SAINT LUCIA
Lying in the south-eastern Caribbean Sea, St. Lucia is an independent state and is one of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.
The capital of the country is Castries. The major hotels, resorts, and restaurants are set at the Castries and some main towns like Soufrière, Gros Islet and Rodney Bay too are situated in the capital.
Named for St Lucy of Syracuse, St. Lucia was first visited by the Europeans somewhere in the 1500s but it was the French who colonized the island in 1660.
Lucia was also known as the "Helen of the West Indies" because like Helen of Troy it went back and forth from French to British control several times, till it was finally the British who took complete control of it in 1814.
The island nation finally became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1979. The Head of State is the British Monarch, represented by a Governor-General.
GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
Along with its offshore islets, the island has a total area of about 616 sq km (238 sq mi). To the south-east of the country lies Barbados, Martinique to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, St. Vincent to the south, and the Caribbean Sea to the west. The country is of volcanic origin and is more mountainous than many other Caribbean islands.
St Lucia has a tropical climate with an average annual temperature of 26° C (79° F). During the rainy season, which lasts from June to November, the island is at risk from tropical storms and hurricanes. The dry season, from January to April is the best time for visiting the country.
ECONOMY AND CURRENCY
The East Caribbean Dollar (XCD) is the monetary unit that has been employed by the country. Offshore banking and tourism industries are the island's main sources of revenue. The government has been making sincere efforts to diversify the economy away from its traditional dependence on agriculture generally, and on banana exports in particular. Due to these efforts the manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area.
PEOPLE, CULTURE AND LANGUAGES
The estimated population of St Lucia is 160, 267. Over 80% of the St Lucian population is of African decent; besides this there is also a significant mixed minority consisting of Indo-Caribbean or Indian and a small European origin minority (descendants of French, British, and Irish colonists).
There is a very marked and evident influence of the French culture on St. Lucia. From place names, to architecture, cuisine, and music of the island everything reflects French styles.
Like other Caribbean countries, Saint Lucia holds a carnival at the pre-Lenten time leading up to Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday and during which noisy bands and colourful costumed dancers parade through the streets. An internationally renowned jazz festival is hosted by the country every year in May, which draws large crowds. Quadrille is a popular folk dance of the county and Caribbean music genres such as soca, zouk, kompa, and reggae, are the popular music forms along with a lot of folk music.
English is the official language of the country but the spoken language of over 80% of the population is a kind of Creole language called Antillean Creole, which and is getting increasing usage and official recognition.
HOW TO REACH
By Air
Including Caribbean Star and LIAT, St Lucia is served by many airlines. The major airports are:
-George F L Charles (SLU), which is 3km (2 miles) from Castries and services inter-island connections and small aircraft from Puerto Rico only.
-Hewanorra (UVF), which is 67km (42 miles) from Castries.
By Water
A high-speed catamaran service, L’Express des Ile sis operated between St Lucia and Dominica, calling at Martinique and Guadeloupe and additionally a number of cruise lines as well as local passenger/freight lines also serve St Lucia.
TRAVEL DESTINATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
Taking a plantation tour is one of the most fun things to do in St Lucia.
If you are the sporty kind then the sandy beach of Anse de Sable offers ideal windsurfing conditions. Additionally enjoy waterskiing and parasailing at Cas en Bas and Vieux Fort where the waves are a challenge even for the most experienced.
On St Lucia's natural and artificial coral, one can go snorkeling and scuba diving; some of the more popular diving sites are Anse Chastanet, Anse Le Raye, and Coral Gardens at the base of the Gros Piton, Fairy Land at the base of Anse Chastanet and Lesleen M Shipwreck. There is every possibility that you will see to see turtles, nurse sharks and seahorse whilst swimming in the clear blue waters.
A great experience for all animal lovers would be a turtle and whale watching trip; 20 species can be seen off the coast of St Lucia, including sperm whales, pilot whales and humpbacks, making it one of the best places on the world to see whales.
Hobby-cats, dinghies and small speedboats can be hired by the hour for sailing and the more experienced sailor can hire a variety of craft from Marigot Bay and Rodney Bay.
A really unique experience would be to take a ‘free floating' holiday on board a chartered yacht visiting the islands neighbouring Marigot Bay and Rodney Bay.
If you care for a rush of adrenalin, take a canopy tour and soar above St Lucia’s rainforest. Alternatively you can also explore the island's rainforest, mountain and plantation walks on foot.
Castries is one of the most beautifully situated Caribbean cities, which is surrounded by hills, and its large harbour at the head of a wide bay is a constant hive of activity. Also in the city, in the Derek Walcott Square there is a 19th-century Catholic Cathedral, standing in the shade of a 400-year-old samaan tree.
From Morne Fortune you can get a magnificent panorama of the city and the surrounding area and can also inspect the fortification there, which defends Castries.
For some peace and quiet visit Marigot Bay, a secluded, palm-fringed paradise and from here you can also go to the Cul de Sac - an area famous for its three large banana plantations where the original ‘Dr Doolittle’ was filmed.
Soufrière, the second-largest settlement on the island, is a deep-water port that stands at the foot of two extinct volcanoes known as the Pitons, which are probably St Lucia's most famous landmarks.
Don’t miss these two marvels- the Diamond Waterfalls in the Diamond Botanical Gardens and the Sulphur Springs, famous as St Lucia's 'drive-in volcano'.
Shopping
Batik and silkscreen designs made into shifts, sports shirts, table mats, cocktail napkins and shopping bags produced at a studio on the road between Castries and La Toc, are some of the remarkable items to shop for in the country.
Also have a look at the locally made bowls, beads, straw hats, flour-sack shirts, sisal rugs, bags, sandals and woodwork. There are over 30 duty-free shops in Pointe Seraphine and another duty-free shopping complex is at La Place Carenage.
Nightlife
It’s mainly in hotels and restaurants that the nightlife of the country is based. Gros Islet hosts a weekly ‘jump up’, on Friday nights, which is popular with locals as well as visitors.
Two of St Lucia’s most popular nightclubs that both feature live entertainment are ‘Indies’ and ‘The Late Lime’.
During the winter the resorts are lively, with plenty of local music and dance but there is little nightlife during the summer.
Cuisine
The flavors of the St Lucian cuisine are a great blend of the Creole with French and West Indian flavors. In addition to this there are many restaurants which serve other different kids of cuisines.
The national delicacies that should be sampled include: A local lobster called langouste, cooked in a variety of ways, Conch called Lambi, Green figs, salt fish and fried plantain.
To wash down the islands flavors you could try Rum, which is often served in punch and cocktails or Caribbean beer, including the locally brewed Piton and Heineken.
GETTING AROUND
Air
Between George F L Charles and Hewanorra airports, Helicopter transfers are carried out.
Water
At Castries, Marigot Bay and Rodney Bay, you can easily charter boats.
Road
The country has a reasonably good network of roads and there are good and regular bus services, which even connect the rural areas to the cities. Taxis are easy to hire and cheap and cars for hire can be obtained either in Castries, Soufrière and Vieux Fort, or through hotels.
WHERE TO STAY
Every taste and every budget is well served by the wide variety of hotels, from deluxe hotels to self-catering apartments, in the country.
Several hotels offer all-inclusive holidays and this option is becoming very popular with visitors.
Some form of entertainment, from calypso music to the ever-popular limbo dancing, is provided by most hotels in the evenings.
A large number of guest houses are spread throughout the country and camping is available at Anse La Liberte.
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