St. Lucia is one of the world’s most popular and luxurious destinations. As a sovereign country situated in the Caribbean Sea, it benefit’s from the best tropical weather, cool winters and blistering summers. With a population of just under 180,000, St. Lucia heavily relies on the money generated by tourism, however in recent years, many of the world’s rich and famous have started to snap up property here.
The island was named by colonised by the French, and named after Saint Lucy of Syracuse. However since 1814, the island has remained in control of the British, and St. Lucia continues to apply a legal system tightly based on British common law. Due to the on-going world recession, the island’s economy has been hit hard, with tourism numbers rapidly declining. With many of the island’s native people originating from African descent, as well as East Indian, a large proportion of the population have immigrated abroad to find work.
Culture
The island of St. Lucia is known for its exciting culture, and from festivals to sports, music to dance, there are many amazing things to see and do here. One of the biggest festivals on the island is the Saint Lucia jazz Festival, held every May all over the island. Drawing hundreds of famous artists, bands and composers from all over the world, St. Lucia remains firmly under the spotlight during this spectacular festival.
When it comes to sport, St. Lucia is one of the most passionate and talented island countries in all of the Caribbean. Their main cricket team – the Windward Islands Club – is entirely made up of players from the island, with Darren Sammy (the first St. Lucian to represent the West Indies national team) being a loved national treasure, and sportsman of the year in 2004!
Things To See and Do
As the banana market becomes more competitive in the midst of the recession, St. Lucia has started to see small increases in tourism numbers, and government officials expect these numbers to continue rising throughout the year. From the Pigeon National park to The Pitons World Heritage Site, St. Lucia is an island of natural beauty and stunning wildlife.
If you’re considering taking a holiday to the beautiful island of St. Lucia, then there are a number of things to see and do. Why not take a trip to the Mamiku Botanical Gardens, where you will be able to explore the amazing woodland trails, exquisite landscape gardens and the ruins of an 18th century family estate.
If you’re looking for something a little more daring, why not jump in a car and head down to the drive-through volcano – the only one in the world! Not only will you be able to smell the sulphur, and see huge clouds of steam rising through the crater vents, but this will also be an unforgettable experience if you’re travelling with young children. When it comes to relaxing, then the mineral mud baths are one of the best ways to unwind on the island – so make sure you give them a try!
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