CASTRIES, ST.  LUCIA

This tour must be one of the best in the Caribbean for offering spectacular scenery: lush green mountains, banana valleys, rainforests and fishing villages. And we will do a circuit around the island without having to spend the whole day on a bus!

The first half of our day sees us travelling by bus through the bustling city of Castries. We shall pass the colourful marketplace and the Immaculate Conception Cathedral with its magnificent paintings that were completed by the famous local artist, Dunstan St Omer. We can then enjoy a panoramic view of the island from Morne Fortune.

Travelling past lush banana plantations, we drive through the quaint fishing villages of Anse La Raye and Canaries, where we may observe local fisherman repairing their nets. Both villages nestle in valleys, and will provide us with wonderful photo opportunities.

Continuing our journey along a winding road on the edge of a rainforest, where there is an abundance of tropical flowers and trees, we shall then reach the town of Soufriere. Here, the dramatic Pitons, rising more than 760 metres (2,500 feet), tower over the entire area. We will enjoy a short guided visit of the Sulphur Springs, the world’s only ‘drive-in volcano’, so called as you can drive right into the crater to see pools of bubbling lava!

After the Sulphur Springs, our next visit will be to the Diamond Botanical Garden and Waterfall, where an array of exotic and brightly-coloured specimens of flowers and fruit trees mingle to form a perfect setting for garden lovers and photographers!

A buffet lunch follows, served in a unique atmosphere at the Beacon Hill Restaurant.

Refreshed, the second half of our day begins. We transfer to a catamaran for a relaxing ride back to Castries. We need our cameras at the ready as we cruise out of the bay and bid farewell to colourful Soufriere and its majestic Pitons! Cruising along the scenic coastline to the tranquil cove of Anse Cochon, we stop for swimming in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean. Complimentary drinks will be available back onboard (with the exception of beer, which can be purchased at US$2 a bottle – price correct at the time of printing). A detour will be made to the famous Marigot Bay – a sensational natural cove where a fleet of international yachts is moored – before we arrive back in Castries.

TOUR NOTES: This tour involves a walk of approximately five minutes at the Sulphur Springs (where there are approximately 55 steps up to a viewpoint) and 20 minutes walking at the Botanical Gardens. Passengers may remain on the bus at the Sulphur Springs and still enjoy the view, and the paths at the Botanical Gardens are concreted (with the exception of the path to view the waterfall, although this is flat and easy to negotiate). The catamaran is initially boarded from a pier, however, to go swimming there are steps to negotiate; there are also two or three steps to descend to reach the limited shaded seating area, however this area is very small. It is not advisable to drink alcohol before swimming. Come already wearing your swimming costume under casual clothes, and don’t forget your towel and adequate sun protection. Winding, hillside roads will be traversed on this tour, so it may not be suitable for passengers suffering from motion sickness. Please note that this tour may operate in reverse order. Swimming locations may change due to unstable weather and sea conditions.

TEXT IS CORRECT AT THE TIME OF PUBLISHING