"Let Her Inspire You." -- That's St Lucia's tagline.
On a related note, let this article inspire you when planning your trip to St Lucia!
Why St Lucia? I saw several people on Instagram share pictures and videos from St Lucia, and it looked ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! Everything looked so green. The Pitons stood tall. The water was blue and inviting. Who wouldn't want to go?
I was desperate. I *needed* to go, so I worked really hard and saved up my money.
To be completely transparent, I allotted $3,000 for this trip. I didn't know how much everything would cost. I wanted to stay under that amount, but I also wanted to splurge a little and have an awesome time.
***You can scroll down to the list of things to do in St Lucia or continue reading my spiel about trying to be money savvy.***
My friends and I booked our trip for mid-May. Hotels and resorts tend to offer cheaper rates during the late spring and summer months. It's also nice because there are less crowds.
Here are some details of our trip:
Arrived on a Saturday morning -- departed on the following Saturday afternoon
Stayed in Soufriere for 4 nights and spent the remaining 3 nights near Sapphire (closer to the airport)
The villa and cottage we stayed in both had full kitchens. This helped us save money by preparing many of our meals right in our rooms rather than eating out every day.
The total price for our stay came to about $1000. (We split that three ways). That doesn't include what we spent on food, activities, or flights.
Alright, that's enough background. Let's get to the good stuff!
1. Hike Gros Piton: This is listed first because it was the number one thing on my St Lucia bucket list. I wasn't bombarded with people's pictures of the Pitons for nothing -- I wanted to climb those babies! (However, Petit Piton is more of a challenging hike, so we opted for the Gros Piton climb.) It costs $50 per person, and you're assigned a guide to accompany you.
Curious how our hike actually went? Watch this TikTok!
2. Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens: Also located at the garden is Diamond Waterfall and hot mineral baths.
3. Tet Paul Nature Trail: You get great views of both Pitons at the top of this trail. The cost is $10 and that includes a guide. (Don't forget to tip your guide!) It's much easier than the Gros Piton hike... unless you hike Gros Piton the day before then your legs might feel like jello. Speaking from experience? Maybe...
4. Sulphur Springs: St Lucia's drive-in volcano is now a popular spot for tourists and locals. There are three mud baths of various temperatures. After bathing, you'll look 12 years younger! (Or so they say!) There's a strong sulphur smell. Many people say the smell is overpowering. I got used to it and didn't think it was that bad. It's recommended that you wear a dark bathing suit or an old one. Your suit might get ruined by the mud.
We had a lot of fun lathering the mud all over. Do you think we look 12 years younger?!
5. Toraille Waterfall: The water was a comfortable temperature. We had just come from the Sulphur Springs and definitely wanted to cool off.
6. Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort: Let's be honest, we were ballin' on a budget. I so badly wanted to stay at Sugar Beach, but it wasn't financially possible at the time. The next best thing? Ordering a drink and walking along the white sandy beach that's nestled between the Pitons. It was breathtaking. (In St Lucia, all beaches are public property. You can visit any beach regardless of where it's located.)
7. Laborie Beach: We spent most of our time near Soufriere where many of the beaches were quite rocky. (I recommend water shoes -- they were a feet-saver.) Laborie Beach had a nice sandy beach similar to the one at Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort.
8. Treetops Restaurant and Bar: This restaurant is located at Crystals Villa Hotel in Soufriere. The view is stunning. It looks like a painting. The food is served family-style, and the drinks are so tasty.
Also worth seeing: Pigeon Island National Landmark, Friday Night Street Party (in Gros Islet), hike Petit Piton, chocolate tour (there are many to choose from), snorkel, catch a sunset either along a beach or out on the water
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