St Lucia
Saint Lucia is a Caribbean island country, known for the twin Pitons, rainforest and beach resorts mainly on the north-west and south-west coasts.
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Where to stay, by what matters to you
- Places to stay within 10 minutes' walk of the beach in St Lucia
- Places to stay with a level walk to the beach in St Lucia
- Places to stay in St Lucia that work without a car
- Quiet places to stay in St Lucia: few bars nearby
- Within 30 minutes by car of Anse La Raye
- Within 30 minutes by car of George F. L. Charles Airport
- Within 30 minutes by car of Marigot Bay
- Within 30 minutes by car of Pigeon Island National Landmark
- Within 30 minutes by car of Rodney Bay and Reduit Beach
- Within 30 minutes by car of Sulphur Springs
- Within 30 minutes by car of The Pitons
- Within 30 minutes by car of Mount Gimie
Best things to do in St Lucia
The one thing not to miss
Start with Castries, the capital, for its cathedral, market and hilltop Fort Charlotte, then head to the Pitons, the twin volcanic peaks that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Castries, Cathedral and Derek Walcott Square1. Castries, Cathedral and Derek Walcott Square
Saint Lucia's capital and largest city. Sights include the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Derek Walcott Square (renamed for the Nobel-winning poet), Castries Market and Morne Fortune, a hill of about 258 m topped by Fort Charlotte. Cruise ships dock at Pointe Seraphine.
4,970 readers a month
2. The Pitons
Two volcanic peaks in a UNESCO World Heritage Site of 2,909 hectares, inscribed in 2004. Gros Piton is about 798 m and Petit Piton about 743 m. Wikipedia says guides are provided for the Gros Piton hike, which takes several hours return and needs no ropes.
The sources do not say whether booking is needed for the hike; check with the park before you go.
2,753 readers a month
3. Soufrière and the south-west coast
The island's original French-era capital, on the west coast. The town lies in the caldera of the dormant Qualibou volcano, and the Pitons, Sulphur Springs, Diamond Falls and the Anse Chastanet beach resort are all nearby.
969 readers a month
4. Pigeon Island National Landmark
A 44-acre islet joined to the mainland by a causeway in the 1970s. Admiral Rodney built Fort Rodney here between 1779 and 1782 to watch the French base on Martinique. It has two peaks and several forts, is run by the Saint Lucia National Trust, and hosts the Jazz Festival.
We have not confirmed entry fees or opening hours; check with the Saint Lucia National Trust.
741 readers a month
5. Sulphur Springs
A geothermal field in the Soufrière district formed about 300,000 years ago, often called the world's only drive-in volcano. The water boils at about 100 degrees C and the area has boiling mud pits. Downstream the water cools enough for mud baths.
Viewing is from a platform kept back from the pits after a guide was badly burned in the 1990s; follow staff directions. Entry arrangements not confirmed.
686 readers a month
6. Gros Islet
A former fishing village near the northern tip of the island, now a popular tourist base next to Rodney Bay. Wikipedia lists a Friday night street party here with live DJs and local food.
Friday evenings are when the street party is listed; check locally for current arrangements.
655 readers a month
7. Rodney Bay and Reduit Beach
A horseshoe-shaped bay on the north-west coast with a man-made lagoon, a marina built in 1985 and Reduit Beach, described as the island's most popular. It has a water park, restaurants and a strip of nightclubs along Reduit Beach Avenue.
557 readers a month
Sources
8. Marigot Bay
A bay on the west coast about 3.75 miles south-west of Castries, ringed on three sides by steep forested hills. The inner bay is a hurricane hole where boats shelter, and it was the setting for the 1967 film Doctor Dolittle.
498 readers a month
Sources
9. Mount Gimie
At 950 m, the highest mountain in Saint Lucia, covered in dense rainforest on the west side of the island. It formed through volcanic activity roughly 200,000 to 300,000 years ago.
We found no route, access or guide information in our sources; ask a local guide or the Forest Department before planning a hike.
414 readers a month
Sources
10. Anse La Raye
The largest town of its district, on the west coast near Marigot Bay, with French and English colonial architecture. On Friday nights locals cook lobster, fish and conch along Front Street by the beach.
Friday evenings are when the fish fry is listed; check locally for current arrangements.
161 readers a month
Sources
Just missed the list: Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival (11th by readers; held on Pigeon Island); Vieux Fort (Dropped: a town by the main airport with no visitor sights in our sources)
How we ranked these
By how many people read about each place on English Wikipedia in a typical month, measured October 2026. It is a popularity measure, not our opinion. Castries, Cathedral and Derek Walcott Square leads with about 4,970 readers a month. Photos come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; the author and licence are on each photo.
Research required. Area notes for this destination are not written yet. The top 10 above is sourced; the rest of this page is an outline.
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