St Lucia holidays

St Lucia is really an island of two halves. The north, broadly speaking, is more built up and lively in character. Not only will you find the majority of the island’s hotels here, but it’s also where you’ll discover the best of its nightlife. In particular, St Lucia is famed for its two Friday night street parties – at Gros Islet’s ‘Jump Up’ and Anse La Raye’s ‘Fish Fry’. Head here for a late one with the locals.

The more mountainous south is quieter and greener, and is home to the instantly recognisable double Piton peaks. Here, you can hike in the rainforest or even drive into a dormant volcano, past bubbling sulphur pools. There are fewer local settlements in this area and hotels tend to be secluded, high-end hideaways with deluxe spas largely catering to couples looking for a more laid-back experience.

Of course, being a Caribbean island, St Lucia is a good choice for a chilled out beach break. The beaches in the north are golden, with those further south taking on a silver-dark tinge thanks to the island’s volcanic origins.

Offshore life is vibrant too, with numerous catamaran cruises in the daytime for snorkelling. Beneath the surface, you’ll find a vivid world inhabited by colourful corals, schools of squid and darting reef fish. Divers can scuba among green and hawksbill turtles, and visit the wreck of a freighter 9m (30ft) below the surface.

As with all the Caribbean, high season runs from November to April, with temperatures averaging between 24C and 29C. The driest months are from February to April, and they are the most popular. The Christmas period also creates another booking spike.

June to October is the rainy season, and St Lucia’s rugged, mountainous terrain means it does receive a decent amount of precipitation. Although hurricanes are unlikely, you are within the belt. While some businesses close or reduce their hours during this period, holidays are drastically cheaper.

May is shoulder season and provides a good compromise, with lower prices, fewer crowds, and mostly dry weather. It’s also the month of the island’s jazz festival, which features international stars of jazz and R&B.

October – saving the chances of a tropical storm – can also be dry. It’s also Creole Heritage Month, which sees numerous events held across the island.

You’ll no doubt want to spend at least some of your trip doing absolutely nothing – the Caribbean is a haven of relaxation, after all. But you’ll be missing a trick if you don’t make the most of the island’s natural inland beauty as it’s one of the most mountainous and striking in the region.

Reduit Beach/Anse des Pitons

With fine golden sand, a choice of watersports and close in proximity to a range of accommodation, Reduit Beach is one of the island’s most popular for good reason. There’s even a huge inflatable waterpark offshore.

For fine white sands and a taste of how paradise might look, head to Anse des Pitons, which has an almost perfect location between the two famous peaks.

Rainforest hikes

Go beyond the beach and into St Lucia’s lush interior. Hikes can be as gentle or as tough as you please – a short amble to view giant ferns and wild orchids or a guided trek up Gros Piton, the higher of the two iconic Piton peaks.

A handful of locations offer zip-lining, giving you the chance to soar through the canopy at speed. For something more sedate take the aerial tram and glide in a gondola over verdant foliage and tumbling waterfalls.

Pigeon Island

In the 16th century, Pigeon Island was a pirate haunt, frequented by no less a character than Francis Le Clerc himself, otherwise known as ‘Jambe de Bois’ – reputedly the first buccaneer with a peg leg. Now, it’s a pleasure ground where you can take a Segway tour, ‘snuba’ off the beach (a cross between snorkelling and diving) and explore the ruins of an 18th-century British fort.

The beaches also offer a more peaceful alternative to busy Reduit across the bay. Access is easy –despite the name, it’s connected by road to the mainland.

Cocoa plantations

St Lucia has produced cacao for centuries, which it used to export. Nowadays, it keeps some of the beans for itself meaning you can enjoy the kind of chocolate that can’t be found anywhere else. Many offer plantation tours where you can trace the process from bean to bar, as well as the opportunity to have a go at making chocolate yourself.

Visit during Chocolate Heritage Month in August and you’ll find chocolate spa treatments, chocolate culinary creations and even choc-tails.

Sulphur Springs

While St Lucia’s famous volcano, Sulphur Springs, has been dormant for centuries, you’ll still see steam escaping from fissures, and pools of bubbling, boiling mud as you drive through the crater. Yes, you read that right. This is, after all, the ‘world’s only drive-in volcano’.

Head to the interpretive centre first to learn about the area’s active geology, and, after viewing the craters, go to the pool for a mud bath. The grey volcanic goo is full of minerals that are said to be great for your skin.

For families

The north of the island is usually seen as being more family friendly – the beaches are better and it’s livelier and more built up, particularly in Rodney Bay. Look at hotels along Reduit Beach for a real toes-in-the-sand holiday – there are plenty with good family facilities. Staying on an all-inclusive board can make sense, especially if you plan to be mainly resort-based.

Although the south is far more secluded, quiet and adult-focused, there are a number of choices for families looking for some tranquillity, including authentic plantation cottages and deluxe beachfront villas.

For travellers on a budget

Neighbouring Gros Islet and Rodney Bay have the widest choice of accommodation if you’re looking to keep your holiday cheaper (think self-catering and all-inclusive). Castries and Soufriere also feature some small, characterful, rustic properties. You’ll have a more local, less-touristy experience in the latter areas, but you may miss out on some of the visitor amenities you’d find in the purpose-built resorts.

It’s worth bearing in mind that this isn’t the most budget-focused of Caribbean islands, but that you can still get a bargain in the summer months, if you don’t mind some humidity and a few showers.

For food and drink

If you like variety, stay in Rodney Bay. It’s Village has a host of restaurants with a wide variety of cuisines, from French and Italian to Chinese and Thai. Creole and Caribbean cooking is on offer across the island, with restaurants and cafes in marina settings providing gorgeous views to go with the food.

In the south, you’ll find fine dining within its many luxury hotels. Most are open to all, and they usually have exquisite settings as well as beautifully presented food.

For nightlife

Rodney Bay is the epicentre of St Lucia’s nightlife. Here, you’ll find plenty of bars and clubs serving cocktails and bottles of local Piton beer so if you stay nearby, it’ll be a short journey home.

Friday night is party night on the island, and wherever you stay, it’s worth heading to one of two local street parties. The Gros Islet Jump Up is a proper knees-up, with food stalls playing second fiddle to thumping beats as the night wears on. The Anse La Raye Fish Fry is more family-friendly and food oriented, though you’ll still get the chance to knock back a beer and have a dance.

For culture

The south is home to many of the island’s ‘beyond-the-beach attractions’, so you’ll find them easier to access from hotels in the vicinity. Soufriere is a literal hotspot; it’s here you can soak in the steaming geothermal pools of the Sulphur Springs Park. You can also explore the Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens or zip-line through the rainforest.

The north isn’t bereft of sights, however – there’s Pigeon Island National Park, a former pirate hideout and military base and the capital, Castries, where you’ll discover a colourful local food market and a cathedral with striking, modern frescoes.