St Lucia

The sort of island that travellers to the Caribbean dream about: St Lucia is a small, lush, tropical gem with stunning scenery and fabulous beaches that is still relatively unknown.<br /> <br /> Like an island plucked from the South Pacific and set down in the Caribbean, the naturally-enchanting island's many different traditions and cultural treasures are a fascinating mélange of its rich past. The dramatic twin coastal peaks – the Pitons – soar 2000ft up from the sea, sheltering magnificent rainforests where wild orchids, giant ferns and birds of paradise flourish; broken only by verdant fields and orchards of banana, coconut, mango and papaya trees.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

CAPITAL CITY | Castries
TIME DIFFERENCE | GMT -5 hours
BEST TIME TO VISIT | Dec-May
CURRENCY | Eastern Caribbean Dollar (US$ are widely accepted)