St Lucia is a holiday paradise in the Caribbean. Part of the Lesser Antilles and one of the Windward Islands, the island nation lies northwest of Barbados, north of St Vincent and south of Martinique. You may hear St Lucia refered to as the “Helen of the West Indies”. This is because the island was passed back and forth so often between French and British control that it is likened to Helen of Troy.
St Lucia is volcanic and therefore more mountainous than many of its neighbouring Caribbean islands. Its highest point, Mount Gimie, is 950 metres above sea level.
The climate is tropical with northeast trade winds keeping temperatures mild throughout the year. St Lucia is famous for its beautiful landscape, tropical beaches and friendly, lively culture which includes an annual carnival in July.
The official language of St Lucia is English, but the native creole, called Kweyolaka, is spoken by 80% of residents.
