We expected we would find an offering island with many attractions. But we never expected to find such a surprising variety of places and beaches on such a small island.
Even from day one on the island, we began to explore St. Lucia’s best beaches. A little confession to make. In our travel adventures, we are always seeking to spend some time at the seaside. Even if it were one day or just a few hours, we need to get to the beach and feel the salty breeze of the sea. We feel that we belong here… Alternatively, it may be that we just need to cure our Vitamin Sea addiction.
Some general considerations about St. Lucia’s beaches
Certainly, St Lucia is a tropical paradise where you can experience some of the best times of your life. Every tourist can choose from a wide range of attractions and activities. From relaxing in a luxury hotel to exploring the island’s natural treasures, or diving in some of the most beautiful underwater marine sites.
All the beaches in St. Lucia are public (including the resorts’ ones)
This piece of information is truly important when you prepare a holiday in St. Lucia. Unlike other Caribbean islands, St. Lucian authorities decided that all the beaches are public. In other words, even if the beachfront resorts have their own beach, they don’t have exclusive access to the shore. Consequently, every tourist can access every beach on the island, even if this is part of a resort. We also noticed that some resorts restrict non-guests from using their beach bars or loungers.
Caribbean vs Atlantic beaches in St. Lucia What to expect?
St. Lucia’s seaside is uniquely marked by the island’s standing at the crossroad of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
The beaches on the western side of St. Lucia face the tranquil and gorgeous turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. This is the perfect environment for sunbathing, swimming, underwater experiences, and water sports.
On the other hand, the eastern side of St. Lucia faces the turbulent and foamy Atlantic waves, making it attractive for surfers. However, this part of the island has a lesser population density, which makes sunbathing more enjoyable. You could say that on the east side of St. Lucia, beaches are quieter than the waves J. Moreover, the eastern beaches are great for contemplating spectacular ocean views.
Here are our top pick BEST BEACHES IN ST. LUCIA
Sugar Beach (Soufriere)
Sugar Beach (also known as Anse des Pitons or Jalousie Plantation Beach at Sugar Beach a Viceroy Resort) lies dramatically at the feet of the two majestic Pitons in Soufriere. This is a man-made beach with white sand brought from Guyana.
When reaching the top of Tet Paul Nature Trail we could see Sugar Beach in its splendor, surrounded by an amazing Caribbean blue.
The beach is one of the main features of Sugar Beach a Viceroy Resort. The resort also allows the non-guests to use, for free, the normal sun loungers. For luxury canopies, one must pay a fee. Being part of Sugar Beach a Viceroy, you can buy food and drinks from the resort’s restaurants and beach bars. Keep in mind that they are quite pricey.
How can you get to Sugar Beach?
If you are not a guest of the resort, the best way is to take a water taxi from Soufriere which costs around 30 USD. Coming by car, Sugar Beach charges 50 USD/person. You can leave the car in the upper parking and a shuttle will carry you to the beach. The 50 USD fee is redeemable at the resort’s bars and restaurants as vouchers for food and drinks.
If you want to avoid any kind of charge, you can park the car outside the resort’s gate and take a walk to Sugar Beach. Note that this is a steep 1.2 km long downhill walk.
Vigie Beach (Castries)
The golden sand strip runs alongside the George FL Charles Airport in Castries. But this airport is not a busy one and there are no jet planes coming or leaving from here.
The presence of the airstrip comes with a big advantage for adventurous tourists. In other words, there are no hotels and resorts around. As a result, Vigie beach is peaceful, clean, and not crowded at all. Also, the sandy shore gets a lot of shade from the variety of trees and palms spread along the whole beach.
Being farther from Castries, Vigie beach is popular predominantly for the locals. Most of them are coming here for watching the sea from cars or walking on the beach. Very few of them are sunbathing or swimming.
TIP: Unfortunately, you won’t find any public restrooms along this coastline. This is something to consider if you’re bringing the kids, or plan to spend all day outside.
Because Vigie beach is not in the highlight of touristic St. Lucia, you have to plan accordingly. Eating in a table-side service restaurant is limited here. You can find some lunch options at some on-site snack bars and street vendors, but do not expect something fancy. Therefore, if you want to spend the whole day, bring your own snack and beverage, or maybe prepare a picnic.
Anse Chastanet and Anse Mamin (Soufriere)
Anse Chastanet is one of Soufriere’s main attractions, being in the proximity of two luxury resorts, Jade Mountain Resort and Anse Chastanet Resort. The beach attracts also tourists accommodated in other hotels from Soufriere and those on excursion boats stopping off in the bay.
Anse Chastanet is quite small, therefore you can find it crowded. On the other hand, it is secluded and surrounded by steep, forested hillsides.
Besides sunbathing, this is one of St. Lucia’s best snorkeling and scuba diving spots. Anse Chastanet hotel’s dive center rents out the gear directly on the beach, and can also arrange the bookings for the diving experience you might want to try. Straight on the beach, you can enjoy a drink, beverage, or a meal at the Anse Chastanet’s beach bar.
From Anse Chastanet, heading north on the coastal path you will find Anse Mamin, one of Saint Lucia’s well-kept secrets.
TIP: Due to the attractive diving and snorkeling sites, these two beaches get busier around noon. Alternatively, for a quieter experience, you can plan a stay on the beach in the morning, before 11 AM, or in the afternoon, after 4 PM.
Also, getting there by car was a real very bumpy driving for us (consider this if you have a rental car). The terrain is very steep (high elevation) and the quality of the road is quite poor (unpaved). Yet, when you reach the beach you can find a parking spot nearby. This being said, for the future we will consider a water taxi from Soufriere, which will allow us to enjoy the spectacular view of this part of the island.
Marigot Bay Beach
Marigot Bay is small but idyllic. It lies between luxurious greenery and uncovers its charm if you are on the top of a hill. A most spectacular image reveals the numerous yachts floating on the azure sea. Marigot bay is a popular stop for many sailing tours or water excursions.
The intense boat traffic might cause you inconveniences if you plan to snorkel or swim. Yet, water sports equipment (paddleboards, kayaks, catamarans) is available for rent.
You can find there a number of restaurants, bars, cafes and a grocery shop nearby the beach. But keep in mind that they are quite pricey because the area is more remote than other cities of St. Lucia.
TIP: The best time to visit Marigot Bay is late in the afternoon when the water tours/excursions will be leaving the bay making room for calmness and the joy of admiring the cool sunset.
Consider that coming by car is a more challenging experience. The road is curvy and winding, with many changes in elevation. Still, is it a cool experience especially for having the opportunity to admire the amazing view over Marigot Bay and the harbor. On the other hand, water-taxi or different types of organized tours can be your options.
Hummingbird Beach (Soufriere)
Hummingbird Beach is one of the favorite places of the locals in Soufriere for sunbathing, swimming, playing beach football, or just grabbing a beer on the beach. The beach is easily accessible from the city.
It is the place where you can enjoy an extraordinary sunset while losing yourself in the majesty of the two Pitons. Music, energy, and good vibes are constants of Hummingbird beach. The beach bar plays the Caribbean sounds far after the sun went down.
Along the beach, there is also the city harbor where you can rent water taxis to whatever corner of the island.
TIP: Hummingbird beach is the central spot of water tourism in Soufriere and the main hub to Sugar Loaf. Thus, you might be feeling overwhelmed by the numerous execursions/tours offers, or by the street vendors. If you don’t feel like engaging in conversations, just refuse politely. St. Lucians know how to take a “no” for an answer. On the other hand, if you do want to buy a water excursion or a tour to Sugar Beach, negotiate your price. There is a good chance to get a better offer.
Reduit Beach (Castries)
Reduit Beach and Rodney Bay are Castries’s main attractions. The coastal line between the capital Castries and Rodney Bay area is a core of beach resorts, restaurants bars, and yachting clubs. This part of St Lucia has plenty of shopping centers and tourist amenities. Moreover, most of the cruising ships are docking in Castries adding more life to the already vibrant area.
Calm water, lovely views of Pigeon Island, and a long sandy shore make Reduit beach a magnet for both hotel guests, cruises passengers, and locals. There is a constant party atmosphere on Reduit beach, with beach terraces and loud music.
We experienced Reduit beach as being the most vibrant and busiest one in St. Lucia. It is a family-friendly one, with lots of kids playing around. Besides a large number of tourists, many locals are getting there, especially in the afternoon and weekends, for having family picnics.
TIP: If you feel like it, there are plenty of options for snorkeling, windsurfing, or waterskiing. Are you a sailor? Then, you can easily rent a boat in the nearby yacht marina. Moreover, families with kids can find Splash Island Water Park a very suitable place for some challenging activities on water inflatable forms.
Pigeon Island (Castries)
Pigeon Island National Park, the perfect place to escape the noisy town.
Pigeon Island is a popular destination for most of the land trips organized by cruise ships. Also, some of the Rodney Bay Village hotel guests choose to enjoy a sunny day at the Pigeon Island public beach. Even so, the area is quiet and you can find enough space on the frontline for admiring the sea and the yachts.
Tip: Unlike the public beach, for entering the park and getting to the beach, one must pay an entrance fee of 10 USD. Besides swimming and sunbathing, you could visit the Pigeon Island National Park. This is a good chance to enjoy the beautiful meadows of the parks and the rocky cliffs of the Fort Rodney. In a clear day, you can even see the neighbor island of Martinique.
Now you know some of the best beaches in St. Lucia. It is time for you to discover and enjoy them at your own pace.
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