St Lucia. The very words roll gently around in your mouth, slipping off the tongue and conjuring images of snow-white sands, mountains clad in emerald-coloured foliage, shady hammocks, rainbow-like flashes belonging to exotic flowers and cocktails at sundown. This is the Caribbean of postcards, an island that sweeps up visitors in the warmest of welcomes and keeps them on cloud nine for the duration of their luxury holiday by the sea.

With year-round sunshine and warmth, St Lucia is one of the Caribbean’s most popular holiday hotspots. It’s located in the eastern part of the Caribbean Sea and is one of the Windward Islands, a group that includes near neighbours Martinique and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The mountainous interior is crowned rather majestically by the peaks of Gros Piton and Petit Piton. You can’t miss the vivid green summits as you circle this lush island on your descent into one of two international airports.

Sweep through arrivals and check in at your island retreat. St Lucia is known for its excellent standard of top-class hotels, where total rest and relaxation are achieved via spas, swimming pools, barefoot walks and long chilled drinks as the evening’s stars begin to twinkle in the night sky.

Of course there’s much to discover outside of your beach-side bubble of paradise. When you book car rental, St Lucia opens up its treasure chest. Read on below to find out what to see and do.

Booking your vehicle in advance is the best way to save money on St Lucia car rental. You can collect your pre-booked car at the airport or choose from a handful of convenient downtown locations around St Lucia. Compare prices now using the search tool on TravelSupermarket. 

To give you an idea of the size of St Lucia, you’ll drive for around 90 minutes to go from north to south. The road network crosses the mountains in places and can be steep, but the main routes are of a good standard and the laidback attitudes and nature of the Caribbean mean that you are highly unlikely to encounter anything but open roads, friendly fellow drivers and the occasional animal. Road signs are infrequent, but stop someone to ask for directions and you’ll be helped with genuine warmth and kindness.

Many tourist resorts in St Lucia are located along the west coast of the island, where the calmer waters of the Caribbean Sea paint a different picture compared with the east coast, where the Atlantic Ocean delivers more windswept scenes (perfect for wind-based water sports). Wherever you stay, there’s something worth seeing not far away, even if you’re simply hunting for a beach to call your own.

Drive to the capital city of Castries, where the historic centre buzzes with the sights, sounds and smells of the popular market. Elsewhere, the must-see attractions tend to be draped in the very best finery that nature can muster. Plan an excursion in the north to Pigeon Island National Park, home to an old British fort. Or take a dip in the Sulphur Springs near Soufrière in the south west of the island.

Hiking trails that twist and turn among the rainforests can be reached from many areas. A nature trail snakes up Gros Piton and offers incredible views from the top. It’s wise to employ the services of a guide for this moderately taxing but worthwhile adventure.

Be sure to bring your swimming and snorkelling gear in the car wherever you roam in St Lucia. The turquoise seas will call like mermaids and you had best be prepared to answer!