Social ConventionsSome French influences still remain alongside the West Indian style of life. The people are friendly and hospitable, and encourage visitors to relax and enjoy their leisurely lifestyle. The
madras and
foulards are not often seen in towns, but are sometimes worn at festivals such as the
Feast of St Rose of Lima in August. Casual wear is acceptable, although some hotels and restaurants encourage guests to dress for dinner. Beachwear should not be worn in towns. It is an offence for anyone, including children, to dress in camouflage clothing. Certain
homosexual acts are illegal.
International Travel:Getting There by AirSt Lucia is served by many airlines including
Caribbean Star (website:
www.flycaribbeanstar.com) and
LIAT, the Caribbean Airline (website:
www.liatairline.com).
Departure TaxEC$54. Transit (under 24 hours) passengers and children under 12 years of age are exempt.
Main AirportsGeorge F L Charles (SLU) (services inter-island connections and small aircraft from Puerto Rico only).
To/from the airport: Taxis or buses are available into Castries.
Facilities: Bar/restaurant, a shop and car hire.
Hewanorra (UVF), 3km (2 miles) and 67km (42 miles) from Castries respectively.
To/from the airport: Taxis or buses are available into Castries.
Facilities: Bar/restaurant, left luggage and lockers, shops, tourist information, outgoing duty-free shop and car hire.
Getting There by WaterMain ports: Castries,
Soufrière and
Vieux Fort.
L’Express des Iles, a high-speed
catamaran service, operates between St Lucia and Dominica, calling at Martinique and Guadeloupe (journey times: St Lucia–Martinique – 1 hour 20 minutes; Martinique–Dominica – 1 hour 20 minutes).
St Lucia is also served by a number of
cruise lines as well as local passenger/freight lines. The duty-free port at Pointe Seraphine offers two-berth cruise ship facilities, duty-free shopping, restaurants and bars; it may be visited by anyone, although a valid passport and an airline ticket are required to make duty-free purchases.
For information on airports and sea ports contact the
Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) (website:
www.slaspa.com).
OverviewThe following items may be imported into St Lucia without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 250g tobacco products;
50 cigars;
1l of alcoholic beverage.
Internal Travel:Getting Around By AirHelicopter transfers operate between George F L Charles and Hewanorra airports.
Getting Around by WaterBoat charters are easily available at Castries, Marigot Bay and Rodney Bay.
Getting Around by RoadAll major centers are served by a reasonably good road network. The main cross-island route runs from Vieux Fort in the south of the island to Castries in the north. Roads are narrow and mountainous roads are steep, often with hairpin bends which are not marked. Traffic drives on the left. Seat belts must be worn at all times. Drinking and driving is against the law.
Car hire: Cars can be obtained either in Castries, Soufrière and Vieux Fort, or through hotels. Hotels and local tour operators run coach trips for groups.
Documentation: On presentation of a national driving license or International Driving Permit, a local license will be issued by the police or car hire firm at a cost of US$20 or EC$54 (2005).
Bus: Minibus services connect rural areas with the capital. There is a good service from Castries to Gros Islet in the north of the island with buses departing every 30 minutes during the day. Many services also operate on weekends and holidays.
Taxi: Hiring a taxi is easy and cheap, with standard trips having fixed rates which should nevertheless be agreed upon beforehand, as tourists are vulnerable to being overcharged. When hiring a taxi at night care should be taken to hire a reputable company. Tipping is unnecessary.
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