Things to Do in St. Lucia

St. Lucia packs an almost unreasonable amount of variety into 238 square miles. The headline act is the Pitons, and if you are reasonably fit, the Gros Piton climb deserves a half-day of your trip. The trail starts from the village of Fond Gens Libre, just south of Soufriere, and a licensed guide is mandatory - expect to pay around US $60 per person at the trailhead.

The first half of the 4-mile return hike is a gentle slope through tropical forest, but the second half turns into a steep scramble over roots, boulders, and rock steps. Budget three to four hours round trip, bring at least two liters of water, and start by 7 AM to beat the cruise-ship groups that clog the trail after 10. The reward at 2,619 feet is a panoramic view across the channel to Martinique that makes every sore muscle worth it. For something gentler with nearly as dramatic a payoff, the Tet Paul Nature Trail outside Soufriere offers a short, guided walk to a staircase viewpoint framed perfectly between both Pitons - one of the most photographed spots on the island.

Down the road from Tet Paul, Sulphur Springs bills itself as the world's only drive-in volcano. You can walk right up to steaming fumaroles and bubbling pools, then head to the adjacent mud baths to slather yourself in two types of volcanic mud: a gritty gray exfoliant and a smoother black clay. Entry is about US $10, with mud bath add-ons bringing the total higher. Nearby Toraille Waterfall is a quick roadside stop - pay the US $3 entry, change in the provided facilities, and stand under the 50-foot cascade, which doubles as a natural shoulder massage.

Snorkeling in St. Lucia is best along the sheltered west coast. Anse Chastanet reef begins just ten yards from shore inside a protected marine reserve, with over 150 fish species and no boat traffic in the snorkel zone - gear is complimentary for resort guests, or easily rented. For more seclusion, walk the coastal path north to Anse Mamin, a quiet beach backed by 18th-century plantation ruins you can explore on foot.

Sugar Beach, wedged between the two Pitons, offers similarly rich reef snorkeling in a jaw-dropping setting, though day access comes at a premium. The cultural highlight of any week in St. Lucia is the Friday Night Jump Up in Gros Islet. This fishing village transforms after dark into a street party that has run for five decades: grills appear on every corner, local vendors serve barbecued chicken, fish in secret Creole sauce, and grilled lobster tails, while soca and dancehall thump from speaker stacks. It is loud, crowded, unpretentious, and unmissable. For a quieter deep-dive into the island's agricultural heritage, book the Tree to Bar experience at Hotel Chocolat's Rabot Estate near Soufriere, where you taste cacao pulp from a freshly cut pod and make your own chocolate bar overlooking the Pitons.