St. Lucia

General

Public transport/Taxi Local buses run until midnight and but taxis are best to transport you around the town, to your hotel and to the airport.

Language

English is the official language of the island but French patois is also commonly spoken.

Currency

The official currency is the East Caribbean Dollar (EC$) but most tourists use the US dollar. ATM machines are available in most towns and accept UK credit and debit cards. American Express, MasterCard and Visa are accepted at all largeshopping centres, restaurants and hotels.

Best travel time

Average yearly temperature is 27ºC (80f) December through to January are usually the coolest months and the months of June and August are the hottest in St Lucia. Between June and November St Lucia experiences heavy showers that come quickly and leave quickly so travellers should not worryabout this effecting their holiday experience.

Visa requirements

You must have a valid passport with a minimum of sixmonths from the of entry to St Lucia. British passport holders do not need visas for visits up to 42 days

Communication

Police, Fire and Ambulance- Tel 999 Tourist board- Tel 452-5968, 453-0053, 452-4094 Air/Sea Rescue - Tel: 452-2894, 452-1182, 453-6664

Important addresses and phone numbers

There is one private hospital and one public hospital in St Lucia. Medical treatment is genuinely quite expensive. Seek medical advice before travelling to St Lucia and ensure all of your vaccinations are up to date. Drinking water issafe from the tap and bottled water is also available  

Traditions and Culture

The culture is a blend of African, French and English influences December 13th is the celebration of St Lucia Day. The eldest girl in the family portrays St Lucia and wears a white robe with a crown of candles in the morning. In church, women sign the traditional St Lucia song which describes how St Lucia over came the darkness and found light.

Religion

Almost 80% of the inhabitants are Roman Catholic but theisland also accepts other churches such as Seventh Day Adventist, Methodist and Pentecost.  

By plane

Hewanorra International and Sir George F.L. Charles Airport - formerly Vigie airport

Events

The two main festivals which are held in St Lucia are Le Woz and La Magwit. The Woz, also known as The Rose is held every August. The colour theme is red and white. La Magwit, also known as The Marguerite takes place in October.

Food

The national dishes of St Luciainclude is saltfish and green fig and plantains. Most meals contain a lot of vegetable and fruits most are based around seafood. Presentation is particularly important and the dishes will be presented in a colorful decorate way. When in St Lucia try a drink of coconut milk fresh from the coconut, they are available to buy from at many shops around the towns.