Soufriere, St Lucia
Soufriere is overflowing with a friendly local culture and natural attractions; white sand beaches, a National Marine Reserve, the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Piton Peaks, waterfalls, rainforests, sulphur springs and mineral baths, old plantations and estates.
Soufriere
Dating back to 1746, Soufriere is the oldest settlement on St Lucia and was the former French colonial capital of the island. This charming old town is surrounded by sandy beaches, coral reefs and rainforests providing a picturesque and unspoiled playground for a variety of adventures and activities.
Read more about: Beaches | Things to Do | Out and About | Nearby Attractions | Soufriere Reviews
Beaches
The town of Soufriere sits in front of Soufriere Bay, which neighbours Pitons Bay and, between the two, you have a choice of sandy beaches with glorious views and a variety of watersports.
The protected waters around the Pitons provide plenty of marine life and dive spots for snorkeling and scuba diving and there are PADI dive centres in the resort.
Things to Do
Go snorkelling and scuba diving. The coral reefs start just yards off of the Anse Chastanet beach where you will also find a watersports centre with kayaks, windsurfing and sunfish sailing boats. Beginners courses, guided kayaking adventures and dive trips are also available.
Go hiking or bird-watching in the rainforests or go jungle biking along miles of private, tropical woodland trails at Anse Mamim passing tropical birds, flowers and 18th century ruins.
Go deep sea fishing or whale watching, take a catamaran cruise around the coast or even go island hopping to the Grenadines or Martinique.
Out and About
Relax by the picturesque natural harbour and watch the sunrise and stroll around the town of Soufriere, noting the aged French architecture. The town has a number of restaurants and all the everyday shops and essentials, such as groceries, a pharmacy, a bakery and banking. There is also a colourful and lively market for fresh local produce on Saturdays.
Diamond Falls is just a mile out of town and here you can see the picturesque Diamond Waterfall, it's waters coloured by the mineral content; stroll around the botanical gardens and follow the nature trail through the rainforest to the old watermill; relax in the mineral baths and stop for lunch in the Old Mill Restaurant.
The Piton peaks, are a UNESCO World Heritage site and a guided hike to the peak of Gros Piton will reward you with panoramic views of the whole island. If hiking is a bit arduous for you, you can just walk to the halfway point which is still rewarding.
Sulphur Springs Park is a popular attraction, a few minutes outside of the town, where you can see the geothermal activity such as hissing fumaroles and boiling springs and bathe in therapeutic pools.
Nearby Attractions
The capital of Castries (42km), home to the cruise port, is where you will find the best of the duty free shopping. Along the way, you might call into Marigot Bay (33km) for lunch at the prestigious marina. Pigeon Island (53km) is a natural park where you can explore the ruins of British military base. All can be reached by road or water taxi.
St Lucia Resorts
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