Green mountains dotted with thick jungle and sprawling banana plantations, rain forests, fertile valleys, honey-colored beaches and charming villages make St. Lucia one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean.

Sports: Hiking is a good way to experience the island's natural beauty.  There are numerous trails through the large rain forest covering the southern half of St. Lucia.  Among them, the Barre De L'Isle Trail features four panoramic look-out points.  Horseback riding - countryside rides, beach rides and plantation tours are also popular.  Scuba and snorkeling sites are impressive.  Anse Chastanet, on the southwest coast near St. Lucia's twin mountain peaks of Petit Piton and Gros Piton, has an underwater reef that drops to a stunning coral wall.  Rodney Bay and Marigot Bay are centers for bareboat and crewed yacht charters, while island waters are filled with king mackerel, barracuda, white marlin and dolphin.

Things To Do and See: Wrapped around a sheltered bay, the capital of Castries is a bustling place with one of the region's liveliest, most colorful markets.  Here country women, often dressed in traditional garb, sell luscious fruits and vegetables, plus local handicrafts. To the south, Morne Fortune (the Hill of Good Luck) was the site of several 18th century battles between the French and British.  There's a military cemetery, small museum, old cannons and spectacular look-outs.  Connected to the mainland by a causeway, the Pigeon Island National Historic Park has military ruins, a museum and interpretive center and two beaches.  The island's natural attractions include Mount Soufriere volcano, where visitors can actually walk into the millions-of-years-old crater; the Diamond Botanical Gardens, and the Fregate Island Nature Reserve.

Shopping: A wide variety of local handicrafts and products include artwork, wood carvings, clay pottery, clothing and house- hold items made from batik and silk-screened fabrics. straw hats and baskets, spices, coffee and bottled hot pepper sauces.

Festivals: International jazz artists perform at the St. Lucia Jazz Festival in May on Pigeon Island.  There's music and dancing, plus a costume parade band competition for St. Lucia's Carnival in July.

Island Trivia:  Historians believe that St. Lucia is one Caribbean island that Columbus never visited.

Language: English, French-Creole patois
Electricity: Most of the island is 220 or 230 volts.
Currency:  The Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$), however, nearly all hotels and all but the smallest restaurants bills in U.S. dollars.

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Halcyon Beach Resort St. Lucia 
Sandals Grande St. Lucian Beach Resort & Spa

This paradise of more than 40 islands and small cays, only eight of which are inhabited, is a great escape for beach and sports lovers.

Sports: Scuba diving here ranks among the Caribbean's best.   For close-to-shore snorkeling, there's the White House Reef and Smith's Reef.  Opportunities for parasailing, wind-surfing and waterskiing abound.  Other activities include sailing Provo's reef-protected waters and deep-sea fishing.

Things To Do and See: Near Provo on Providenciales, guided tours are offered of the Caicos Conch Farm.

Shopping:  Local crafts include wood carvings, handmade dolls, metalwork, delicately woven baskets and polished conch shells.

Festivals: The Provo Summer Festival in late July includes carnival pageants, cultural shows and a beauty pageants.

Island Trivia: Modern-day treasure seekers still explore the numerous shipwrecks between West Caicos and Provo.

Language: English, Spanish, French and Creole
Electricity: 120/240 volts
Currency:  The U.S. dollar

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