One of the most picturesque islands in the Caribbean, St. Lucia has a long history. Their modern day history begins in either 1492 or 1502 when the Spanish first landed on the island. Life was hard during those times, sugar cane became the main product of St. Lucia and as a result many slaves, both Carib and African slaves as well, died not only from smallpox and measles, but also due to the extreme working conditions required to produce sugar cane.

The French and British as well continued to import slaves until people from Africa outnumbered those from Europe. The island continued to be much sought after by the two European powers until the British secured it in 1814when it became part of the British Windward Islands. Due to the fact it is a volcanic island , St. Lucia is more mountainous than most other Caribbean Islands.

The Pitons, located on the islands western side between Soufriere and Choiseul form the islands most famous landmark , while Mount Gimie is the highest point on the island at 3,120 feet. The island also boasts a drive-in volcano.

With the decline in sugar production , today the islands main source of income is tourism, followed by banana production and light manufacturing. Many internet businesses also have their home base in St. Lucia. As most visitors come to the island by way of cruise ship, must of the tourism is geared towards that end. Be sure to stop by the Bounty Distillery, where some of the Caribbean's best rum is produced. they produce 21 different flavors of rum each better than the previous one.

There are many scenic and informative tours available, both by land and sea, more than enough to make your short stay enjoyable and making you want to return for a longer visit.