St Lucia climate
The climate is tropical - and lovely - year round. Temperatures average 27 degrees and mild trade winds keep humidity to a comfortable level. December and January are the coolest months, while June through August are the hottest. The hurricane season runs from June to November. January to April is the dry season while the rainy season lasts from May to August.
When to fly to St Lucia
Peak Season:
The best time to visit is between November and May. The ARC – Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, a major yacht event in November and the Jazz Festival takes place on Pigeon Island in May. The carnival takes place in July.
Off Season:
Hurricane season is June through November
St Lucia insider information
- Don’t miss the drive-in volcano, Mount Soufriere. It is said to be the only drive-in volcano in the world.
- Pigeon Island is a national park on a 40-acre islet linked by a causeway to the west coast of St Lucia. It has several military sites (barracks and garrisons) built by the British as they fought the French for control of St Lucia.
- Bathe like a French soldier: when the French “owned” St Lucia, King Louis XVI had bathhouses built for his men at Diamond Falls. The mineral-rich falls were believed to have therapeutic properties. A dip under the falls is still popular. And the ever-changing colours – the water turns yellow, then black then green then grey – come from sulphuric deposits over many years.
- The Pitons can be climbed in about two hours. Bathe in the nearby Sulphur Springs, a mineral-rich river. Afterwards, have a local beer of the same name.
- La Tille waterfall, set in a ten-acre natural garden, is less well-known than Diamond Falls, but beautiful.
- Leatherback turtles crawl onto the beach at Grande Anse in the north of the island to lay their eggs, between mid-March and the end of July.
- Take a hike through the rainforest. The Barre de l'lsle Trail splits the island in two and takes about three hours to hike.