​Top 18 Things to Know & Tools to Travel St. Lucia Like a Pro

​Residents of other Caribbean Islands often travel to St. Lucia via ferry, while visitors from other countries often arrive via airline or cruise ship.  ​Part of the Windward Islands, St. Lucia is a beautiful Caribbean Island located south of the state of Florida.  Reaching the island of St. Lucia can be done in a number of ways, depending on your point of origin.  ​

St. Lucia Banks
If you are looking for a currency exchange or need to utilize a bank while visiting the island, you will find that our banks are open from 8:00 AM until 2:00 PM Monday through Thursday and from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM on Fridays.

• Bank of St. Lucia
• Scotia Bank
• 1st National Bank
• CIBC First Caribean International Bank
• RBC Royal Bank

​St. Lucia Churches

• For many travelers, the ability to attend a house of worship is an important part of the travel experience.  While a majority of St. Lucians are Roman Catholic, the island is also home to Anglican, Baptist, Nazarene, Seventh Day Adventist, and Christian Science houses of worship.  Each church has its own service start times, so calling the church directly or conducting an internet search in advance can help you make sure that you are able to attend on time.

Crime in St. Lucia

• While criminal activity is well controlled on the island of St. Lucia, as with any destination in the world, it still happens.  Visitors and residents alike are always advised to exercise common sense on the island.  This includes things such as not flashing around large amounts of money, locking vehicle and hotel doors, and avoiding areas that appear to be unsafe.  Any crimes experienced or witnessed should be reported to the police and to the St. Lucia Tourist Board.

Customs in St. Lucia

• Visitors arriving in St. Lucia can bring in up to 200 cigarettes, ½ lb. of tobacco, 50 cigars, and up to 40 fluid ounces of wine or other spirits.  While on the island, Pointe Seraphine, La Place, Carenage, Castries, shopping centers, and Hewanorra Airport’s departure lounge all offer duty-free shopping.

St. Lucia Departure Tax

• Visitors over the age of 12 leaving St. Lucia by plane will find that the departure tax is included in the ticket price.  When leaving by ferry or cruise ship, a departure tax of $13 USD or $33 EC is expected upon departure from the island.

Electricity in St. Lucia 

• 220 volt, 20 cycle AC is the standard on the island of St. Lucia, although there are some hotels that utilize 110 volt, 60 cycle plugs.  In most cases, adaptors are available at resorts, as well as shops across the island.

​Emergency Contact Information in St Lucia

• Much like in the United States, ambulance, fire, and police services can be reached by dialing 9-1-1.  Additional emergency numbers include St. Lucia Police Headquarters- Bridge St, Castries, which can be reached via phone at +1 758-452-2854 and the Police Rapid Response Unit, which can be reached any time at +1 758-452-2854 extension 167.  If needed, the St. Lucia Tourist Board can be reached at any of the following three numbers: +1 758-452-5968, +1 758-453-0053, and +1 758-452-4094.

St Lucia Geography

• The island of St. Lucia is 27 miles in length and 14 miles in width.  Nearby islands include Martinique to the north and St. Vincent to the south, both of which can be seen from St. Lucia when the skies are clear. 

St. Lucia Government

• Part of the Commonwealth of Great Britain, the island of St. Lucia is an independent democratic nation.

Healthcare and Hospitals in St Lucia

• While there are no immunizations required for travel to St. Lucia (with the exception of travelers coming from infected areas within 6 days of arrival in St. Lucia), it is recommended that visitors receive Typhoid, Polio, and Hepatitis A vaccines. 
• ​Bottled distilled and mineral water is available around the island, although drinking water from the tap is perfectly safe to drink. 
• The island is home to many pharmacies, which can be found in the JQ Charles, Gablewoods, and Baywalk shopping malls as well as in Castries.  Over the counter medications and first aid supplies can also be purchased at most hotels.  Furthermore, all hotels either have a doctor onsite or on call. 
• The average price for a visit with an onsite doctor is $15 USD or $45 EC, while on call doctors may charge a bit more.

While 9-1-1 should be called for any emergency, the island is home to five medical facilities.
Dennery +1 758-453-3310
Soufriere +1 758-459-7258
St. Jude’s Vieux Fort +1 758-454-6041
Tapion Hospital +1 758-459-2000
Victoria Hospital +1 758-452-2421

Language in St. Lucia 

• While most St. Lucians speak a dialect of French Creole called Patois, English is the island’s official language.

St. Lucia Requirements for Entry

• For foreign nationals looking to visit the island of St. Lucia, a valid passport from their home country that is valid for three months from the date of entry is required. 
• ​US, UK, and Canadian visitors, as well as visitors from other countries with agreements for exemption with St. Lucia are not required to have a visa.  For a list of countries that require a visa in order to visit St. Lucia, visit 111.govt.lc/faqs.

St. Lucia Taxes and Service Charges

• Hotel and restaurant bills in St. Lucia are subject to a 10% value added tax as well as a 10% service charge.  It can be helpful to clarify costs up front, as these charges may or may not be included in quoted prices in these establishments. 
• ​Furthermore, a value added tax may also be included in prices found on labels in supermarkets and other shops in St. Lucia.

​St. Lucia Time Zone

• St. Lucia has only one time zone, which is 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time.

Tipping in St. Lucia 

• Tipping is customary when receiving services on the island of St. Lucia and is not included in the bill.  Tips for bell hops, taxi drivers, and other service providers is customarily around 12% of the total cost of the service provided.

St. Lucia Telecommunications

• There are two state of the art telecommunications providers on the island of St. Lucia- Digicel and FLOW.  Both providers can be contracted to provide a range of communications services, and prepaid mobile phone cards for both providers are sold throughout the island.  Public phone boxes that utilize either these prepaid cards or coins are located all across the island. 
• ​Both providers also rent cell phones for visitor use.  To learn more about these phones or to acquire one, you may inquire at any tourism info center or at your point of entry.
• Internet access is also prevalent in St. Lucia and can be found not only at FLOW, but at most shopping malls as well as the island’s many internet cafes.  Phones on the island are capable of direct dialing both domestic and international numbers, and fax services can be found in most hotels as well as in Castries at the FLOW office.
• +1 758 is the international calling code for St. Lucia.  Visitors looking to call the United States of America must dial 1 plus the number they are calling, while visitors looking to call the United Kingdom must dial 011 44 before the number they wish to call.  Other country codes can be found via an internet search or by inquiring through one of the island’s telecommunications providers.

St. Lucia Tourist Info

If you are looking for tourist info while on the island, you will find that the front desk at many hotels can provide the answers you seek.  Other resources for tourist information include Soufriere  (+1 758-459-7419) and Castries  (+1 758-452-7577) as well as Hewanorra International Airport (+1 758-454-6644), George F.L. Charles (SLU) Airport ((+1 758-452-2596), and the Information Centers of the St. Lucia Tourist Board at Pointe Seraphine and La Place Carenage. 

​The hours for the information centers are typically Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM, though the center at Pointe Seraphine is open whenever there are ships at the port and the airport information centers are open during active flight times.

There are two airports in St. Lucia- George F.L. Charles (SLU) Airport in Castries for domestic travel and Hewanorra International (UVF) Airport on the southern end of the island for travelers coming from abroad.  Soufriere and Port Castries are the points of entry for travelers arriving by sea.  

No matter how you choose to come to the island, however, one thing remains true- a slice of Caribbean paradise is just waiting for your arrival.  Below, you will find important information and telephone numbers that you should be aware of before and during your trip to the island.