Destination information - St Lucia

What to see and do: Castries the capital is a bustling city located in the northwest of the island. It is home to the historic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the scenic and historic hill of Morne Fortune and a number of shops and other historic sites. The majority of the island's resorts are nearby.
Soufrière is the old French capital on the southwest coast. It is a picturesque fishing village near countless attractions, including the Pitons, Diamond Falls, and more. The French influence is evident in the architecture of the town's buildings.
Pigeon Island National Park is a 40-acre islet restored by the Saint Lucia National Trust and designated a National landmark. It includes two beaches, remnants of the 18th-century British naval garrison, and Fort Rodney, a fortified hilltop.
Pigeon Island Museum and Interpretive Centre
This museum is housed in the former British officers' mess building, which has been restored to its 1808 plans. A modern "hands-on" display brings Pigeon Island's fascinating history to life.
Plantations
There are numerous historic plantations throughout Saint Lucia. Tours of these sites reveal the island's economic and agricultural past and present.
The natural attractions on the island inlcude: The Pitons, St Lucia's famous twin peaks, are on the southwest coast rising straight out of the sea to a height of almost half a mile.
Stretching from from one side of the island to the other is the national rain forest, covering 19,000 acres of mountains and valleys covered with lush foliage. Exotic wildlife, giant ferns, wild orchids and the Jacquot, St Lucia's own rare and indigenous parrot, can be found here. The Forestry Department offers guided hikes through the rain forest, and there is a seven-mile nature walk.
Diamond Falls and mineral baths
Located in the southwest region of Saint Lucia, near Soufrière, the Diamond Falls come down in six stages through sulphur springs that change the color of the water to brilliant shades of yellow, green and purple. Adjacent are mineral baths built among the ruins of an original 18th-century structure commissioned by Louis XIV.
A recently completed nature trail takes visitors through parts of the Soufriere Estate, the trail follows an old ridge path which was once used to collect the harvested coconuts. The sounds of St Lucian orioles, red tail hawks and other birds can be heard throughout the trail and culminates at the award winning Old Mill & Waterwheel.
Drive-in volcano
The world's only "drive-in" volcano is also in Saint Lucia's southwest. A road leading into the remnant of a volcanic crater, where pools of muddy water bubble and shoot forth steam clouds 50 feet high.
Mamiku Gardens
Twelve acres of beautiful landscaped tropical gardens overlooking the Fregate Islands, on the site of a 17th century plantation. The ruins of the plantation house are now the site of an archaeological dig.