Destination of the week: St Lucia
St Lucia more than lives up to the paradisiacal Caribbean stereotype: a glorious mix of honey- and volcanic sand beaches, translucent waters, sheltering reefs swarming with tropical fish, lush interior rainforests, and a thriving culture that encompasses literature and theatre as well as music and dance. However, in contrast to other islands in the region, where the tourism infrastructure has been steadily expanding since the 1960s, St Lucia has only recently begun to attract visitors in any number. As a result, tourism has a much lower profile here, and this low-key feel is one of the island's biggest assets.
Despite the lack of hype, St Lucia's tourist facilities are top-notch, and cater to all tastes – you can stay at luxury hotels or intimate guesthouses, dine in world-class restaurants or at roadside kiosks, and shop in duty-free malls or at open-air village markets. With little of the jaded hustle that can mar more established Caribbean destinations, St Lucia makes for a relaxed, informal and incredibly friendly place to visit.
If it's shopping and nightlife you prefer, then you'll probably head to the tourism strongholds of St Lucia's resort towns in the north; Rodney Bay is the main centre in this area, and it has the lovely Reduit Beach as its prime lure. More beaches and peaceful fishing villages line the west coast, especially once south of the mostly missable capital, Castries. Further south, near the inviting town of Soufrière, are the monolithic twin peaks of the Pitons, St Lucia's most famous sight. In the interior, the rainforest-smothered mountains of the forest reserves are strikingly beautiful and rich in flora and fauna, while the wild and windswept east coast offers the chance for a glimpse of some unusual wildlife, from one of the rarest lizards in the world to leatherback turtles nesting in the sand.
Of volcanic origin, the anomalous and majestic peaks of the Pitons dominate the southwest coast, towering more than half a mile above sea level. Visible on a clear day from as far north as the hills of Castries, these breathtaking cones are undoubtedly St Lucia's most photographed feature. Overlooking the south side of Soufrière's harbour, the northern peak is Petit Piton; south of Petit is Gros Piton, wider at the base but similar in height. Maps and publications give various elevations for each of the peaks, some even claiming that Petit is taller than Gros Piton, but the St Lucian government figures of 2480ft and 2619ft respectively are generally accepted. Although from certain vantage points the peaks appear to be next to each other, they are actually nearly three miles apart.