Saint Lucia Nature

Nature in Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia is one of the prettiest islands in the Caribbean. There is an extensive programme of protection and conservation in place to ensure the beauty of the island remains unchanged for future generations. There is so much to see on this magical volcanic island. The scenery is magnificent, and you can explore the Saint Lucia Nature Reserve. The National Rain Forest is stunning and lush and combined with the white sandy beaches certainly give you a taste of tropical paradise. Saint Lucia Nature is stunningly beautiful. The island is often picked for a honeymoon destination.

Saint Lucia Nature Reserve

There are some organised tours and nature hikes to see the local Saint Lucia nature in its own habitat. One of the Saint Lucia Nature Reserve's trails is the guided Tet Paul Nature Trail, which is captivating and lasts 40 minutes. You can get a fantastic view of the Pitons, seeing some of the Saint Lucia nature and local flora along the way.

Nature in Saint Lucia: Landscape

The breathtaking Pitons of Soufrière, Gros Piton and Petit Piton are the most famous and most photographed landmarks in the Saint Lucia nature reserve. You will need to find a local guide to climb Gros Piton. Saint Lucia nature enthusiasts will find it is quite rugged and takes about an hour and 45 minutes to climb. Only experienced climbers attempt Petit Piton, which is a bit more challenging. The view from up there is said to be the best of the island and shows Saint Lucia nature at its best. The highest mountain of Saint Lucia is Mount Gimie, at 3,117 feet high. There are guided tours to the top. If you want peace and quiet, the best place to visit is the Pigeon Island National Historic Park, another must for Saint Lucia nature spotters.

Nature in Saint Lucia: Coral Reefs

People who want to take part in diving or boating activities have to buy a permit before they can enter the four preservation areas, which were created to protect the coral reefs, which are exquisite and show Saint Lucia nature at its best.

Nature in Saint Lucia: Animals

Birds such as the Saint Lucia parrot, aka the jacquot can be seen flying around, as well as local orioles, peewees and hummingbirds. You can also find the Mangrove Cuckoo here. Birdwatchers will love to explore the Saint Lucia nature reserve's Bois D'Orange Swamp, the Saint Lucia Nature Reserve Rain Forest and Boriel's Pond. You can go Turtle Watching at Grande Anse Beach, from mid-March to the end of July. It’s a fantastic sight to see the leatherback turtles rising from the surf. Another Saint Lucia Nature Reserve is the Maria Islands, where you might catch a glimpse of the rarest snake on earth, the Kouwes snake and the rare Zandoli Te, a ground lizard. The males have a brilliant blue tail, Saint Lucia nature's jewel in the crown.

Nature in Saint Lucia: Plant Life

The lush greenery is dotted with bromeliads, giant ferns, wild nutmeg and exotic flowers, like wild anthurium lilies. You can watch pineapple plants grow. You'll encounter massive gommier trees and blue mahaut trees in the Saint Lucia Nature Reserve.

Saint Lucia Nature Reserve

You can visit the sulphur springs, the site of the now dormant volcano, near La Soufriere. This giant crater, filled with boiling black water, sprays hydrogen sulfide into the air. You can bathe in the sulphur mud pool and put on some volcanic black mud, which you then rinse off in the mineral water springs. Diamond Falls will enable you to have a cooling shower under its waterfalls. Saint Lucia nature also includes Hardy Point Cactus Valley, which allows you to see the many cacti. Another Saint Lucia Nature Reserve is the Union Nature Trail, a tour through a forest, which allows you to see tree species and spot medicinal herbs. There’s a miniature zoo with local wildlife, as well. There’s nothing like the music of frogs and crickets, to give you that magical holiday feeling of adventure and leisure, while watching spectacular sunsets in the Saint Lucia Nature Reserve.