Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia is a volcanic, mountainous Windward Island in the eastern Caribbean, between Martinique and Saint Vincent. Above the south-west coast rise Gros Piton and Petit Piton, twin volcanic spires sheer from the sea; the Pitons Management Area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At their feet lies Soufrière, an old French colonial town, with the Sulphur Springs of a drive-in volcano, mineral baths, the Diamond Botanical Gardens and waterfalls. Trails cross the rainforest around Morne Gimie and the Edmund Forest Reserve, home to the Saint Lucia parrot; reefs for diving lie below the Pitons and in secluded west-coast coves.

The island changed hands between France and Britain many times: alongside English, Kwéyòl (Creole) is widely spoken, and Jounen Kwéyòl celebrates Creole culture. Cacao grows on old estates and the cooking is Creole. The north around Gros Islet, Rodney Bay, Pigeon Island and Cap Estate brings sheltered beaches, sailing, golf and a livelier scene, while Marigot Bay is among the Caribbean’s most photographed.

Long-haul flights land at Hewanorra in the south, regional ones at the small Castries airport; helicopters offer another option. It is warm all year, with a drier season roughly from December to May and a wetter one, including hurricane season, roughly from June to November. Saint Lucia suits honeymooners, hikers, divers, wellness seekers, food lovers and families.