A guide to the best beaches of St Lucia

Reduit Beach, Rodney Bay

Most of the seaside spots in St Lucia are the short and sweet type. You’ll find little coves or clearings of gold with a handful of joyful beach-goers relaxing peacefully. Rodney Bay’s Reduit Beach is the exception, boasting two kilometres of beautiful desert-island sand.

This beach is lined by a handful of hotels, blessing guests with a beautiful views, plus there are some great beach bars clinging to the shore to spend chilled out days and lively nights in. There are also watersports companies that’ll cater for the kids and thrill-seekers among you. Waterskiing, scuba diving and more are all available on the coast of Rodney Bay.

Jalousie Beach

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more scenic beach in St Lucia than Jalousie Beach in the southwest. It has the clearest water, brightest sands and one of the most incredible backdrops of forests and mountains just waiting to be roamed.

Set beneath the twin peaks of Gros and Petit Piton, the crystalline sea is the temptress of scuba divers from all over the island who want to explore the underwater kingdom. Bring your snorkelling gear and see for yourself.

Anse Chastanet

Anse Chastanet is another great attraction for scuba divers on holiday to St Lucia. This time it’s the sudden and dramatic underwater landscape that brings them here. This beach is not ideal for small kids looking to paddle. But if you’re on a group or couples’ holiday, and fancy seeing an amazing coral reef and sharp coastal shelf without sailing far out to sea, this is a great spot.

The black sands of Anse Chastanet echo the volcanic roots of the island, and make for some great photos. There’s also a luxury resort nearby, full of the wealthier visitors to St Lucia, which has a great restaurant and bar on-site for those lazy evenings by the sea.

Pigeon Island National Park beach

Way up in northern St Lucia is the Pigeon Island National Park beach. This strip of coast is quiet and relaxed, offering great spots to tan and swim in the cool water. There are also great museums nearby and a stunning view of Fort Rodney from the park’s lookout point.

To balance this historical heritage, the Pigeon Island National Park also holds the annual Jazz Festival which brings many local and international acts to the area. This, plus there’s a year-round underground rum bar which goes down a treat with the grown ups.

Grande Anse

Set just north of Dennery, Grande Anse is another of St Lucia’s favourite beaches. It stretches a total of one and a half kilometres in length, and is considered an unofficial national park. This is because it’s the home to one of the great natural wonders of the world – giant leatherback turtles roam the beach.

Many people flock from all over the Caribbean to see them come onto to land to lay their eggs, in a tradition known as Turtle Watch. If you’re in St Lucia, a visit to Grande Anse is an absolute must, especially as these leatherbacks are a critically endangered species.