Brief information
The small tropical island of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean can be compared to a gem that only a small number of people have. There, tropical forests alternate with orchards, where bananas, coconuts and mangoes grow in abundance. The forests of this island are considered the best place in the Caribbean for hiking and bird watching. The locals are famous for their hospitality and good nature. The entire coastline of St. Lucia is an unending series of excellent beaches.
Geography of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island nation located in the eastern Caribbean Sea bordering the Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. From the north, the island, which is part of the Lesser Antilles, is washed by the Strait of St. Lucia, from the south – by the Strait of St. Vincent. The total area of the country is 617 sq. km.
Saint Lucia is of volcanic origin and therefore more mountainous than many other islands in the Caribbean. In the southwest is the Piton volcanic massif, which includes the Gros Piton and Petit Piton volcanoes. The highest local peak is Mount Zhimi, whose height reaches 950 meters.
The entire coastline of the island is heavily indented by numerous lagoons, bays and coves. Off the coast there are small but very beautiful coral reefs.
Capital
Castries is the capital of the state of Saint Lucia. About 100 thousand people now live in this city. Castries was founded by the French in 1650 (then called Carenage).
Official language of Saint Lucia
The official language is English.
Religion
About 70% of the population is Christian (belongs to the Catholic Church).
State structure
According to diseaseslearning.com, Saint Lucia is part of the Commonwealth of Nations led by Great Britain. The head of this island state is the monarch of Great Britain, who is represented on the island by the governor general.
The bicameral local parliament consists of the Senate (11 senators) and the House of Assembly (17 deputies). The main political parties are the Labor Party and the United Workers’ Party.
Administratively, the country is divided into 11 parishes (districts).
Climate and weather
The climate is tropical, typical of the Caribbean islands. The average air temperature in the dry season (December-May) is +22-30C. During the rainy season (June-November), the air temperature is slightly higher than during the dry season. The hurricane season falls on June-November, but such natural phenomena are not very frequent there.
The peak holiday season in Saint Lucia is in December, January, February, March, April and May.
The seas and oceans of Saint Lucia
The island nation of Saint Lucia is located at the junction of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Coral reefs surround the island on all sides. The average sea temperature near the coast in December is +27C, and in May – +28C.
Culture
The culture of Saint Lucia has developed due to a mixture of cultural traditions of various groups of people (these are Indian peoples – Arawaks and Caribs, immigrants from Africa, as well as Europeans – French and British). Each people brought their own beliefs and traditions, which are reflected in the modern life of the island.
Saint Lucia has been the birthplace of two Nobel laureates – Sir Arthur Lewis won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1979 and the poet Derek Walcott in 1992 won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
The local culture is most noticeable in the cuisine and in the holidays. Every January, the Asu Sque and Papa Jab Creole festivals are held, as well as the Calypso Music Festival. In March-May – Easter festivities, Whitesantide weekend and Jazz Festival. But the most massive festivals are in December (they are associated with Christmas).
Cuisine of Saint Lucia
The cuisine of Saint Lucia is a combination of Creole, French and West Indian culinary traditions. The main food products are vegetables, fruits, rice, fish and seafood.
We recommend trying “Callaloo soup” (soup with spinach), “Accra” (fried fish cakes with spices), “bouyon” (fish or chicken dish with vegetables and bananas), fried cod, stew with spices, “roti” ( unleavened flatbreads with vegetables, curry and meat), etc.
Traditional soft drinks are fruit juices, Golden apples (made from the juice of unripe apples and sugar), coconut milk.
Traditional alcoholic drinks are rum (21 different varieties of rum are produced on the island) and beer.
Sights of St. Lucia
The main attractions of Saint Lucia are nature, mountain rivers with waterfalls, beaches, as well as parks and reserves.
Tourists are advised to visit the fortifications of La Toc, which are considered the best in this island nation. The British were able to build an almost impregnable La Toc fortress system with numerous batteries and underground bunkers and casemates.
One of the most favorite places among tourists is the vicinity of the Soufrière volcano, where there are a lot of sulfur springs. Tourists can visit there just a few hundred meters from the active volcano.
Local reserves, botanical gardens and national parks are also very popular among tourists. The most famous of them are Pigeon Island and Rainforest National Parks, as well as Frigate Island and Maria Island reserves.
Cities and resorts
The largest city is Castries, where about 100 thousand people live. The rest of the local cities are too small by Western standards. So, more than 6 thousand people live in Anse Lavoie, about 6.5 thousand people live in Chausele, about 20 thousand people live in Vieux Fort, and more than 17 thousand people live in Micoud.
Every beach in Saint Lucia, including the main resorts, is open to tourists and locals. The beaches on the west side of the island are lapped by the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea and offer excellent opportunities for swimming and water sports. But the beaches in the east of the island are washed by the stormy Atlantic Ocean, where the beach infrastructure is not very developed (small hotels and bungalows are most often found there).
Some of the best beaches in Saint Lucia include:
- Reduit Beach
- Jalousie Beach
- Anse Chastanet
- Pigeon Island National Park
- grande anse
Souvenirs/Shopping
Tourists buy handicrafts, caskets, wallets, bags, hats, linen, towels, batik cloth, dolls, spices and rum as souvenirs.
Office Hours
Banks:
Mon-Thu: 08:00-15:00
Fri: 08:00-17:00
Shops: Mon-Fri: 08:30-12:30 and 13:30-16:30
Sat: 08:00-12/12:30
Shopping centers are open until 19/20:00.
Visa
Ukrainians need to apply for a visa to visit the state of Saint Lucia.
Currency of Saint Lucia
The East Caribbean dollar is the official currency of Saint Lucia (its international symbol is XCD). One XCD = 100 cents. Most shops, hotels and restaurants accept credit cards.
Customs restrictions
You can import foreign and local currency without restrictions. It is forbidden to import uncertified food, counterfeit goods, pornography, drugs, any items used for black magic, the occult, witchcraft, etc. When importing pets, they must have a veterinary certificate.
For the export of objects of archeology, history and art, you need to obtain permission from the local authorities.
Useful phone numbers and addresses
Embassy of Great Britain in Ukraine:
Address: 01025, Kiev, st. Tithe, 9
Phone: (044) 490-36-60
Fax: (044) 490-36-62
Embassy of Ukraine in the UK:
Address: 60, Holland Park, London W11 3SJ
Phone: (020) 7727-6312
Fax: (020) 7792-1708
Emergency numbers
911 – Fire Department, Ambulance
999 – Police
Time in Saint Lucia
Behind Kyiv for 7 hours. Those. if, for example, in Kyiv 13:00, then in Castries – 06:00.
Tips
Tipping in St. Lucia, unlike many other Caribbean islands, is left to the discretion of every tourist. Usually, 10% of the bill is left for tea.
The medicine
Mandatory vaccinations are not required. But doctors still recommend getting vaccinated against typhoid fever, rabies, hepatitis A and malaria before traveling to this country.
Security
Due to the development of tourism in Saint Lucia, street crime has increased. Therefore, tourists are advised to take reasonable precautions to avoid unnecessary risk. Be especially careful in tourist areas, including, of course, beaches.
