Area 620 sq km
Highest point Mt Gimie 939m
Population 174,000
Capital Castries (pop. 50,000)
Language English and a French-based patois
Currency EC$–US$ accepted
Political status Independent state
Distances to other islands
Martinique (Le Marin to Rodney Bay) 22M
St Vincent (Soufrière to Châteaubelair) 34M

AIRLINE CONNECTIONS
International airport: Hewanorra Airport
Long-haul flights
Regular direct flights to North America and
Europe (London, Frankfurt)
National airport: Georges F L Charles
Inter-island services
Daily inter-island flights, air taxi services

FERRIES
Regular inter-island services from Castries to
Grenadines, Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Calling St Lucia from abroad: ✆ (1) 758 + seven
figure number
Local calls: seven figures only
Public call boxes: Caribbean Phone Cards & Lime
and Digicel prepaid cards

TOURIST INFORMATION
St. Lucia Tourist Board, P.O. Box 221, Vide
Boutielle, Castries ✆ 758 45 24 094
Fax 758 45 31 121 www.stlucia.org
GOLF
St Lucia Golf & Country Club: Cap Estates,
✆ 758 450 8523 Fax 758 450 8317

FESTIVALS/EVENTS
Carnival: February/March
Jazz Festival: May
Friday Night: Gros Islet and La Raye

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
New Year’s Day (1 January) New Year’s Holiday
(2 January) Independence Day (22 February)
Good Friday and Easter Monday, Labour Day (1
May), Whit Monday, Corpus Christi,
Emancipation Day (1 August), Thanksgiving Day
(October), National Day (13 December),
Christmas Day (25 December), Boxing Day (26
December)

PLACES TO SEE
Fort Charlotte: Castries
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Pointe Séraphine: duty free shopping
Pigeon Island: National Park
La Soufrière: Sulphur Springs, Diamond Falls and
Baths: active thermal springs
Morne Coubaril Estate: Ecological Museum
Choiseul: local handicraft centre
Frigate and Maria Islands: Bird and reptile
reserves
Forest of Fond St Jacques: walks
Mt Gimie: guided walks
Mamiku Gardens: E coast between Denery and
Micoud

DRIVING
Drive on the left
A licence is obligatory
Hire car companies in the towns and at the
airport
Taxis and share taxis (8 people)

REGULATIONS
Spear fishing is forbidden to non-residents
Sport fishing and diving require a licence and
are only authorised via a local club
Trolling when coasting is acceptable
A permit is obligatory for mooring at the Pitons

NATURE RESERVES
The reserves have been created to preserve land
and sea flora and fauna. Taking anything from
the reserves is strictly prohibited and subject
to penalty.
National Park: From Marigot to Deux Pitons:
CAMMA (Canaries and Anse La Raye Marine
Management Area)
http://campam.gcfi.org
SMMA (Soufrière Marine Management Area)
VHF 16 ✆ 758 459 5500
Mooring buoys: obligatory, to preserve the
underwater habitat
Yachts: white buoys with blue band (maximum
loa 70 feet)
Dive boats: orange buoys
Fee (EC$30–60 depending on length, for 1–2
days) payable to accredited agents.
Ensure that all taxes are paid to accredited agents
only.

FORMALITIES
Arriving by air
Customs and immigration in the airport
Arriving by sea
Rodney Bay Marina open 0800-1200 and 1330-
1630 7 days a week
Marigot Bay Marina village
Open 0800-1200 and 1300-1615
Castries (little used by yachts) Customs on the
cargo boat jetty, immigration in the town
(Government office)
Soufrière SMMA office 0800-1630/1800
Vieux Fort Customs on the banana boat jetty,
Immigration officials are either in town or at
the airport
Office hours (in principle) weekdays
0800/0900-1200 and 1300-1600/1800
Taxes and fees
Cruising tax and entry permit per boat (by
length)
Stays less than 3 days: Simultaneous entry/exit
clearance
Overtime charged outside office hours and at
weekends