21 Best Things to Do in St Lucia

Last Updated on March 7, 2023

St Lucia is one of the most beautiful Caribbean islands. Its natural beauty and unique environment, along with its many attractions and activities, make it the perfect holiday destination. While usually described as a tropical paradise, it isn’t just another quiet relaxation destination.

Visitors to St Lucia can join in on a variety of fun adventures. From zip lining through rainforests to a tough mountain hike, here’s our pick of the best available.

Take a Mud Pool Bath

The mineral-rich mud at the Sulphur Springs is available to tourists looking for a relaxing retreat. The mud moves from the opening of the volcano down to multiple pools where visitors can wade in and enjoy.

The springs reach temperatures of up to 38 degrees Celsius and will leave your skin feeling healthy and refreshed.

Visit the Botanical Garden

With endless lush greenery, including a variety of tropical plants and flowers, the Botanical Garden is definitely worth a visit. Expect massive orchids, bloody red hibiscus, local jasmine species, and plentiful bamboo.

In the middle of the garden lies the picturesque Diamond Falls, a place where the pooling water seems to sparkle like the gem. The atmosphere is quiet and peaceful.

Hike along the Rainforest

The rainforest in St Lucia is expansive: it covers about 20,000 acres of the island. You can explore the rainforest via a trail, which normally takes 3-4 hours with an average pace. The view from above includes exotic flora, mountains, valleys.

One caveat for any prospective hiker is any journey requires the permission of the Forestry Department. This applies to locals, too.

Pay a Visit to Marigot Bay

One of the most popular spots in St Lucia, Marigot Bay is replete with small, yet picturesque, beaches where boats and fishermen sail from daily. The bay hosts some of the most luxurious restaurants and hotels on the island, and is also home to craft shops, boutiques, and local shops where you can find many impressive artifacts.

For the more adventurous, you can participate in a scuba diving excursion. For those wanting to stay closer to shore, you can snorkel in the calm, bright blue water of the bay.

Lie at the Beach

While some prefer a vacation with daily adrenaline-charged excursions, many instead prefer to spend a whole day lying down on the beach with a cocktail in hand.

Sugar Beach is considered the best beach in the island and it is entirely public. If you enjoy beach hopping then you’re in luck: in St. Lucia every beach, including the ones that appear attached to resorts, are public and free to use.

Alternatively, if you are visiting St Lucia with family, then you may want to visit Reduit Beach. There is a large water park for the kids (and adults!) to enjoy.

Go on a Boat Trip

A boat trip is an ideal way to see parts of St Lucia. You can rent your own boat or go on an organized tour with other visitors. In each case, you would do well to combine your trip with some swimming in the bright blue waters of the island.

If you are on vacation with your partner in St Lucia, then you could go on a champagne sunset cruise. It is an romantic way to spending your evening and celebrate your time together.

Visit the Treetop Adventure Park

Nature lovers should not miss the opportunity to spend a day at the beautiful Treetop Adventure Park. Zipping through the treetops and going on a guided tour through the rainforest are the two main options if you visit.

It includes 12 zip lines; as you zoom through the park you can spot impressive foliage and scenery.

The spot also includes one net bridge, four hiking trails, and expert staff to help you get around.

Walk down Soufriere

French dynastic influence is evident in the original capital of St Lucia, Soufriere.

The natural environment is also breathtaking; the Pitons, two mountains, guard the city and present impressive sightseeing options.

Roaming along Soufriere and visiting some of the local shops is a must when you visit St Lucia. You could go on a private city tour, or get a different city perspective on a bay catamaran trip.

Go to the Splash Island Water Park

For those traveling with family, the Splash Island Water Park is the ideal destination to combine the Caribbean sea with fun water activities, including bouncy castles, climbing walls, and obstacle courses.

If sunbathing bores you but you want to spend time at the beach doing something more fun, then you should not miss the opportunity to visit this park. It is a place for every age group and the whole family is will love it!

Visit the Castries Market

In the heart of the capital city, the Castries Market draws many visitors every day and for good reason: it’s the ideal place for you to stroll around and become familiar with the locals and the good produced on the island. A variety of the advertised wares are simply gathered from the plants and trees of the city.

Apart from foods and spices, like cinnamon and vanilla, the Castries Market sells local souvenirs, artifacts, and trinkets that you will love. The friendly attitude of locals, their broad smiles and chatty mood, is characteristic of the market and adds a pleasant atmosphere to the experience.

Climb the Pitons

The Pitons are the most well-known spot in St Lucia. Notable for the breathtaking view, the mountains are definitely worth a visit. Climbing to the top of the highest peak, the Gros Piton, puts you at a height of 2,619 feet.

From here, there is a great view of the city and the opportunity to get to know some of the island’s geological history.

For first-time hikers you can hire a guide to lead you safely up and down.

Join a Street Party

Every Friday night, a huge street party takes place at the heart of the capital city. Locals gather along the main streets, large speakers are set up, and the party commences. The festivities often continue until the early hours of Saturday.

Traditional music is played all night long, and locals barbecue tasty food, including fish and chicken. You should be prepared for a lot of dancing, as Caribbean people are known for their joyful nature and pleasant mood.

Visit the Most Popular Fishing Village

Another way to spend your Friday night is to visit the small village of Anse La Raye. Traditional local recipes are based on different types of seafood, including lobsters, crayfish, and roasted fish accompanied by corn and bakes. You can choose from a variety of beverages.

Be prepared for a night out with lively music and dancing.

Ride a Horse Beside the Sea

With no riding experience necessary, riding a horse beside the sea can be the ultimate alternative experience for everyone. Those horses love to walk along the sandy beaches of St Lucia or even swim in the sea.

Many beaches offer guided trailed tours with expert riders that will guide your horse along some of the most picturesque spots that can be found along the shore.

Eat Bananas

It may sound weird at first, but St Lucia is well-known around the world for its varieties of bananas. The island is actually home for over 120 different species of bananas, each of which has its own special taste and sweetness.

Near Marigot Bay in particular, you are going to see numerous banana fields, wrapped with protective bunches to avoid bites from insects or birds.

It would be no exaggeration to say that eating bananas can be considered a national sport in St Lucia.

Drink the Coconut Water

Right from the source of the coconut, you can taste some amazing coconut water if you stop for a while at one of the many merchants that stand at the side of the main roads with a machete in hand. The process of cutting off the top of the coconut and handing it to you as a drink is quite spectacular, as well.

Eat the National Dish

Considered mostly a Sunday dish for locals and served at almost every restaurant daily, the national dish in St Lucia comes by the name of ”green figs”.

It is actually a piece of dried and salted fish that is firstly soaked overnight and then boiled and crumbled with vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers and onions before the addition of boiled bananas.

Watch the Sunset

For the more romantic among you, watching the sunset can be a captivating experience. Particularly if you are able to be at the Pitons during that part of the day, you’ll be enchanted by the sight that unravels before your eyes.

After the sunset, you can go for a cocktail or two or have a romantic meal at the restaurant that’s situated there, the well-known Dasheene.

Rum Tasting

You can surely not leave a Caribbean island without tasting some quality, local rum. Thankfully, near the Marigot Bay, there is a traditional distillery where you can taste more than 25 species of rum that this place produces, including Admiral Rodney and 1931.

Each type of rum comes with its own unique and sometimes weird flavor. For example, you can taste the coconut cream flavor or the original banana rum that’s most appreciated by locals, as well.

Watch the Island’s Sea Life

This Caribbean island has the fortune to host some of the world’s largest sea turtles, that can reach a tone each when they fully grow. The island is also, a place for dolphin and whale watching, particularly if you go on a boat trip. Deep sea boat trips and water activities, like kayaking are also, popular choice and provide unique sightseeing of the island’s sea life.

Visiting St Lucia will definitely be a unique and memorable experience. Its spectacular natural beauty, along with its variety of sightseeing opportunities and activities to take part in will reward even the most bizarre visitors.

Being both a funny, adventurous and romantic island, this place is ideal for everyone: from solo travellers to couples or families. Everyone will find something that he likes in this beautiful place, and the combination of mountains, sandy beaches, rocks, underwater life and the variety of flora and fauna will cover everyone’s different tastes.