11 Best Sights in Saint Lucia

In front of the resort of the same name and Jade Mountain, this palm-studded dark-sand beach just north of Soufrière Bay has a backdrop of green mountains, brightly painted fishing skiffs bobbing at anchor, calm waters for swimming, and some of the island's best reefs for snorkeling and diving right from shore. Anse Chastanet Resort's gazebos are among the palms; its dive shop, restaurant, and bar are on the beach and open to the public. The mile-long dirt road from Soufrière, though, is a challenge even for taxi drivers, given its (by design) state of disrepair. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.

This dark-sand beach in front of Ti Kaye Resort and Spa is accessible by boat or by jeep via Ti Kaye's mile-long, tire-crunching access road—and then 166 steps down to the beach. The calm water and adjacent reefs, part of the National Marine Reserve, are superb for swimming, diving, and snorkeling. Most catamaran cruises to Soufrière stop here on the northbound leg so that day-trippers can take a quick swim. Boaters and swimmers can enjoy refreshments at Ti Kaye's beach bar. Snorkeling equipment is available at the dive shop on the beach. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

Under a brilliant orange roof, this bustling market is at its liveliest on Saturday morning, when farmers bring their produce and spices to town, as they have for more than a century. (It's closed Sunday.) Next door to the produce market is the Craft Market, where you can buy pottery, wood carvings, handwoven straw articles, and innumerable souvenirs, trinkets, and gewgaws. At the Vendors' Arcade, across Peynier Street from the Craft Market, you'll find still more handicrafts and souvenirs.

On the site of an 18th-century estate, a 250-acre land grant in 1713 by Louis XIV of France, the original plantation house has been rebuilt and a farmworkers' village has been re-created. Both do a good job of showing what life was like for both the owners (a single family owned the land until 1960) and those who did all the hard labor over the centuries producing cotton, coffee, sugarcane, and cocoa. Coffee, cocoa, coconuts, and tropical fruits are still grown on the estate using traditional agricultural methods. On the 30-minute Historical Estate Tour, guides show how coconuts are de-husked and dried for use in a variety of products. On the cocoa side, a guide will cut open a cocoa pod, offering samples of cocoa beans, and demonstrate how cocoa is fermented, dried, polished (by dancing on the beans), and transformed into chocolate sticks. They also offer a 40-minute Rum and Chocolate Tasting Tour. The grounds are lovely for walking or hiking, with spellbinding views of mountains and Soufrière Bay. More adventurous visitors will enjoy ziplining beneath Petit Piton and the adjacent rainforest.

Saint Lucia is divided into eastern and western halves by Barre de l'Isle ridge. A mile-long (1½-km-long) trail cuts through the reserve, and four lookout points provide panoramic views. Visible in the distance are Mt. Gimie (pronounced Jimmy), immense green valleys, both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and coastal communities. The trailhead is a half-hour drive from Castries. It takes about an hour to walk the trail—an easy hike—and another hour to climb Mt. LaCombe ridge. Permission from the Saint Lucia Forestry Department is required to access the trail in Barre de l'Isle; a naturalist or forest officer guide will accompany you.

The city's green oasis, bordered by Brazil, Laborie, Micoud, and Bourbon streets, was formerly called Columbus Square but was renamed to honor the late Sir Derek Walcott, the hometown poet who won the 1992 Nobel Prize in Literature and one of two Nobel laureates from Saint Lucia. (The late Sir W. Arthur Lewis won the 1979 Nobel Prize in Economics.) Some of the 19th-century buildings that have survived fire, wind, and rain can be seen on Brazil Street, the square's southern border. On the Laborie Street side, there's a huge 400-year-old samaan (monkey pod) tree with leafy branches that shade a good portion of the square.

Dense tropical rainforest that stretches from one side of Saint Lucia to the other, sprawling over 19,000 acres of mountains and valleys, is home to a multitude of exotic flowers, trees, plants, and rare birds—including the brightly feathered Jacquot parrot. The Edmund Forest Reserve, on the island's western side, is most easily accessed from the road to Fond St. Jacques, which is just east of Soufrière. A trek through the verdant landscape, with spectacular views of mountains, valleys, and the sea beyond, can take three or more hours. The ranger station at the reserve entrance is a 30-minute drive from Soufrière and 90 minutes or more from the northern end of Saint Lucia. You'll need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to drive inland to the trailhead, which can take another hour. The trek itself is a strenuous hike, requiring stamina and sturdy hiking shoes. Your hotel can help you obtain permission from the Saint Lucia Forestry Department to access reserve trails and to arrange for a naturalist or forest officer guide—necessary because the vegetation is so dense.

Calm waters rippled only by passing yachts lap a sliver of sand on the north side of Marigot Bay adjacent to the Marigot Beach Club and Dive Resort, across the bay from Zoëtry Marigot Bay and a short walk from Mango Beach Inn. Studded with palm trees, this tiny beach on extremely picturesque Marigot Bay is accessible by a ferry (EC$5 round-trip) that operates continually from one side of the bay to the other, with pickup at the Marina Village dock. You can find refreshments at adjacent or nearby restaurants. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming; sunset.

This small beach, within the national landmark on the northwestern tip of Saint Lucia, has golden sand, a calm sea, and a view that extends from Rodney Bay to Martinique. It's a perfect spot for picnicking, and you can take a break from the sun by visiting the nearby Pigeon Island Museum and Interpretive Centre. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; swimming.

This stretch of beachfront on Soufrière Bay was designated Soufrière Beach Park in spring 2019. The park offers beachgoers small restaurants, a smoothie bar, beach bar, pizzeria, souvenir shop, and a tourism information center. You can also rent nonmotorized water sports equipment. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.

A mile or so inland from Soufrière and a stone’s throw from the road through Fond St. Jacques, Toraille Waterfall cascades over a cliff and down about 50 feet to a pool. You're invited to don your bathing suit (changing rooms are available) and let the falling water massage your back and shoulders. A nature trail leads through the surrounding lush tropical gardens.