My Lonely Planet Guide Book waxed lyrical about my next destination. As such I was truly excited to have included it on my itinerary.
The Inter Caribbean flight to St Lucia, from St Vincent, much to my annoyance, required a 4-hour layover in Barbados. This made the total journey time an eye watering 8-hours. A direct flight would have taken less than 30-minutes. To add further pain, the Barbados to St Lucia flight was delayed by an hour. Realising the impending lateness of my arrival in St Lucia, I decided to book an airport transfer online. It proved to be money well spent.
Harbour Vista Inn (HVI) boasts incredible views across Castries harbour, which can hold three cruise ships at any given time. This view comes with a price tag, it’s a very tough walk to get to. Its closeness to the harbour also makes HVI a great choice prior to an early morning ferry. The accommodation itself has seen better days. With very little else to offer it’s multicultural guests, most visitors stay here just the one night!
The local (mini) bus took exactly one hour to get to Soufriére, a small town on the south west coast of St Lucia. It was a fascinating journey, with some amazing views along the way.
My accommodation, Frenz, was an excellent self catering apartment, just on the edge of town, conveniently close to a well stocked supermarket. I was warmly welcomed by Glenda, who had very kindly facilitated an early check in for me. She told me all I needed to know about what to do, and what to see, during my stay.
Soufrière’s attractions include a slew of colonial-era edifices scattered amid brightly painted wooden storefronts, and a bustling seafront. Sadly, there are no public beaches. The main beach was commandeered by one of the nearby resorts.
All of the decent restaurants in Soufríere are closed in an evening. I therefore made use of the self catering facilities in my apartment. I didn’t much fancy being in the town centre after dark. The only down side to this being the lack of social interaction. Even during the day, Soufrière was not a pleasant place to be. It’s obviously struggling financially, and I found the constant harassment, mainly from people asking for money, somewhat draining.
The Diamond Botanical Gardens, Mineral Baths and Waterfall are located in a small portion of the 2,000 acres of land granted to three Devaux brothers by King Louis XIV of France 1713, in recognition of their services to “Crown & Country” It is claimed that Empress Josephine, wife of Naplolean Bonaparte, bathed in the original baths while spending holidays at her fathers plantation in Soufriere.
In 1928, Andre du Boulay, owner of Soufríere Estate and Diamond Baths, excavated the site and restored 2 baths out of the original 12, that had been destroyed during the French revolution. The baths are fed by the original spring water, similar to the waters of “Aix les Bains” in France. The original holding tank built in 1784 is still in use. In 1983, on the death of Mr Andre du Boulay, his daughter, Joan Devaux took over the estate.
There are a number of opportunities to explore other areas surrounding Soufríere (on foot), including a hike up Gros Piton. They almost all require a guide that comes with a hefty price tag. I managed to avoid the guides and filled my time with some enjoyable walks.
After 3-nights in Soufríere, I was ready to get back to Castries in readiness for the ferry to Martinique. I waited over 2-hours for a bus back to Castries. In the end I gave up and thumbed a lift. This proved to be a far more comfortable, and quicker, ride than the cramped bus.
Castries, the main city of St Lucia, is worth a quick visit. It’s best feature being the soaring Morne Fortune (853ft), which serves as Castries’ scenic backdrop. Most of the city’s historic buildings were destroyed by major fires between 1785 and 1948, but it still makes for an interesting afternoon stroll.
St Lucia is undoubtably a stunningly beautiful country. But for me it proved to be my least favourite Island to date. Had I chosen an all inclusive package holiday perhaps my opinion of the country would be somewhat different.
St Lucia backpacking possibility rating: quite possible. Finding cheap accommodation is relatively easy – with prior preparation. Beer cheap, wine expensive. Supermarket food on par with UK prices. Local transportation and museums are reasonably cheap, but more expensive than some of the other islands. Country score: 6 out of 10. Hassle factor, high – constant pressure from people asking for money.
Next stage: Martinique.
