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Our travel guides are free to read and explore online. If you want to get your own copy, the full travel guide for this destination is available to you offline* to bring along anywhere or print for your trip.
*this will be downloaded as a PDF.Price
€4,95
Best Time to Visit Saint Lucia
The guide was updated:High season in Saint Lucia is usually from December to April. This is the busiest period and, therefore, the price of accommodation during these months is at its highest.
You might also want to take into account that June to November is the wet season, when weather is rainier and more humid. It is the Caribbean's official hurricane season. Storms are most likely to happen from August to October.
Also, the island's two big yearly events, the St Lucia Jazz Festival and the carnival, are in May and July, respectively.
Useful Information
Digital Travel Guide Download
Our travel guides are free to read and explore online. If you want to get your own copy, the full travel guide for this destination is available to you offline* to bring along anywhere or print for your trip.
*this will be downloaded as a PDF.Price
€4,95
Citizens of European Union member states (except the UK and Ireland), as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, do not require a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Citizens of the United Kingdom, Ireland, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Israel, South Africa and a few other countries are entitled to stay for a maximum of 6 weeks (42 days).
Visitors of other nationalities might need to apply for a visa in advance. More information is available on the dedicated page Government of Saint Lucia.
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Best Time to Visit Saint Lucia
High season in Saint Lucia is usually from December to April. This is the busiest period and, therefore, the price of accommodation during these months is at its highest.
You might also want to take into account that June to November is the wet season, when weather is rainier and more humid. It is the Caribbean's official hurricane season. Storms are most likely to happen from August to October.
Also, the island's two big yearly events, the St Lucia Jazz Festival and the carnival, are in May and July, respectively.
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Saint Lucia Cruise Ports
Most cruise ships dock at the country's capital, Castries, while some other smaller touristic vessels stop at Pigeon Island and La Soufrière. Once your cruise ship has docked at the port you can hop off and enjoy the island!
It's good to know that, for the most part, major cruise ships stop at Pointe Seraphine in Castries. From here it takes around 20 minutes to get into the centre of town on foot. An alternative is to take a water taxi there and back for about US$5. Ships that do not dock at Pointe Seraphine usually stop at La Place Carenage, which is in the town center.
If you have the time to roam around other parts of the island, do not hesitate to have a wander around Rodney Bay, just a 20-minute drive away from Castries, where you'll find the best beach on the island. Also, we recommend you take a boat trip down to Soufrière, where you can visit the Pitons and the Sulphur Springs Park.
Shore excursions are organized by multiple local providers, one well-reviewed of which includes St. Lucia Best Experience Tours:
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Hewanorra International Airport (UVF)
Hewanorra (UVF) is Saint Lucia's main airport. Located on the Southern tip of the island, in the town of Vieux Fort., the airport is 40 miles (64 km) away from Castries.
Many airlines fly to Hewanorra from the USA, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean. If you are flying in from the UK there are direct flights from London and Manchester.
Most hotels and resorts on the island are located in the north of Saint Lucia. Travelling from the airport to the north can take somewhere between 1 hour and 1 hour and a half. Alternatively, the town of Soufrière, in the west, is approximately 50 minutes away by taxi.
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George FL Charles Airport (SLU)
George FL Charles (SLU) is the island's second airport, usually reserved for flights within the Caribbean. It is located in the capital town of Castries and has connections to other Caribbean islands such as Antigua, Barbados, Curaçao, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Trinidad & Tobago, Saint Kitts, Saint Martin and Saint Vincent.
If you are flying in from outside of the Caribbean you might need to use the island's main airport, which is called Hewanorra (UVF). Check the section on this other airport to know more.
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Bus
A privately owned network of minivans acts as the island's main cost-effective transportation system. They follow the ring road that circles the island, stopping at every town.
In towns, buses will stop at specifically designated bus stops, whereas in rural Saint Lucia, you can expect the buses to pull over at any convenient spot on the road as long as you have signaled to the driver appropriately. Once you are on the bus make sure to call out 'stopping driver' before you reach the stop you want to get off at.
Services between towns tend to be frequent and run until approximately 19.00.
Between Castries and Gros Islet services run until past 22.00.
Most services do not run on Sundays.
Castries to Gros Islet or Marigot Bay is around EC$2.50.
Castries to Soufrière, EC$8.
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Taxi
Taxis in Saint Lucia are not metered. Instead, they are usually set according to standard fares. If the taxi ride is long the price may be negotiable. Make sure to agree on a set fare with the taxi driver before beginning your journey.
A couple of taxi companies based in the area:
Marc's Taxi Service and Tours
+1 758-718-8012
https://marcstaxiservice.business.site
St. Lucia Transportation
+1 758-717-8604
www.stluciatransportation.com
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Post
The General Post Office is located on Bridge Street in Castries.
You can find out about all the other post offices on the island by accessing the national postal service's website below.
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Pharmacy
Opening times for pharmacies vary. Most are open Monday to Saturday from around 8.00 to 17.00, although the pharmacies you can find in Massy Stores supermarkets may close as late as 22.00.
Find a list of all pharmacies on the island with their respective contact details on the website below.
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Telephone
Country code: +1 758
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Electricity
240 V / 50 Hz
Power sockets type G
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