St Lucia

Most visits to St Lucia are trouble-free, but visitors should take common-sense precautions against robbery and theft. Isolated areas, such as beaches, should be avoided after dark. Hurricane season is generally from June to November.

It is an offence for anyone to dress in camouflage clothing. Homosexuality is illegal.

Due to its popularity as an offshore banking location, business dress in St Lucia requires a level of formality. Handshakes for both men and women are the common form of greeting at the beginning and end of meetings, and business cards are usually exchanged. Business hours are generally 8am to 4.30pm throughout the week and 8.30am to 12.30pm on Saturdays.

The international access code for St Lucia is +1 758. The outgoing code is 011 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 01144 for the United Kingdom); the outgoing code is not needed for calls to Canada and the US. City/area codes are not in use. Pay phones accept coins and pre-paid cards, available at shops throughout the island. AT&T calling cards can be used for cheaper international calls. Mobile phone operators provide good GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 network coverage of the island. Email and Internet access is available at Internet cafes throughout the island.

Travellers to St Lucia may bring in 200 cigarettes or 225g tobacco or 50 cigars and 1.2 litres of alcohol.  Other gifts and souvenirs to the value of $250.

Trvellers to the UK can bring in:

• beer - 16 litres
• wine (not sparkling) - 4 litres

You can also bring in either:

• spirits and other liquors over 22% alcohol - 1 litre
• fortified wine (eg port, sherry), sparkling wine and alcoholic drinks up to 22% alcohol - 2 litres

You can split this last allowance, eg you could bring 1 litre of fortified wine and half a litre of spirits (both half of your allowance).

You can bring in one from the following:

• 200 cigarettes
• 100 cigarillos
• 50 cigars
• 250g tobacco

You can split this allowance - so you could bring in 100 cigarettes and 25 cigars (both half of your allowance).

The unit of currency in Saint Lucia is the East Caribbean Dollar (XCD), which is tied to the US Dollar. The EC$ is divided into 100 cents. US dollars are also accepted at most tourist establishments and ensure a better exchange rate. ATMs are available in Castries, Rodney Bay, Soufriere and Vieux Fort. Banks are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 2pm, some are open till 5pm. Major credit cards are accepted at all large hotels, shops and restaurants. Most hotels will exchange foreign currency, and there are change bureaux in Castries.

UK citizens must hold a passport. A visa is not required for a stay of up to six weeks.

St Lucia, like all Caribbean islands, has a hot, tropical climate throughout the year, tempered by sea breezes and prevailing northeastern trade winds. The average temperature year round is between 77°F (25°C) and 80°F (27°C). The driest period on the island is from about February to May, though short showers can occur throughout the year, and the wet season is usually from June to September. The rain forest in the interior of the island receives more than double the average annual precipitation on the north and south coasts.