Saint Lucia is often called “Helen of the West Indies” because, like the mythical Helen of Troy, the island was repeatedly fought over for its beauty. This battle went on primarily between the French and British, who frequently switched control of the island throughout history. The exact date of the settlement of St. Lucia is unknown, but the island appeared on a map made by the Spanish explorer Juan de la Cosa in 1500.
What a beautiful island! We almost skipped it, and we are so glad we didn’t. Here’s what we did in our 48 hours there.
1. Banana Plantation Tour
First, we toured a small banana plantation and learned about the cultivation process.
2. The Canaries Fishing Village
As we drove around the island, we stopped several times to enjoy the stunning views, such as this one at the fishing village of Canaries.
3. Anse La Raye
A quaint little fishing village on the west coast, Anse La Raye offers a slice of the real Saint Lucia with small boats bobbing in the little port, old wooden houses sitting beneath palm trees, and banana plantations blanketing the hills. It was brightly colored and lively.
4. Diamond Botanical Gardens
This six-acre attraction was brimming with vibrant foliage, such as hibiscus, ixora, and heliconia. We took our time meandering through the trails and admiring the plants and flowers.
5. Diamond Waterfall
What made this waterfall stand out is that its waters were laced with minerals, so as the water streamed down, it was actually colorful. This was not a swimming opportunity, but we loved gazing at this beautiful waterfall; it was so tranquil.
6. Mud Bath at Sulpher Springs
At Sulpher Springs, also known as the world’s only “drive-in volcano,” we were able to see bubbling hot springs and indulge in a therapeutic mineral-rich mud bath.
We slathered each other up with mud and lounged in four soaking pools, each of a different temperature. A bit kitschy, but we had a good time.
7. Toraille Waterfall
Toraille is one of St. Lucia’s most popular waterfalls. Beloved by locals and travelers alike, the waterfall features 50-foot drop. We had the place all to ourselves and took our time swimming around and enjoying the cool water.
8. The Pitons
The Pitons of Saint Lucia are volcanic spires that formed millions of years ago. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, they were magnificent to see in person. It was a bucket list moment, for sure.
Where We Ate
Beacon Restaurant
We ate a buffet lunch at the Beacon Restaurant. The food was not exceptional, but the view certainly was.
Getting Around St. Lucia
We used Strictly the Best Taxi Service (Javan Paul — WhatsApp +1 758-725-7125) to drive us around. He was responsible, fun, and attentive.
We didn’t try it, but we were told you could also hail taxis quite easily and that they were recognizable by their light blue license plates with a “TX” prefix.
There were also shared minibuses, much like the rest of the Caribbean. There were no ride share services that we were aware of.
Where We Stayed
We had pre-arranged a mooring at Marigot Bay Yacht Haven. When we entered the harbor, we were approached by some buoy boys, but we told them we didn’t need their help and instead radioed the marina. They came out, showed us where to go, and helped us with the mooring lines. It was easy.
Marigot Bay was a beautiful marina, and we loved our time there.
Customs and Immigration
The Customs and Immigration offices were right there on site. It was very convenient.
If you are on the water, look to the left of the hotel, where you will see four little bungalows. That’s where we went to check in and out.
Final Thoughts
We are so glad we made it to St. Lucia. With so much to see and do, this lush island was one of our favorites in the whole Caribbean.
You can see a map of Marigot Bay here.
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