The best things to do in the south of Saint Lucia

When we booked a holiday to Saint Lucia I didn’t have massive expectations of lots of things to do. We’ve been on lots of beach resort holidays where there’s either not a lot to do or the excursions are fairly far from the hotel. Which is fine, as sometimes just lying on a beach is all we’re looking for!

Saint Lucia is basically divided (in terms of where to stay) in the north and the south. We stayed in the south, which is the perfect choice for adventurous travelers as there is a lot to do!

We would have loved to see the north – such as Rodney bay and Castries – but it takes about an hour and a half to two hours from where we were based near Soufrière and the roads in Saint Lucia are pretty bad. We could have got a boat but it was expensive – we were quoted $200 USD one way! So we made of the most of being based in the south.

The best things to do in the south of Saint Lucia

From caking yourself in volcanic mud to getting amazing views of the Pitons, here’s the best things to do in Saint Lucia to add to your list.

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Tree to bar tour at Hotel Chocolat

Hands down one of the best things we did on our holiday in Saint Lucia was the Tree to Bar tour at Hotel Chocolat. In the UK, Hotel Chocolat is a huge brand with many shops and a restaurant in London. Luckily for us, the Rabot Hotel and Estate (Hotel Chocolat) was just a 15 minute drive from our hotel. There was a couple on our tour who had come from the north and it took them an hour and 40 mins each way! So if you’re staying in the south of Saint Lucia, this is an activity you should definitely book.

We booked it through our hotel but you can book it directly too – although I think you’d need to organise your own transport. We opted to have lunch included before the tour started, which is not at their restaurant but rather at their Project Chocolat street-food style market area. They also have a bar which serves wine, beer and cocktails (of course with chocolate!).

We got to choose a main, two sides and a drink (non-alcoholic). My husband and I both chose the same sides – mac ‘n cheese with cacao nibs (soooo good) and plantain chips (still dreaming about them!). For my main I chose the fried fish and my husband had the pulled pork burger. Both were delicious! You also get to choose a sundae for dessert.

After lunch the tour began with our excellent guide, Taj. We got to visit the Seederie where we learned about seedlings and also got to name our own one, which was pretty cool. We left a part of us in Saint Lucia!

We then went for a walk in the rainforest to see the cacao trees out in the wild, including the cacao pods. Taj then cracked open a cacao pod, which looked like an alien inside, and gave us all a bean to taste. I swear it tasted like mango!

The last part of the tour ended with us making our very own chocolate bar. It was really fun but also hard work as you need to pound the cacao into a paste for about 20 minutes or so. A great workout for the arm muscles! Once we had finished we had to wait about 30 mins for the chocolate to temper and then we got to take it home with us.

It was such a fun afternoon and I’d highly recommend it. They also offer a tour that excludes making the chocolate bar.

Hike up Gros Piton

I’ll be completely honest… we didn’t hike up Gros Piton! We definitely contemplated it and my husband wanted to do it but I didn’t feel I was fit enough enough to handle a 3 to 4 hour hike in the heat. We’ve climbed Table Mountain in Cape Town a few times and that was challenging but at least you can get the cable car down if you don’t want to hike down again. And on Table Mountain there are cafes at the top to relax and enjoy a drink! A friend of mine went to Saint Lucia a few years ago and was told that hiking up Gros Piton was ‘a leisurely stroll’. She assured me it most definitely wasn’t!

Hiking Gros Piton is very popular though and is easy to organise should you wish to do it. It’s most likely that your hotel offers it as an activity or you can book it through Get your Guide. I preferred to just admire it from our resort pool rather than climb it!

Tet Paul nature trail

If you want to experience a bit of a hike, without a lot of effort – plus get amazing views of both the Pitons – then I highly recommend the Tet Paul nature trail. We booked it through our hotel but it was really expensive for what it was. We paid $100 each, which included transport to Tet Paul (which was only 15 minutes from our resort) and a guide who took us on the trail, which takes around 45 minutes. For better value for money I’d recommend combining it with other experiences as part of a day trip. For example, this package on Get your Guide includes the Tet Paul nature trail, a visit to the volcanic mud baths, the waterfall and more.

Our guide was hilarious. He made us laugh so many times. He does this trail multiple times a day but has never climbed the Pitons and thinks anyone who does ‘is crazy’. So funny!

It’s definitely worth doing though as the views from the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ were amazing! And you can enjoy their local Piton beer whilst looking at the Pitons.

Visit the Saturday Farmers Market in Soufrière

Every Saturday there is a big Farmers Market in Soufrière from early morning until midday. It’s a great way to experience local life. As well as produce, such as mangoes, bananas, spices etc, you’ll also find crafts, jewelry and souvenirs to take back home. There’s also a smaller market on Wednesdays. Depending on where you’re staying, you could either get a water taxi, a taxi, or book an excursion through your hotel. Our hotel offered a walking excursion to the market and then a car back for $40 per person.

Experience a spa treatment in a rainforest

If you’re a fan of spas and spa treatments then book yourself in to the Rainforest Spa at Sugar Beach resort, which is situated in-between the Pitons. It’s definitely one of the most unique spas I’ve ever seen with treatment rooms in tree houses! The steam room is also super cute. It’s a round stone room with a wooden door – reminded me of a Hobbit house!

Look ten years younger with volcanic mud at Sulphur Springs

The Soufrier Volcano (known as the Sulphur Springs) last erupted in the 1700s and is a dormant volcano. It’s apparently the world’s only drive-in volcano. We visited as part of a bigger excursion and it’s included in many different types of day trips. Basically it’s something you must do if you’re in the south of Saint Lucia!

The baths themselves are very hot and thankfully the sulphur wasn’t actually too smelly. We were told to stay in them for about 10 minutes to allow the pores to open before getting out and putting on the volcanic mud – that apparently makes you look ten years younger!

Smearing the mud all over was fun and we were encouraged to paint some designs on ourselves. Once it had dried, which took about 10 to 15 minutes, we got back into the mud baths to wash it all off. Despite everyone saying “it’ll make you look ten years younger, we won’t recognise you afterwards!” it didn’t make me look younger but my skin did feel very soft and supple.

Stand under a waterfall

Another popular thing to do in the south of Saint Lucia is to stand under the Toraille waterfall. Again, this is usually combined with the mud baths as part of a tour as they are close to each other. Everyone takes turns to stand under it so you may need to wait a little while if there’s a queue. The water was very refreshing!

Another waterfall that is in the area is the Diamond Waterfall, which is in the Botanic Gardens. You can’t go in the water though but it’s very pretty, especially as the water has minerals in it.

Go snorkeling at Anse Chastanet

Beaches in Saint Lucia are public, so even if it’s a beach that’s by a resort that looks private, anyone can visit the beach – just don’t sit on the hotel’s sun loungers! As part of our excursion to the mud baths and the waterfall, we also went snorkeling at Anse Chastanet (which is the sister hotel of Jade Mountain). They also have a diving centre on the beach if you want to organise any diving activities.

We saw some amazing fish when we were snorkeling! The water is so blue and incredibly clear so it was easy to spot the sea life.

Dinner at Hotel Chocolat

Having dinner at Hotel Chocolat was definitely a highlight! Every single course has got cacao or chocolate in it – and the food was fabulous! They have an amazing view of Gros Piton, however it gets dark early. We didn’t think we’d be able to see it but there was a full moon so we could.

They also have a lovely bar called the Cacao Bar where you can enjoy a drink before or after your meal. Highly recommend booking lunch or dinner at Hotel Chocolat!

Saint Lucia is truly a beautiful country with friendly people and loads of fun activities to take part in. If you love adventure and an active holiday then plan a stay in the south of Saint Lucia! Bonus is that it’s closer to the airport too.

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