Location: Part of the Lesser Antilles, St. Lucia is a sovereign island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean.
Coordinates: 13.53° N, 60.68 ° W
Language: English is the official language, but St. Lucians speak a French Creole commonly called Patois.
Capital City: Castries
Population: 163,362
Area: St. Lucia is 27 miles long and 14 miles wide.
Time Zone: Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-4).
Currency: The currency of St. Lucia is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar which is linked to the US Dollar at the exchange rate of 1 US$ to 2.70 EC$. US$ are widely accepted on the island.
Electrical Current: 220 volts. Most sockets take 3 pin square plugs (UK standard) but some take 2 pin round plugs or flat American plugs, which are more rare.
Telephone code: St. Lucia Country Code is 1+758
St. Lucia Security and Health:
Crime in St. Lucia can be considered consistent with that of similar countries. We encourage our guests to be smart. Lock up valuables in your safe, keep the villa locked and do not leave valuables in the car.
In an emergency, call 911 - there are five medical facilities, which are:
Victoria Hospital |
+1 758-452-2421/7059 |
St. Jude's Vieux Fort |
+1 758-454-6041 |
Soufriere |
+1 758-459-7258/5001 |
Dennery |
+1 758-453-3310 |
Tapion Hospital |
+1 758-459-2000 |
St. Lucia Shopping: Local shops are generally open weekdays 8.30am to 4.00pm and on Saturday 8.00am to noon. There are a wide variety of shopping experiences from Castries market, where local crafts are available, to Pointe Seraphine and La Place Carenage, two duty free shopping centers in Castries where resort wear, Colombian Emeralds jewelry, cosmetics and perfumes are available. A variety of shopping malls with extended opening hours offer a wide selection of boutiques and restaurants.
St. Lucia Transportation:
The island has ample taxis and rental cars. The island is small and mountainous which can make drivers uneasy. We recommend taking a transfer from the airport and having your rental car delivered to your villa.
St. Lucia Gas Stations:
You will find gas stations throughout the island.
WiFi/Computers: Most villas offer WiFi internet.
Banking: Banks open Monday to Thursday, 8.00am - 2.00pm and Friday, 8.00am - 5.00pm
Restaurant Gratuities: On restaurant bills there is a Government tax of 8%. A service charge of 10% is also typically applicable. In some instances these charges are included in prices quoted, so it is best to clarify. The prices on labels in shops are what you pay.
Staff Gratuities: We wish to stress that tipping is not compulsory and is therefore entirely up to our guests discretion. The following are just suggestions and you can tip the staff as you wish. Cash payment is required for this in either USD or Eastern Caribbean Dollar currency.
We recommend a tip of EC$100/ US$37.00 per week, per couple for the head housekeeper at your villa.