Things to Do in St Lucia on a Budget
With its volcanic mountain peaks and lush, forested interior, St Lucia looks like an island uprooted from the South Pacific and plopped down in the Caribbean.
Like the Caribbean island of Saba, St Lucia is more renowned for its rugged, volcanic interior than for its ring of sandy beaches. The island’s dramatic twin peaks, the Pitons, tower more than 700 meters above the sea, sheltering dense, flower-speckled rainforest, bubbling mud baths tan-colored beaches and quaint, laid back fishing villages.
THINGS TO DO IN ST LUCIA ON A BUDGET
Exploring St Lucia on a budget is challenging. Thanks in large part to the the island’s dependence on cruise and luxury tourism, inexpensive meal and accommodation options are few and far between.
St Lucia’s steep prices—despite the general lack of development on the island—are not surprising. Like much of the Caribbean, luxury tourism has fostered an environment that caters to wealthy travelers, while the local population suffers from poverty and high unemployment.
Since we were attempting to explore St Lucia on a budget, we strayed away from the island’s famously lavish resorts.
Instead, we booked a room at the inexpensive yet beautiful Diamond Villas and enjoyed having access to the best of the island’s amenities, while avoiding the steep tourist prices.
EXPLORE BEACHES AROUND SOUFRIÈRE
We spent our first few days on St Lucia around the charming colonial town of Soufrière. The town is a colorful coastal fishing village that lies along a sandy beach, where green jungle-clad mountains meet the sea.
Soufrière is at the heart of a mountainous region of old plantations homes and beautiful beaches that— though often part of large resorts—are all accessible to the public. It lies at the base of the majestic UNESCO-recognized Piton Mountains and is a fantastic base for exploring the plethora of things to do in St Lucia.
HIKE TO ANSE CHASTANET BEACH
Anse Chastanet is an idyllic palm-lined beach that boasts fluffy grey sands and some of the best snorkeling in St Lucia. The thatched cottages of Anse Chastanet Resort creep up to the beach, but remain largely concealed from view.
Unfortunately, we got such a late start to our day, that we had just enough time to snap a few pictures and turn back toward town before nightfall. Luckily, views of the mountains, beaches and colorful Soufrière, made the walk a worthwhile activity in itself.
RELAX AT SUGAR BEACH
The next day, we decided to spend the morning lounging around the striking stretch of sand at Sugar Beach. Cradled between the two Pitons, Sugar Beach boasts an unparalleled setting. It is easy to see why the Viceroy Resort chose Sugar Beach as the location for its luxurious hotel. The views of Gros Piton are simply breathtaking.
We spent the morning swimming, sitting in the shade and marveling at our surroundings. Then, we made our way up the steep mountain road to Martha’s Tables for a tasty, home-style lunch of creole fish and rice. As with our walk the previous day, the path afforded us stunning views of the mountains at every bend and unrivaled, birds-eye panoramas of Soufrière from above.
CATCH THE SUNSET AT HUMMINGBIRD BEACH
The beauty of St Lucia is that, while the island’s most precious real estate has been snatched up by the island’s resorts, its beaches are all open to the public.
Hummingbird Beach is the prettiest stretch of beach in Soufrière. It doesn’t boast the white sand of Sugar Beach, or the idyllic seclusion of Anse Chastanet, but its location at the edge of town make it the convenient place to soak in views of the sea and relish evening sunsets.
During our evenings in Soufrière, we would walk along the waterfront to a stretch of beach in front of the Hummingbird Resort and plopped down on the sand—watching the lights of town reflect on the lapping waves and admiring the twinkle of anchored sailboats in the distance.
VISIT ADDITIONAL ATTRACTIONS NEAR SOUFRIÈRE
Our St Lucia itinerary did not include visits to the St Lucia mud baths—one of the top places to visit in St Lucia. And unfortunately, when we stopped by the botanical gardens and Diamond Falls, we arrived outside the site’s visitation hours.
Though we weren’t able to visit two of the top St Lucia attractions in person, I hope to explore them on a future visit to the island.
THINGS TO DO IN NORTHERN ST LUCIA
As we traveled the ribbon of road that hugs the western end of St Lucia, it immediately became apparent that St Lucia’s natural beauty extends far beyond the dramatic and oft-photographed Pitons near Soufrière.
For the northern part of the country, too, is blessed with a wealth of pristine beaches, verdant mountains and hidden coves.
Many tourists choose to stay on the northern part of the island due to the plethora of upscale hotels and resorts in and around Rodney Bay and Castries. In addition, cruise ships dock in Castries, making northern St Lucia the most popular part of the island for tourists spending their days ashore.
Since we were not particularly keen on staying in one of the cookie-cutter beachfront hotels, we decided to base ourselves in Gros Islet–a local fishing village near Rodney Bay that has still somehow managed to retain its local charm and character.
ATTEND THE GROS ISLET STREET PARTY
Every Friday night, locals and tourists alike flock to Gros Islet for a street party that lasts until the wee hours of the morning. Vendors set up portable minibars and food stalls–selling fresh fish, grilled meats and rum punch.
We arrived in town just in time for the street party and spent a few hours enjoying the buzz of activity, before retiring to bed in preparation for our day trip to Marigot Bay the following morning.
VISIT THE BEAUTIFUL MARIGOT BAY
Marigot Bay, on the western coast of St Lucia, is an easily accessible day trip from Rodney Bay, Gros Islet or Castries. Visitors can reach the turnoff to town by taking local minivans that leave Castries when full. The bus route does not stop at the bay, but walking the remaining stretch of road to the beach is both scenic and easily manageable.
Deemed by American novelist James A Michener as “the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean,” Marigot Bay is a refuge for wealthy yacht owners. It is also known as a filming location for Dr Doolittle, and as an important battleground during France and Britain’s struggle for control of St Lucia throughout the 17th and 18th Centuries.
Wedged between forested emerald hills and surrounded by translucent blue-green waters, the palm-fringed, white-sand beach of Marigot Bay lies hidden from view and is not immediately visible from the main road. It is only after walking over the hill that descends into town, that its sapphire waters and sprinkling of palm trees come into focus.
Visiting Marigot Bay is one of the top things to do in St Lucia, so we spent the afternoon relaxing on the little strip of glistening white sand and watching the swaying palms overhead. A few other tourists occupied the lounge chairs on the sand but, for the most part, we were able to enjoy this little slice of paradise to ourselves.
VISIT FORT RODNEY ON PIGEON ISLAND
The next morning, we set out to visit Pigeon Island–one of St Lucia’s premier natural and historic landmarks and undoubtedly a must-see attraction during any visit to the tiny, tear-shaped island.
The construction of an artificial causeway joined St Lucia to the mainland in the 1970s, making the historical site easily accessible by car or on foot. Pigeon Island requires a $7 entrance fee and offers visitors access to ruins, beaches and breathtaking island views.
In 1778, British Admiral George Rodney arrived on Pigeon Island, expelling the native Arawak population and building a fort on the hill, called Fort Rodney. From the fort, the British were able to monitor the French fleet in Martinique, which resulted in the defeat of the French in the 1782 Battle of the Saints.
Today, many ruins–including Fort Rodney–remain scattered around Pigeon Island. Footpaths wind around the remains of barracks, cannons and garrisons. We spent our day enjoying the island’s two beaches, hiking to its lookout points and exploring the remaining relics of the island’s past.
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Our budget getaway to St Lucia was a relaxing and idyllic Caribbean getaway.
We may not have stayed at Jade Mountain or the Viceroy or one of the beautiful Sandals Resorts, but we were able to enjoy the magic of St Lucia all the same. By eating at family owned restaurants, staying at the family-run Diamond Villas outside of Soufrière, and getting around either by public bus or on our own two feet, we were able to stay on the island for a week, at the same price that most people spend each night.
And by doing so, we proved that traveling St Lucia on a budget, while challenging, is certainly possible.
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