Traveling to St. Lucia
A valid passport is required to visit St. Lucia and it must be valid at least six months before the expiration date. St. Lucia has two airports, Hewanorra International (UVF) in Vieux Fort in the south and George F.L. Charles (SLU) in Castries in the north. UVF is serviced by a number of major airlines including American, Delta, JetBlue, United, Virgin Atlantic, Air Canada, and British Airways.
When You Arrive
Airport transfers ($75 US 1-4 persons) can be arranged for the one hour transport to LaBagatelle. The driver will be waiting for you outside of Customs with a sign and your name. There will be cold drinks for the ride and the driver can stop by the grocery store along the way or you can preorder your grocery items for your arrival. Flights arriving on Sunday must preorder as the grocery stores close at noon. Erolines is the small grocery store in Soufriere and Massa is open in Vieux Fort and Castries.
Getting Around
Traveling around St. Lucia is easy and can be done by taxi, water taxi, walking or rental car. Typically, the “taxis” are passenger vans which can hold up to 10 guests. There are two taxi companies that serve the guests and can take you anywhere on the island. The taxi and tour rates are available in the guestbook. Water taxis (small boats) are available around Soufriere, Anse Chastanet, Sugar Beach, Castries and resort areas and can take you to most beach and snorkeling locations. Hiking to Soufriere or Anse Chastanet beach is easy but walking back uphill can be a little strenuous as the area is dominated by hills. You can arrange for the beach/town shuttle to pick you up and transport you back to the villa. There are several rental car companies nearby that will deliver to LaBagatelle and you can reserve a rental car after you arrive or pickup at the airport.
Currency
St. Lucia uses the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC) and the exchange rate is 2.67EC=$1US. It is suggested that you use the EC money as often as possible as it is more convienent as everything is priced in EC money. However, US money is widely accepted. There are ATMs and banks in Soufriere and throughout the island and exchange bureaus are located in Castries, Vieux Fort and the airports.
At LaBagatelle Villa
LaBagatelle is supplied with all linens and towels, basic toiletry and bath items, pool loungers, pool floats, large beach towels, beach chairs, snorkeling equipment, coolers and BBQ grill. The kitchen is fully-equipped with pots and pans, cooking and eating utensils, microwave, stove and refrigerator/freezer.
To make your stay as comfortable and relaxing as possible Verlinda, the housekeeper/cook, is available for cooking and cleaning upon request. A phone for local calls and high-speed internet access for a computer are provided. A guest book is available that offers recommendations and suggestions for taxis, restaurants, tours and misc. info.
Weather
Year-round temperatures are very pleasant and the average temperature is in the mid to upper 80’s. The sun’s rays are very strong year-round and skin protection is a must. The nights are typically cool with a slight breeze.
For more information on St. Lucia, visit www.stlucia.org.