Travel Guide

Saint Lucia Travel Guide

For all things to do in Saint Lucia, exciting recommendations, and the best ways to enjoy your time in the sun, check out our travel guide written by the Vacay Connect Slu’s team. Read about the best experiences on the island so you can make amazing memories too!
While it is undeniable that the island is known for its romantic stays and is enduringly popular for weddings, St Lucia has so much more to offer from zip-wires through the jungles or mountain bikes & ATV down the plunging hillsides, stunning coral and diving/ snorkeling sites for anyone looking to discover the depths. You too can set sail or jump on a jet ski to explore the coastline; gallop horses along the beach; or indulge your passion for ball sports on one of the countless golf courses or tennis courts.

Exotic birdlife is particularly prolific in this part of the Caribbean and dolphins and whales are also a common sight in St Lucia’s waters so, whether you want to explore on your own or join a guided excursion, just don’t forget your binoculars!
Get a taste of local cuisine at a bevy of restaurants serving up everything from green figs and salt fish to cassava bread. And be sure to catch an afternoon cricket game plus the popular Gros Islet Fish Fry on Friday nights. 

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

St Lucia Carnival– Competitions such as The National Carnival Queen Pageant Power & Groovy Soca Monarch, Steel Pan, House Calypso competitions and a ceaseless calendar of community events which includes various parties/fetes and boatrides. The season climaxes with an exciting, fun-filled two day street parade which features local and international Dj’s, artists and stunning carnival costumes. The joyous and energetic revelry is typical for Caribbean carnivals and is a very special celebration in the Caribbeans history and culture. Under the leadership of the Government of Saint Lucia, in collaboration with Saint Lucia Cultural Development Foundation, Events Saint Lucia and other stakeholders, Saint Lucia Carnival is recognized as the most thriving Carnival celebration in the Caribbean and becomes a more vibrant and creative each year.

Jounen Kweyol– In Saint Lucia, October is celebrated as creole heritage month and, colors do come alive as the dress code could very well be anything – ‘madras. Known locally as ‘Jounen Kweyol’, the last Sunday of every October is regarded as National Creole Day as proclaimed by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. Saint Lucia celebrated Creole Day for the first time in 1981 and since then this celebration of French Creole Heritage has extended into a month of music, dance, cuisine, art and other cultural expression. Food is the centerpiece of the festival which often mimics an ancient style of preparation. Favorites like breadfruit roasted whole on hot charcoal/ woodfire, served with smoked herring and the national dish of ‘saltfish and green fig’, are enjoyed not forgetting the delicious sweetened cornmeal ‘pemme’ wrapped and steamed in banana leaves and/or shaved coconut candies. The event truly is a celebration of the richness and diversity of Saint Lucia’s cultural, ethnic and artistic heritage.

St Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival
The infamous Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival makes its return in May 2023.  One of the longest reigning and biggest music festivals in the Caribbean, the event is a blend of Saint Lucian, Caribbean, international jazz, R&B, Reggae and Latin music. The Jazz Festival which has featured some of the biggest names in music over the years, is a series of intimate and outdoor concerts, educational activities targeted at Saint Lucian and visiting musicians, cultural events, social gatherings and culminates in a major open-air concert at the historic Pigeon Island National Landmark.