St Lucia

St Lucia’s landscape is the most dramatic in the Eastern Caribbean. The twin Pitons — Gros Piton and Petit Piton — are UNESCO World Heritage peaks that rise almost sheer from the sea near the south-western town of Soufriere, creating one of the most iconic vistas in all of the Caribbean. Hiking Gros Piton rewards with extraordinary panoramic views across the island and out to Martinique and St Vincent.

Soufriere is the island’s most characterful destination — a small, colourful town surrounded by extraordinary natural attractions. The drive-in volcano (technically the world’s only drive-in volcano) and its bubbling sulphur springs lead to the Diamond Botanical Gardens and Mineral Baths, fed by naturally heated volcanic water. The Estate Anse Chastanet, one of the Caribbean’s most acclaimed eco-resorts, sits on a private beach here with extraordinary snorkelling directly from the shore.

The north of the island around Rodney Bay and Cap Estate has a more resort-oriented character, with excellent beaches, a marina packed with sailing yachts and a lively restaurant and bar scene. Reduit Beach in Rodney Bay is one of St Lucia’s finest, with calm, clear water ideal for families.

St Lucian cuisine blends French and Creole influences — green fig and saltfish (the national dish), grilled Creole snapper, accras fritters and the island’s own Bounty rum are all worth seeking out. The weekly Friday Night Fish Fry at Anse La Raye village is a beloved local tradition. St Lucia is warm year-round and at its driest and most settled from January to April.