Soufriere, St. Lucia, is near some of the island's most interesting geologic features, most notably the twin Piton volcanoes.
Located 12 mi/20 km south of Castries, Soufriere (pronounced su-FREE-er) has some French-colonial charm, but a planned architectural restoration should help spruce up its rather dilapidated condition.
The highlights in Soufriere are the marketplace on the waterfront, where cruise passengers arrive, and the small Our Lady of the Assumption Church, with its interior painted in three shades of blue.
Close to the city is La Soufriere, St. Lucia's active volcano. You can enter the crater on foot or by car and watch pools of furiously bubbling mud. There's also a boardwalk that allows you to observe the activity at close range (open daily 9 am-5 pm). Expect hot vapors, gases and a strong sulphur smell (anyone with a sulfite sensitivity should steer clear). Though smoky and smelly, the volcano's activity is controlled and constant, and it's not considered likely to erupt.
If you want to take a therapeutic sulphur mud bath (a sure cure for mosquito bites), venture to the springs located just below the car park. The lower pools are best for bathing in the warm, mineral-rich mud. Head to the top pool and the small cascading waterfall, naturally heated by the volcano, to rinse off. Sulphur can stain, so be sure to wear an old bathing suit, take an expendable towel, and don't wear gold or silver jewelry.
Nearby is Diamond Falls and Botanical Gardens, with its mineral baths that St. Lucians say take off 10 years and 10 lbs/4.5 kg. King Louis XVI of France had such great faith in the healing powers of the baths that he had the beautiful pond and waterfall developed as a spa for his troops. The area used to be relatively hard to find, but signs have made the quest easier. Start at the square in Soufriere and take the road that runs east. It's about a 15-minute walk.
Also worth seeing near town are two old plantations. The Soufriere Estate is an award-winning restoration of a sugar factory. You can take a short tour of its cocoa and copra (dried coconut) harvesting and processing operations, dating from 1713. The plantation ruins, including a working waterwheel, are surrounded by beautifully landscaped tropical vegetation. There's also a small zoo on the grounds. Open daily from 10 am. Phone 459-7565.
Just outside of town, nearer Sulphur Springs Park, is Morne Coubaril, the island's first major estate. Female guides dressed in brightly colored French colonial costumes lead 90-minute tours of the working cocoa plantation and the ruins of an 18th-century sugar mill. A re-created Carib village has eight styles of buildings, and a re-created plantation house and an old-time bus provide peeks into later times. Phone 459-7340.
The roads (there are a few alternate routes) running south of Soufriere toward Vieux Fort are in rough shape—you may feel more comfortable hiring a taxi or joining an organized day trip—but it's worth the trouble: You'll pass through a beautiful, lush rain forest that's especially nice near Fond St. Jacques. Allow yourself the better part of a day to make the drive to Vieux Fort so that you can feel free to stop, take pictures and swim in the sea.
Many of the island's best hiking trails are in the area as well, including the Edmund Forest Reserve Rain Forest Trail. You are required to have a guide if you want to hike this route, and it's recommended that you have a guide for most of the other trails on the island as well. Make advance reservations with the Forestry Department Environmental Education & Ecotourism Unit (phone 468-5645) or the Forestiere Trail Office (phone 451-6168). The department conducts regular field trips to the Edmund Forest Reserve and other destinations.
Among the spectacular sights along the roads are Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the island's two huge conical volcanic peaks, rising about 2,500 ft/760 m from the sea. Gros Piton can be climbed in an afternoon, but only by serious climbers who are accompanied by a guide—this is not for the novice. Petit Piton is more dangerous and climbing it is not recommended, even though some guides will offer to take you. The volcanoes are best seen from the water, however, and most boat trips sail around the Pitons. Divers will find undersea caves and giant sponges in the waters near the Pitons.
When driving back to Castries from Soufriere, stop along the beach at Anse La Raye to see fishermen repairing nets and boat builders at work, and then have lunch at Marigot Bay, one of the most scenic bays on the island. From there, head north to the capital along the beautiful Cul de Sac Valley.
But if you're there on a Friday, consider hanging around for the village's weekly Friday Night Fish Fry. The very popular event draws residents from all over the island. In addition to fried fish (dorado, mackerel, tuna and more), there's lambi (conch), lobster, octopus, and even green fig and saltfish, all prepared seven different ways. Be sure to get there before dusk for the best selection. Local bands often perform, so expect dancing in the streets.
