After visiting several Caribbean islands, each with its own personality and charm, I can honestly say that St Lucia quickly became one of my favorites.
There is something truly special about this island. Maybe it is the dramatic Piton Mountains rising from the sea, the lush rainforest covering the hillsides, the colorful towns along the coast, or the way the island combines adventure, beauty, and Caribbean culture. Whatever the reason, St Lucia left a lasting impression on me.
During our cruise, my daughter and I booked only two excursions before sailing — one in St Maarten and one in St Lucia. Instead of booking through the cruise line, we decided to book independently with Cosol Tours.
This turned out to be one of the best decisions we made.
Our Cosol Tours St Lucia Experience
We met our guide just outside the cruise port where guests were divided into small groups. From there, we boarded an air-conditioned minibus and began our journey around the island.
The tour lasted about six hours and was the perfect way to experience many of St Lucia's highlights in one day.
During the excursion, we visited:
- Sugar Beach between the famous Pitons
- The town of Soufrière
- The Sulphur Springs drive-in volcano
- Toraille Waterfall
- Banana plantations
- Scenic overlooks around the island
- Local food stops and roadside stands
By the end of the day, I understood why so many people fall in love with St Lucia.
The Famous Pitons and Sugar Beach
One of the first things you notice about St Lucia is the Pitons. These two volcanic mountains are the symbol of the island and appear in nearly every photo you see when searching for St Lucia.
Many people compare the Pitons to what the Eiffel Tower represents for Paris — they are the landmark that immediately makes you think of the destination.
Our tour took us to Soufrière, where we boarded a water taxi that carried us to Sugar Beach, located between the two Pitons.
The scenery was unbelievable. The combination of turquoise water, green mountains, and tropical vegetation made this one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever visited.
While we were there, my daughter went snorkeling and said she saw beautiful fish. Our guide even gave her bananas to feed them. Unfortunately, her underwater camera did not survive the trip, so we did not get the photos we hoped for.
Even if you are not taking an organized tour, Sugar Beach is worth adding to your St Lucia itinerary. The beach sits next to the luxurious Sugar Beach resort, but like many Caribbean beaches, the shoreline itself is open to the public.
Exploring Soufrière
After leaving Sugar Beach, we spent some time around Soufrière, the town located near many of St Lucia's most famous attractions.
Because we were on a schedule, we did not have much time to explore on foot. We arrived, parked, and quickly made our way to the water taxi. I would have loved more time to wander through the town and experience more of the local atmosphere.
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From the waterfront, we could still see the colorful homes scattered throughout the hills. Like many Caribbean coastal towns, Soufrière has a beautiful mix of bright colors and incredible scenery. |
Visiting the World's Only Drive-In Volcano
One of the experiences I was most excited about was visiting the Sulphur Springs, known as the world's only drive-in volcano.
This is not the type of volcano you picture from movies. There is no large cone-shaped mountain. Instead, you see steaming areas of volcanic activity, bubbling springs, and you immediately notice the smell of sulphur in the air.
We started with a warm soak in the volcanic water before covering ourselves with mineral-rich mud. If you plan to visit, I recommend wearing an older or dark-colored swimsuit because the mud can stain.
The pools were filled with warm water directly from the volcano, and the experience was unlike anything I had done before.
After letting the mud dry, it was time to rinse off.
The water is supposed to have medicinal properties that purify and soften the skin. Employees were standing nearby with white 5-gallon buckets filled with different shades of volcanic mud. They helped visitors cover their bodies, adding layers of dark and light-colored mud to create the traditional St Lucia mud bath experience.
It was definitely a unique sight — groups of people walking around covered in gray and black mud while laughing and taking photos. It is one of those travel experiences that you cannot really understand until you are there.
Our next stop was Toraille Waterfall, a beautiful 50-foot waterfall surrounded by tropical greenery.
The setting was exactly what you imagine when you think of a Caribbean rainforest.
The only downside was that it was extremely crowded the day we visited. There were so many people that it was difficult to fully enjoy the experience, but the waterfall itself was still beautiful.
Final Thoughts on Our St Lucia Excursion
Looking back, this was one of my favorite cruise excursions ever.
In one day, we experienced beaches, mountains, waterfalls, volcanic springs, local culture, and some of the most beautiful scenery in the Caribbean.
St Lucia is not just a place to visit — it is an island to experience.
Continue reading Part 2 of our St Lucia adventure, where I share the local food we tried, banana plantations, more island scenery, and helpful tips for planning your own visit.
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