One day in Saint Lucia

Day by day

1. Day 1: The Pitons and Sulphur Springs

   The Pitons, Sulphur Springs, Sugar Beach and Gros Piton hike, then Gros Islet Friday street party in the evening.

   1. Morning

      The Pitons

      See them from the sea on a boat trip and from the Tet Paul Nature Trail viewpoint; each angle shows a different pair of shapes. Allow Half a day for viewpoints.

   2. Late morning

      Sulphur Springs

      Wear an old dark swimsuit for the mud baths, and remove silver jewellery, which the sulphur can tarnish. Allow 1–1.5 hours.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Green fig and saltfish

      Local restaurants and cafés, especially for breakfast and lunch, and the food section of Castries market.

   4. Afternoon

      Sugar Beach

      Arrive by water taxi from Soufrière for the best view of the Pitons from the sea, and snorkel the reef on the right side of the bay. Allow Half a day.

   5. Late afternoon

      Gros Piton hike

      Start as early as possible to avoid midday heat, and bring at least two litres of water and proper shoes. Allow 4–5 hours return.

   6. Evening

      Gros Islet Friday street party

      Every Friday night, the streets of Gros Islet fill with sound systems, grills and drink stalls — the island's best-known party.

If it rains

• Swap in Castries Central Market (Castries and Vigie): Go on a Saturday morning, the busiest market day, and avoid cruise-ship hours if you want a calmer visit.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 11–15 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.3 hours in December to 12.9 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Taxi. Taxis are widely available at airports, hotels and ports, with standard rates set for common routes; agree the fare and currency before you set off.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Saint Lucia
• 3 days in Saint Lucia
• 5 days in Saint Lucia

Questions travellers ask