St. Lucia is the sort of island that travelers to the Caribbean dream about--a small, lush tropical gem that is still relatively unknown. One of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, it is located midway down the Eastern Caribbean chain, between Martinique and St. Vincent, and north of Barbados. St. Lucia is only 27 miles long and 14 miles wide, with a shape that is said to resemble either a mango or an avocado. The Atlantic Ocean kisses its eastern shore, while the beaches of the west coast owe their beauty to the calm Caribbean Sea.

The island, rich in natural beauty, seems like it was plucked from the South Pacific and set down in the Caribbean. Its dramatic twin coastal peaks, the Pitons, soar 2,000 feet up from the sea, sheltering magnificent rain forests where wild orchids, giant ferns, and birds of paradise flourish. Brilliantly plumed tropical birds abound, including endangered species like the indigenous St. Lucia parrot. The rainforest is broken only by verdant fields and orchards of banana, coconut, mango, and papaya trees.

St. Lucia has been inhabited since long before colonial times, and its cultural treasures are a fascinating mélange of its rich past and its many different traditions. The island's people have earned a well-deserved reputation for their warmth and charm, and the island itself is dotted with aged fortresses, small villages, and open-air markets.

There is a wide array of exciting and exotic activities available on St. Lucia. The island's steep coastlines and lovely reefs offer excellent snorkeling and scuba diving. The rainforest preserves of St. Lucia's mountainous interior are one of the Caribbean's finest locales for hiking and bird watching. Not to be missed is St. Lucia's Soufrière volcano, the world's only drive-in volcanic crater.

St. Lucia possesses a landscape and ecosystem of stunning beauty, one of the best in the Caribbean. The island's pride in its natural resources is evident in the country's ongoing protection and conservation efforts. In the mountainous interior lies the enormous National Rain Forest, and the island's protected coastal sights include the breathtaking, unforgettable spires of Les Pitons. All sorts of nature hikes, tours, and programs have been developed to showcase these peerless assets, allowing visitors to enjoy the island without harming its complex and fragile environment.

The National Rain Forest is of particular appeal to bird watchers, hikers and nature lovers; it covers 19,000 acres of lush mountains and valleys. It is home to giant ferns, birds of paradise and many other indigenous tree species, exotic flowers and fruits, and its paths are strewn with tiny bromeliads, wild orchids and mushrooms.

A tour of the steamy, bubbly sulphur springs at Mt. Soufrière offers a direct and fascinating lesson in the violent geology of the Caribbean Rim.

Mt. Gimie, at 3,117 feet, is the highest point on St. Lucia and one of the best eye-filling views of this peak is to be had on emerging from the rain forest.

There are many nature hikes and tours available to visitors such as the Barre de L'isle Rain Forest Trail, which runs along the perimeter of the rain forest, is a climb to the top of Morne la Combe that is only for the stout of heart. The mountain, towering 1,446 feet, lies on the Barre de Lisle ridge and offers panoramic views west to the Roseau and Mabouya valleys.

Union Nature Trail is a beautiful, looping, graveled path parades through a dry forest punctuated by hummingbirds, warblers, and finches. The Naturalist Tour features a diverse expanse of flora and fauna and the Fregate Island Nature Trail takes you to the national park which has rare species of birds, Boa Constrictors and unusual forms of vegetation. Morne Le Blanc and Southern Safari are two other popular trails. Bird watching and turtle watching are two other popular pastimes.

From www.geographica.com/st-lucia