Saint Lucia is a state on the same-name island of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, located in the West Indies. Its nearest neighbors are Martinique and St. Vincent. The island, whose coast is studded with small picturesque bays, can boast of lush tropical vegetation, unique underwater world, healing mineral springs and wonderful sandy beaches. The state is also famous for its jazz festival, which is held in Saint Lucia in early May each year. The climate of the island is tropical trade-wind, with the possibility of summer storms.

The main attraction of the capital city of Saint Lucia – Castries – is Columbus Square, where the Saman tree grows, whose age is about four centuries. In the shade of the tree there is a very original piece of the 19^th-century architecture – the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Fans of "places with history" will like to visit the St. John Church, located in the northern part of the island, where some scenes the famous film “Mamma Mia” were shot. Plunge into the local culture can be continued by visiting small fishing villages of Anse-La-Raye and Canaries, as well as the oldest city of Saint Lucia, Soufriere, where there are many houses decorated with Indian tiles.

Connoisseurs of nature should explore the Pigeon Island National Park, the Frégate Island Nature Reserve, where you can see rare ramier pigeon and a local variety of orioles, Maria Islands Nature Reserve, which contains a number of rare reptiles. You can also take a tour to extinct volcanoes La Soufriere, Petit Piton and Gros Piton, as well as take a shower in Diamond Falls.
The national currency of Saint Lucia is the East Caribbean dollar traditional for the Lesser Antilles, but it is not forbidden to pay in the US dollars or credit cards.

Hewanorra International Airport (UVF)

The only airport of the state, which has international status, is located near Vieux-Fort, right on the ocean coast, which is a very exotic spectacle for tourists arriving on the island – the landing leaves a lasting impression: it seems that the plane is going to land directly on the surface of the ocean.

Diving in St. Lucia

Beautiful mountain landscape of the island surface is repeated under water, so that the coastal waters of St. Lucia are literally crammed with all sorts of caves, hills and caverns. Due to the complicated underwater scenery, pink coral reefs, framing almost the entire coastline of the island, nice sunny weather and gentle coastal waters, St. Lucia is rightfully included in the list of the world's best areas, suitable for high-quality diving.

For the most part, the best diving areas are located in the western part of the island, as the eastern shore of St. Lucia is characterized by powerful undercurrents that can substantially complicate diving, but professionals are not forbidden to tickle their nerves, plunging into these troubled waters. For fans of classic diving there are such proven places like Anse Chastanet Marine Park near Soufriere, where you can plunge not only into the sea water, but also into the lives of various underwater creatures, and where you can see the rare pink coral reefs, easily accessible coral reefs of Key Hole Pinnacle and Cap Mullet, Pigeon Island area and picturesque valleys at the foot of underwater volcanoes Petit Piton and Gros Piton to the north of Castries. You can explore the 50-meter ship "Leslin" intentionally sunken in Anse Cochon area. The wreck, located at 20-meter depth, is an artificial reef formed around the ship's frame.

It is worth noting that the underwater visibility is not as good as at some other Caribbean islands due to numerous rivers, carrying fairly large number of sand and suspended organic matter into the sea from the insular land, but the water clarity, though not perfect, is quite suitable for good diving.