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St. Lucia
Rich in history and culture, St. Lucia presents a wonderful Caribbean real estate investment opportunity. Let the agents at Caribbean Real Estate Showcase show you the investment potential in one of the Caribbean’s most spectacular islands. Luxury vacation villas await you at Soufriere along the southwest coast, where St. Lucia’s Pitons stand as one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful natural wonders. The popular beaches along the Rodney Bay area are prime investment opportunities for vacation villas and rental villas. A number of secluded beaches in St. Lucia are attractive for real estate investments aimed at those who want a Caribbean location without the bustling activities of a major tourist area. Vacation, rental and luxury villas are all possibilities along these secluded beach areas. Beachfront villas here provide breathtaking views of the Caribbean. There are also real estate investment opportunities in the capital city of Castries and along the southern coast at Vieux Fort. Both are located near airports and present luxury villas, rental villas, and beach villas. Investors will delight at St. Lucia’s marvelous white-sand beaches, its famous mountain ranges and landscapes, and its stunning rain forests. Its lively nightlife, festivals, and legendary cuisine complement St. Lucia’s beautiful scenery. Come talk to the agents at Caribbean Real Estate Showcase and let them introduce you to the real estate potentials that await you on the island paradise of St. Lucia.
Overview St. Lucia is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is part of the Windward Islands. St. Lucia lies between Martinique to its north and St. Vincent and the Grenadines to its south. It is northwest of Barbados.
St. Lucia stands at approximately 14 degrees north latitude and 61 degrees west longitude. The island is about 27 miles long by 14 miles wide and takes in some 238 square miles. Its coastline stretches 158 kilometers. St. Lucia is a mountainous island whose origins are due to volcanic activity.
St. Lucia has a rich history influenced by its English, French and African traditions. Today it is recognized as a leading destination in the Caribbean and offers vacationers and real estate investors alike breathtaking natural scenery, spectacular beaches, amazing music, and a rich and vibrant nightlife.
History Like other Caribbean island nations, the first people known to have lived on St. Lucia were the Arawaks, who occupied the island in AD 200-400. Caribs took over St. Lucia around AD 800 to 1000. Europeans may have first sighted St. Lucia during Columbus’ voyages in 1492. St. Lucia appeared on a map showing the Caribbean islands as early as 1502. The Carbis resisted incursions by English, French, and Dutch forces into the mid-seventeenth century.
The infamous French pirate Francois le Clerc erected a small seat at Pigeon Island in the 1550s that he used to raid Spanish ships. In 1605, Dutch troops established a small settlement at what today is called Vieux Fort on St. Lucia’s southeast coast. An attempt by English settlers in 1639 to establish a site on St. Lucia failed, but French colonists under the direction of Rousselan came to the island in the 1650s. In 1659, the English attempted to settle St. Lucia again, triggering what would become a long struggle with the French for control over this important Caribbean island. Because the French and British fought for control of St. Lucia so much in their history, the island earned the nickname the “Helen of the West Indies.”
For the next 150 years, the island would change hands between the French and English some 14 times. Both saw St. Lucia as an important sugar producer, as were many Caribbean islands in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The French established some of St. Lucia’s first towns, including Castries in 1650 and Soufriere in 1746.
It was the French who began the first sugar plantations on the island. French and later English planters used African slaves to cultivate sugar on St. Lucia. A hurricane damaged much of St. Lucia and other Caribbean islands in 1780. During the French Revolution, the French governor on St. Lucia issued a decree setting slaves free, but the act was overturned by British forces who took over the island after that. In 1814, France ceded St. Lucia to Britain. Though England ended the slave trade in 1807, slavery survived on St. Lucia for another 27 years, when it was abolished throughout the British Empire. After the French ceded the island to the English, St. Lucia eventually became part of the Windward Islands jurisdiction and government, which was centered on the nearby island of Barbados.
St. Lucia achieved its first representative government in 1924 as some members of the legislative council began to be elected. In 1951, the island instituted universal adult suffrage. St. Lucia went through a series of short lived governmental experiments in federations and associations with other Caribbean nations and Great Britain from 1956 to 1979. Finally, on February 22, 1979, St. Lucia gained its complete and full independence. Today St. Lucia is part of several Caribbean organizations, including the East Caribbean Common Market and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States.
Government
St. Lucia is a parliamentary democracy. Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of State, but this position is titular. A Governor General who resides on the island is St. Lucia’s executive power.St. Lucia has a House of Assembly which has 17 elected members who are chosen through universal suffrage every five years. St. Lucia’s Senate consists of 11 members; they are appointed by the Governor General. A Prime Minister heads the Cabinet. Today the United Workers Party is the majority party in the House of Assembly. The Labour Party is the opposition.
St. Lucia’s judicial system is a mix of English common law and elements of the Napoleonic Code. The Privy Council of the United Kingdom is actually the supreme judicial body of St. Lucia, but the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court administers the island.
St. Lucia is divided into eleven quarters. The capital of St. Lucia is Castries, which is located in the northwestern tip of the island. Close to a third of St. Lucians reside in the capital city.
St.Lucia joined the United Nations in September 1979. St. Lucia’s national motto is “The Land, the People, the Light.”
Economy
Like so many Caribbean island destinations, St. Lucia is home to a thriving tourism industry. In recent years, St. Lucia has also begun drawing in foreign business investment, particularly in offshore banking. But tourism remains at the heart of St. Lucia’s economy, and it has spurned some construction and infrastructure projects in recent years that support it.St. Lucia is one of the largest banana producers in the Caribbean. Due to its tropical Caribbean location, however, St. Lucia’s banana industry can be affected by hurricanes, lack of rain and other climatic or weather conditions. St. Lucia also faces global changes in the banana industry which have hampered the marketplace.
St. Lucia also has a burgeoning home fishing industry. Centered around the St. Lucia Fish Market Corporation, which began in 1985, St. Lucia’s fishermen catch dolphin, wahoo, and tuna and process the fish right on the island.
Timber plays a modest role in the economy of St. Lucia, with mahogany and pine being some of the chief woods. There is also some commercial mining activity on St. Lucia that includes gravel and sand pits as well as pumice quarries.
Hewanorra International Airport is located on St. Lucia’s southeast coast at the town of Vieux Fort. George F. L. Charles Airport is in northwest St. Lucia near Castries.
Money
St. Lucia’s national currency is the East Caribbean dollar (EC $). Many places on St. Lucia also accept the United States dollar.
Demographics
As of July 2009, St. Lucia’s population was estimated at 160,267. 82.5% of St. Lucia’s residents are black, 11.9% are mixed ancestry, some 2.4% are East Indian, and the remaining 3.1% is classified as other or unspecified according to the 2001 census. Between a quarter and a third of St. Lucia’s residents live in the urban areas of the Castries-Gros Islet region.Natives of St. Lucia refer to themselves as Saint Lucians.
Roman Catholicism is the largest organized religion on St. Lucia, claiming some between 70-80% of the island’s residents. The other religions are a mix of Seventh Day Adventist, Pentecostal, Rastafarian, Anglican, and other Christian groups. St. Lucia’s constitution allows for religious freedom.
Language
English is the official language of St. Lucia. Many residents, however, also speak a French patois or dialect that is a combination primarily of African and French.
Medical Services
St. Lucia’s primary hospital is Victoria Hospital in Castries. Tapion Hospital is a private hospital also located in Castries. Other medical centers are located at St. Jude’s Vieux Fort, Soufriere, and Dennery.
Climate and Weather
Like most of the Caribbean islands, St. Lucia has a tropical climate. St. Lucia enjoys trade winds from the northeast that help moderate its Caribbean climate. St. Lucia’s average temperature is 80 degrees F. September is typically its hottest month and January its coldest. St. Lucia averages a little more than 90 inches of rain per year at sea level.The period from January to April is St. Lucia’s dry season; the island experiences its rainy season from about May to August.
Mount Gimie, which is located in south central St. Lucia, stands some 3, 117 feet and is the island’s highest elevation. Mount Gimie is on St. Lucia’s main ridge which spans virtually the entire length of the island.
Recreation
Those seeking the spectacular beaches of St. Lucia will venture to the island’s west coast, where most of its tourist beaches are located. One of St. Lucia’s most popular beaches is Reduit Beach in Rodney Bay. Besides pristine waters and white sands, Reduit also offers snorkeling, boat tours, and water skiing. There are also three of St. Lucia’s most popular hotels along Reduit Beach.Pigeon Island has a couple small beaches set amidst the history of Fort Rodney. These beaches are known for being secluded but also two of the prettiest in St. Lucia. Other popular beaches in St. Lucia include the local favorite Vigie Beach near the airport in Castries and Malgretoute Beach in Soufriere. Choc Beach in the northwest and Toc Beach south of Castries also offer some seclusion from the main touristy beaches. Cas En Bas Beach near Gros Islet town is one of St. Lucia’s most laid back beaches and a good spot for families to picnic.
The Jalousie Plantation, set amidst the Gros Pitons, is perhaps St. Lucia’s most upscale resort and provides vacationers an amazing view each day of one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful natural wonders. The Coconut Bay on St. Lucia’s southern coast is a short distance from the Hewanorra International Airport and is one of the island’s great resorts. It features three swimming pools, restaurants, and a spa and is very family and kid-friendly. The Sandals Halcyon on St. Lucia is also one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful and enticing resorts. A new development at Atlantic Beach Club is underway and promises to be a top resort in St. Lucia.
Like many Caribbean destinations, scuba diving in St. Lucia provides visitors with stunning views of the island’s marine life. Underwater adventurers will encounter coral reefs, exotic Caribbean fish like the peacock fish, sea turtles, octopi, and other treasures.
Scuba St. Lucia operates out of the Anse Chastanet hotel in Soufriere. The Anse Chastanet reef is in shallow waters just off the beach and is a good spot for snorkeling. Fairy Land at Anse Chastanet is known for its strong currents and colorful sponges. Near the imposing Gros Piton, divers will see the stunning Coral Gardens and a coral wall named Superman’s Flight which descends some 1600 feet. The shipwreck of the Lesleen M. on St. Lucia’s west coast near Marigot Bay is also a popular diving spot. Gros Islet in the north of St. Lucia also offers good snorkeling opportunities.
Hiking is a big attraction in St. Lucia. Visitors may hike through St. Lucia’s National Rain Forest, along Pigeon Island, or up the Pitons, which is one of the Caribbean’s most spectacular hiking adventures. The Barre de L’isle Rain Forest Trail takes hikers up to the top of Morne la Combe.
Water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, fishing, whale watching and other water sports can be found along many of St. Lucia’s beaches and near its leading hotels. The Anse Chastanet hotel in Soufriere also offers mountain biking, kayaking, windsurfing and other recreational activities.
Fishing enthusiasts will delight in St. Lucia’s Caribbean and Atlantic waters, which teem in marlin, sailfish, tuna, dorado and king fish. Many come to fish for the white marlin, which is found off St. Lucia’s coast. Fishermen who want to stay on land can surf fish, rock fish, fly fish, or even spear fish. Charter fishing is available in St. Lucia.
Sailing and yachting are important water sports at St. Lucia. The Rodney Bay Marina and the Marigot Bay Marina south of Castries welcome boats from all around the globe. Rodney Bay Marina boasts more than 230 berths and all the amenities a sailor needs. Marigot Bay is known for its beautiful scenery and protection for sailing ships seeking safe harbors in St. Lucia.
The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers is the world’s largest transatlantic sailing race that takes participants from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Rodney Bay in St. Lucia in November. St. Lucia also hosts a popular Bill Fishing tournament.
Cricket is a favorite game for St. Lucians. Horse riding on the beach at Cas en Bas in the Rodney Bay area is an exciting way to spend an afternoon taking in St. Lucia’s lovely beaches and stunning landscapes.
Shopping, Dining, and Nightlife
St. Lucia is renowned for its Caribbean cuisine, a reflection of its mixed cultural traditions of African, English, and French influences. St. Lucia is home to coconuts as well as pineapples, passionfruit, guavas, papayas, and mangoes. One of St. Lucia’s national dishes is a soup created from the leaves of dasheen or the taro root called Callaloo soup. The green fig, which is an unripe banana that St. Lucians boil, is also an important part of the island’s national cuisine heritage.The Lime restaurant in Rodney Bay area offers outdoor seating in a laid back environment with excellent service and Caribbean favorites like lobster, shrimp, fish and steaks cooked over a charcoal grill. The Lime also has a “lime special” drink. Rum is made in the Cul-de-Sac Valley southeast of Castries.
Trou au Diable at the Anses Chastanet is an upscale restaurant on Anse Chastanet Beach. Jacques at Vigie Marina offers waterfront dining and mouthwatering dishes that combine French and Caribbean tastes in creative ways. Near Soufriere is La Haut Plantation Restaurant & Bar, which offers fresh Caribbean delicacies and breathtaking views of the Pitons. The nearby Hummingbird Beach resort restaurant caters to sailors and has a small bar and pool set amidst a very laid back scene.
One of St. Lucia’s most unique dining experiences is the Rainforest Hideaway Restaurant at Marigot Bay. Diners arrive by water taxi and are met with a great menu and spectacular views that include a lagoon on site. Many locals enjoy the Coal pot at Vigie Marina.
For those who enjoy shopping, the outdoor market on the waterfront at Castries offers fresh foods along with spices, clothing, and hand crafted objects rich in St. Lucian’s cultural traditions. Adjacent to the market is the Castries’ Vendors Arcade, which serves up screen-printed clothes, wood carvings, and a range of jewelry. Castries also has an art gallery. Morne Fortune offers perfumes and other goods at a number of shops.
Duty-free shopping can be found at St. Lucia’s main shopping centers, three of which are in Castries and one in Rodney Bay. Each center has a great diversity of shops that sell everything from clothing and books to handcrafted arts, pottery and Caribbean liquors. For those wanting locally made crafts, check out La Fargue near Choiseul for handwoven baskets and wood carvings or the Batik Studio at Hummingbird Beach for wall panels made on the spot by St. Lucian artists.
St. Lucia boasts a rich musical heritage. Its European and African traditions merged into the uniquely St. Lucian dances known as the Quadrille and Belair. Those enjoying the St. Lucian nightlife might see these dances and also hear music that includes Reggae, French Zouk, Calypso, and Soca.
Nightlife in St. Lucia centers on the Rodney Bay area. A number of restaurants, bars, and discos serve up favorite Caribbean drinks and food along with music and dancing. An after-hours club at the Lime serves drinks well into the morning hours.
The town of Gros Islet north of Castries has a Friday Night Street Party which is fast becoming a favorite tourist attraction on St. Lucia. Music, St. Lucia’s local beer Piton, fresh fish and barbecued chicken, and good vibes bring the streets alive at these Friday Night Street Parties, which locals also call the jump-up. The quaint fishing town of Anse La Raye does a seafood cookout and celebration with great local seafood and outdoor entertainment on Saturdays.
Cultural and Historic Sites
The spectacular Pitons on St. Lucia’s western coast are noted for their beautiful scenery. Visitors wanting to see what is one of the great views in the Caribbean islands can stay at the Ladera Hotel on the Piton Mitan ridge joining the two Pitons.The Old Town in Vieux Fort showcases the rich architectural history of St. Lucia. Morne Fortune in the northwest is rich in the history of the battles between French and English over control of St. Lucia. The remnants of Fort Charlotte are at Morne Fortune.
The Pigeon Island Museum & Interpretive Center showcases St. Lucia’s unique history through interactive exhibitions and artifacts related to the Carib Indians and the French and British struggles for control of the island. The nature trail on Pigeon Island takes walkers along the remnants of eighteenth-century British forts.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Castries was constructed in 1897 and is the Caribbean’s largest church. It stands some 200 feet long by 100 feet wide. On the interior is a mural by the St. Lucian artist Dunstan St. Omer.
Castries is also home to La Toc Battery, a restored British fort that was constructed in 1888. The La Sikwi Historical Sugar and Mill & Plantation explores the history and culture of the sugar industry, which began in St. Lucia in 1765 and was an important part of its economy well into the twentieth century. The Mamiku Gardnes are in the lovely historical setting of an eighteenth-century plantation known as Micoud near Vieux Fort in the southern part of St. Lucia. Marquis Estate near Castries is a working plantation producing bananas and copra and in recent years coffee and cocoa.
Wildlife, Marine Life, and Flora and Fauna
St. Lucia is a beautiful Caribbean island that offers spectacular high peaks and amazing rain forests. Those who enjoy hiking will find some of the Caribbean’s best trails in St. Lucia’s mountainous interior regions. St. Lucia has a number of rivers that lead out of the island’s center and into the Caribbean.St. Lucia has one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful and scenic spots: the twin Pitons. Located on St. Lucia’s west coast near Soufriere and Choiseul, the Pitons are two volcanic plugs or necks. The taller of the two is Gros Piton at 771 meters; Petit Piton is just slightly smaller at 743 meters. A ridge known as the Piton Mitan connects Gros Piton and Petit Piton.
St. Lucia has the distinction of being the only country in the world with a drive-in volcano. Known as the St. Lucia volcano or the St. Lucia sulphur springs, this natural wonder is in the town of Soufriere. Visitors will marvel at its steamy springs and get a first-hand look into how geological and volcanic forces shaped the landscape of St. Lucia.
St. Lucia’s National Rain Forest is a protected area encompassing some 19,000 acres of mountains and valleys. A number of interesting birds, plants, trees, flowers, and fruits make it a nature lover’s paradise. The Latille Gardens on the edge of the rain forest is also a stunning natural feature in St. Lucia.
Another top natural attraction in St. Lucia is Diamond Falls in Soufriere. Part of St. Lucia’s Diamond Botanical Gardens and Waterfall site, the waterfall gives off a range of colors due to the rich minerals running through the waters.
Visitors to St. Lucia’s Maria Islands Nature Reserve in Vieux Fort will see leatherback turtles and iguanas that are native to the island. The Maria Islands and Frigate Island off the coast of Vieux Fort are home to some rare species of snakes and lizards as well as a primary mating spot for birds. Wildlife lovers will also want to tour St. Lucia’s Pigeon Island National Park, which offers breathtaking views of both the island’s geography and plant and animal world.
St. Lucia’s national bird is the St. Lucian Parrot, a large, multi-colored bird that is unique to St. Lucia. It lives mostly in the island’s rain forest regions. The National Rain Forest also has the St. Lucia Peewee, the St. Lucia Oriole and the White Breasted Thrasher.
Birdwatching and turtle watching, especially at Grande Anse Beach, draw many to St. Lucia as well.
Festivals and Events
The St. Lucia Jazz Festival is one of the Caribbean’s most famous music festivals. It takes places each year early in May and runs for some two weeks. Some of the most famous jazz musicians in the world head here each year, along with thousands of music lovers from across the globe.The Carnival, a popular event for St. Lucians, takes place in July and includes performances in Soca and Calypso music along with costume and beauty pageants and parades. The capital city of Castries becomes one huge street party each year for the Carnival.
La Rose and La Marguerite are two flower festivals that celebrate roses and marguerites through singing, church services, parades, dinners, and all night dancing. The Feast of St. Rose de Lima is the rose flower festival and takes place in August; the Feast of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque celebrates the marguerite and is held every October.
Gros Islet is also home to the Beausejour Cricket Grounds, which hosted some of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
Radio
97.3 and 97.7 Radio St. Lucia105.3 and 96.1 Caribbean Hotfm
101.1 Radio Caribbean International
Links
Visit St. Lucia http://www.visitslu.com/
Original Official Site of St. Lucia Tourist Board http://www.geographia.com/st-lucia/index.html
St. Lucia Vacation Guide http://www.st-lucia-vacation-guide.com/index.html
St. Lucian Government Statistics Department http://www.stats.gov.lc/
St. Lucia Golf and Country Club http://www.stluciagolf.com/index.html
The Rainforest Hideaway Restaurant http://www.rainforesthideawaystlucia.com
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