

Enbas Saut Waterfall Trail
Take a dip along the way

Fregate Islands Nature Reserve
Frigate birds nest on the Fregate Islands

Golf
Far more than most islands & still expanding

Maria Islands Nature Reserve
Some of the world's rarest flora & fauna

Pigeon Island National Park
Beaches & walking trails

Piton Flore Mountain Hike
Follow a 200-year old road

The Pitons Afoot!
Is it better simply to look than to climb?

Shore Diving
Some of the Caribbean's finest

St. Lucia Jazz Festival
One of the world's best

St. Lucia National Rain Forest
Loaded with hikes & animals

Sulphur Springs
Another name for the landmark drive-in volcano

Union Nature Trail
Where you're certain to see animals--
they're caged