Mark Bibby Jackson visits the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, and discovers the secret behind its popularity as a holiday destination.
There are times when I feel most fortunate to be a travel writer. Occasions when you realise you are present at ground-breaking moments. The all-female Pure Jazz evening during the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival is one of them. Back stage when talking to the press after just delivering the most amazing set Christa Bailey calls the evening “a breakthrough moment”.
A few moments later we are all to marvel at the extraordinary voice of Samara Joy, a woman destined to take the music scene by storm. One of my companions compares it to listening to Ella Fitzgerald in Harlem in the 1930s. Neither of us were alive at the time, but I take his point.
Joy does not so much sing as play her voice. The audience is both transfixed and mesmerised. The woman from the Bronx will become a diva of the music scene over the next few decades. Incredibly she was only 24 when she played at the festival.
Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival
The evening at Rodney Bay is my introduction to the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, as I arrived the previous evening with Virgin Atlantic, the Premium Economy upgrade ensuring the trans-Atlantic flight flew past.
That afternoon we drive across the island to our resort – the Royalton – in the north of Saint Lucia. Along the way we stop to have some freshly baked bread road side, before climbing through the most beautiful green hills. Saint Lucia is a glorious island. Jet lag working against the clock I crash early but this allows me to rise with the sun and enjoy the beach all to myself – well apart from the local birdlife.
My previous trip to Barbados taught me the best time to enjoy the beach is shortly after the sun has risen, but before your fellow guests have joined it. I stroll into the waters and take my customary lazy strokes before returning to the beach to dry off. This is paradise as only the Caribbean can deliver.
Eventually, some of my fellow guests slip away from their rooms to join me, cloaking sun loungers with towels and rocks to claim their territory for the rest of the day. I smile at their pettiness, recalling that infamous Carling commercial.
Day-Trip to Castries
After breakfast we embark on a city tour of the capital Castries, a short drive from the Royalton.
Castries is a colourful city particularly in its flora; the bougainvillea is quite spectacular. Established in 1650, it used to be known as a safe heaven.
It must have one of the most unassuming Parliament buildings in the world, dwarfed by the most amazing trees. Our guide Ricardo takes us to the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, outside of which we try some penny piece, traditional street food, similar to ginger snaps, which are extremely tasty.
Next to the church is the Derek Walcott Square, named after the Saint Lucian writer, awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992. This is the venue for Jazz on the Square, part of the festival and free for all, as is the accompanying arts festival. Unfortunately, we time our visit just as the band is finishing its set, but chatting to other visitors I understand this to be one of the highlights of the whole festival, attracting a wide local audience.
I chat to Bernice, a local police officer who is painting the flag of Saint Lucia as her inspiration for the island, while others in my group try the cannabis-infused rum from John who has a stall on the edge of the square. The juxtaposition amuses me.
Our city tour concludes at the local market where we have the most traditional Caribbean food at Lynn’s Cuisine, consisting of King Fish in a creole sauce with ‘provisions’ – breadfruit, plantain and rice. It is the perfect way to acclimatise.
Boat Trip to Soufriere
Soufriere is on the far side of the island to Castries. The day following Pure Jazz we take a catamaran boat trip there. As this is the Caribbean the trip is accompanied by a fast soundtrack and slow rum punch despite it being the morning.
After a couple of hours, we reach Soufriere nestled beneath Gros Piton and Petit Piton. The view of Saint Lucia’s twin peaks is spectacular as we pull into the harbour. Soufriere is a pleasant town, but the key attractions lie outside.
Toraille waterfall is a short drive away. I don my swimwear and slip beneath the waters. It is a wonderful refreshing experience especially on a warm tropical day.
There is nothing refreshing about the nearby sulphur springs. Etiquette is you bathe in the hottest pool which is supposed to open up your pores before smearing yourself with mud from the buckets provided. The more artistic can paint themselves using the lighter mud as an undercoat and the darker one to create intricate patterns. I opt for plain grey.
Then, you stand in the sun for the mud to dry, before washing yourself down in one of the cooler pools. Finally, you cleanse yourself in the showers. The whole experience leaves your skin feeling wonderful and refreshed although it cannot really compare with mud bathing in Jordan.
We lunch at Soley Kouche, a lovely restaurant outside of Soufriere which has amazing views both of the sea and Gros Piton.
Soley Kouche is run by Sorin and Diana Moldovan, two Romanians who moved here from Canada. Their extremely talented chef Kyrah Henry, relocated to Saint Lucia from London having worked at the Harwood Arms in Fulham. Born in Catford, Kyrah’s father hails from Saint Lucia. I do not ask why she chose to swap the streets of south London for the beaches of Saint Lucia. It is easily the best meal I am to encounter on my visit to Saint Lucia. The spicy cauliflower soup is absolutely divine, while the mahi fish served with gnocchi and Greek salad accompanies it well. All the food is prepared in house, and complimented by sax from local jazz musician Kelton Philert.
However good the food and jazz are, the real attraction of Soley Kouche is its setting. Gros Piton, part of the Pitons Management Area, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2004, is so close you feel as if you can touch it. According to Sorin, it takes around two hours to reach the summit.
Saint Lucia Jazz Take 2
The jazz festival is really varied. While Thursday was devoted to female traditional jazz, the Friday night session held on Rabbit Island has a more Caribbean vibe.
My highlight is listening to veteran singer Beres Hammond strut the stage with a vigour that belies his age. There is certainly nothing aged about his voice. The whole place is packed. At the jazz festival press conference, we are informed 2,000 more tickets were sold for this year’s festival than in 2023. It is totally crammed.
My media pass permits me access to the photographer’s pit at the front of the stage. This allows me not only to get a close up view of the performers, but also to turn around and look at the audience. They all seem to know the lyrics to the songs, and exude a happiness that is simply contagious. I prefer looking at them than at the stage.
Helen’s Daughters
The following day we head away from the coast into the centre of the island. Helen Thomas has farmed a small plot of land for 30 years. Her parents used to grow bananas here, but Helen has diversified into all sorts of vegetables, salad and fruit in the acre-plus of land.
Although not strictly organic – farms this size seldom are due to the prohibitive costs of certification – Helen says, “we try our best” and her best is certainly very good. She uses household and chicken waste for fertiliser, and the pesticides are natural too, including a garlic water spray.
Helen mainly sells to local hotels and restaurants, although she does also visit Castries Market on a Friday. Her farm has an idyllic setting next to a small river surrounded by lots of trees including breadfruit, mango and papaya. Many of the plants have medicinal properties including nutmeg, aloe vera and turmeric.
Helen’s Daughters focuses on improving the collective and individual strength of female farmers in the region – for FarmHers by FarmHers. You can arrange visits to Helen’s farm, although you have to book ahead. They also have a place at the Hotel Chocolate, close to Soufriere.
Saint Lucia Jazz Festival Take 3
By now the heat of the boat trip the previous day has started to take its effect upon me. I realise I made the rooky error of not taking enough water – and perhaps too much rum.
So, I decide to spend the evening relaxing around the resort, and awake the following morning to enjoy my solitude on the beach once more.
We lunch at The Naked Fisherman, a glorious castaway restaurant on the beach beneath Cap Maison. Walking around the wonderful white resort covered in bougainvillea is like wandering into a Spanish hacienda. It just goes to show the incredible variety and quality of resort accommodation in Saint Lucia.
That evening, I make my third trip to the Saint Lucia Jazz Festival. Sunday has a much more chilled atmosphere than on the Friday night. There is an incredible sense of community at the festival. Whole families head here in the afternoon and set up their deck chairs.
This is a time when people meet up with friends, enjoy some rum, and listen to the music. I even meet friends of mine from Cambodia. The performers are more international. Baby Face and Air Supply headline. Once more I am struck by how many of the people know all the lyrics to their songs – they certainly know for more than I do.
I am just happy to be here and soak up the atmosphere.
For once I rise slightly after dawn to find the sun loungers already clad with towels and rocks, but this does not affect me as the sea is still deserted. Also, the lounger colonialists appear to have withdrawn to breakfast.
Standing in the waters looking up the wonderful coastline I try to contemplate the beauty of Saint Lucia. Yes, it has an amazing coastline, beautiful waters, stunning beaches and a colourful and mountainous interior, but its real beauty lies in its people and their strong sense of community. It is this which has made the Caribbean island such a popular holiday destination in the past, and will continue to do so for many more years to come.
How To Get To Saint Lucia
Virgin Atlantic have direct flights from London Heathrow during the peak winter season. For details go to Book flights with Virgin Atlantic. While British Airways has direct flight across the year. BA flights from £548 return per person at www.ba.com.
Things To Do in Saint Lucia
For more inspiration on what to do on your Saint Lucia holidays go to www.stlucia.org or check out @travelsaintlucia. You mighyt al\os like to check out our sister website’s article about Wellness in Saint Lucia.
Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival 2025
The 2025 Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival will be from 30 April to 11 May. You can find current details at Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival 2025 – Travel Begins at 40.
Saint Lucia Holiday Tips
Although the The power system is based on the UK, most hotels have both UK and US sockets, but do take an adaptor. Do not bring camouflage clothing, as wearing this is restricted in the island Saint Lucia. Take insect repellent and sun cream. Dress is informal across the island
Saint Lucia Time
The time in Saint Lucia is GMT -4.
Currency in Saint Lucia
Although the Eastern Caribbean dollar is the official currency in Saint Lucia, the US dollar is accepted everywhere.
Saint Lucia Weather
Saint Lucia is a tropical island so it is hot all the time. However, the sea breezes make the climate cooler than in other tropical places. Although tropical storms are most unusual, we advice that you check the Saint Lucia weather before booking your holiday.