CLIMATE: Ranges from 24 Centigrade to 29 Centigrade, though noticably cooler in the hills. The rainy season is from July to October. Driest months are January to April.

ELECTRICITY: 220v at 50 cycles (3-pin plug) variety, so you will need to bring your transformers for any 110V devices. Also, for European travellers, bring your adaptors too to fit the 3-pin British style plugs. Some hotels do carry 110v at 60 cycles, so best check before you leave!

DRESS CODE: Casual dress is normal although some hotels and restaurants require ‘elegantly casual’ in the evenings. Please ensure to cover up if you are venturing into the shops from the beach. Officially nudity is against the law in St. Lucia and is frowned upon to the islanders. It can become cool in the evenings, especially in the hills so a light jacket or a shawl is recommended. When hiking stout footwear and waterproof gear are recommended.

GOVERNMENT:

Fully independent Parliamentary democracy and a member of the British Commonwealth.

DRINKING WATER: Bottled water is readily available in shops or at your hotel. In St. Lucia tap water is fine. Water supplies in St. Lucia come fro a number of reservoirs and are then purified through chlorination.

SUNTANNING TIPS: Always have sun block ready, as even on overcast days you can easily become badly sunburnt and spoil your holiday. Try to get a sun block that is water resistant as it is tedious to continually keep reapplying suntan cream every time you get out of the water. For those travelling on boats the need for sun block is especially great; you’ve got very little shade and the consistent breezes may well make you feel that your skin is not burning.

LANGUAGE:

English. Creole/Patois is widely spoken. English spoken with delightful St. Lucian dialect.

TIME ZONE:

Atlantic Standard Time (4 hours behind Britain, 1 hour ahead of the U.S. Eastern Seaboard).

BUSINESS HOURS:

Commercial: Open 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Saturday. Sat 8.00 am – 12.00 noon.
Banks: Mon- Fri: 9.00 am – 3.30 pm. Closed at weekends.
Post Office: Open 8:00am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday.

COMMUNICATIONS: St. Lucia provides a range of reliable services including cardphones, payphone, credit card calling facilities and reliable internet services. For a complete picture of cellular roaming services available in St. Lucia, click here.

CURRENCY: Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) U.S. currency generally accepted throughout the island. Fixed exchange rates: US$1.00 = EC$2.70. EC$1.00 = US$0.37¢

PASSPORTS & VISAS: American Citizens and Citizens of the Commonwealth require proof of citizenship, a birth certificate or valid passport and a return or onward ticket. Other visitors require a valid passport plus a return or onward ticket. A few countries require visas – the St.Lucia Tourist Board will be able to give you further details about these.

LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY: Latitude -, 14′ 00″ N  Longitude -  61′ 00″ W
In the Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad St. Vincent.
Area: 381 sq. km(238 sq. miles). Highest point is Mount Gimie at 3118 ft (950m).

SECURITY: Take the same basic security precautions you would if visiting an unfamiliar place in the country where you live.