Hostels in SOUFRIERE, ST LUCIA

Soufriere – St. Lucia’s Volcanic Offering

Soufriere, located on St. Lucia’s south-west coast, is a major tourist destination for its gardens, waterfalls, rainforests, mountains, coral reefs and several other natural attractions.

History
Soufriere is one of the oldest Caribbean settlement and the discoveries of carved rocks and terraces at Belfond and petroglyphs at Jalousie indicate that the Amerindians were its original inhabitants. The French came here during late 17th century and established it as the first town of St. Lucia in 1746. Soufriere’s history is marked with several major hurricanes and earthquakes. Although not the capital, but its tourism, cultural, historical and commercial importance makes Soufriere St. Lucia’s most sought after city by tourists.

Popular Places and Attractions
The Pitons, comprising of the Petit Piton and Gros Piton, along with Mount Soufriere, are Soufriere’s biggest attraction. They start from beds of coral reefs and rise directly above them. They have been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Mount Soufriere is the only drive-in volcanic crater of the world and is popular for its Sulphur Springs. Visitors are allowed to bathe in the volcano’s therapeutic waters. Fresh rain water gets collected in this boiling crater. Here, it is subjected to heat and minerals and ultimately flows down the mountain forming six waterfalls.

Diamond Falls is one of these waterfalls and is located in the Diamond Botanical Gardens. It is popular for its tropical plants, hot springs and mineral baths said to be having healing powers. The National Rainforest is also located nearby Soufriere and is popular for its varieties of trees, birds, fruits and flowers. The unique St. Lucian parrot called “Jacquot” also resides here.

Some other popular attractions are the Malgretout beach, Anse Chastanet beach, Fond Doux Estate, Soufriere Estate, Morne Coubaril Estate, the Central Square and the Catholic Church.

Getting Around
Jeeps, motorcycles and cars can be rented for getting around Soufriere. Buses and taxis are also available for moving around, a good guide is to keep some small notes and change handy to pay for your travel.

Places for Entertainment
Restaurants, cafes and bars located along the beach are the usual places for entertainment in Soufriere. Snorkelling and swimming facilities are available at the Soufriere beach. The nightlife is marked by performances of certain local bands and similar laid-back entertainment. Few resorts such as Anse Chastanet and Jalousie Hilton also arrange for spa treatments, beach dozing, ocean kayaking, diving and jungle biking. The calm waters, shallow reefs and silver-black sands of Anse Cochon make it perfect for snorkelling, swimming and diving. Visitors can also have fun exploring a sunken ship here. The Saturday morning vegetable and fruit market is also worth visiting.

Accommodation
Beach villas, budget hotels, spa hotels, B&Bs (bed and breakfast), guesthouse, youth hostels, resorts and villas are available for looking after tourist accommodation in Soufriere.

Currency
The East Caribbean Dollar is the official currency adopted in St. Lucia. Major hotels do offer currency exchange services, for the latest exchange rates check the news and internet. The U.S Dollar, traveller’s cheques and credit cards are also usually accepted.

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