Saint Lucia's first known inhabitants were Arawaks, believed to have come from northern South America around 200-400 CE. Numerous archaeological sites on the island have produced specimens of the Arawaks' ancestors well-developed pottery. These Caribs gradually replaced Arawaks during the period from 800 to 1000 CE.

Europeans first landed on the island in either 1492 or 1502 during Spain's early exploration of the Caribbean. The British failed in their first attempts at colonization in the early 17th century. The island was first settled by the French, who signed a treaty with the local Caribs in 1660. Like the British and Dutch, the French began to develop the island for the cultivation of sugar cane on extensive plantations.

Caribbean conditions were hard, and many slaves died before they lived long enough to have children. The French (and later British) continued to import slaves until the latter nation abolished the trade, and then the legal institution. By that time, people of ethnic African descent greatly outnumbered those of ethnic European background. Following the abolition of slavery, the British brought in many indentured Indian labourers to work on the plantations instead, and a significant minority of Saint Lucians are of at least partial Indian descent.

Thereafter Saint Lucia was much contested by the two European powers until the British secured it in 1814. It was part of the British Windward Islands colony. It joined the West Indies Federation (1958–62) when the colony was dissolved. In 1967, Saint Lucia became one of the six members of the West Indies Associated States, with internal self-government. In 1979 it gained full independence.

Tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January through April, rainy season from May through September; The most recent hurricane tocause damage in St. Lucia was Beryl (end of June, 2024), although this storm was downgraded to a tropical storm, as it reached St Lucia's shores. Prior to this storm, Hurricane Thomas caused considerable damage in 2014.

Volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys. Its natural hazards include volcanic activity and strong rains causing flooding. Its highest point is Mount Gimie at 950 m.

• Saint Lucia Tourism website

Citizens of the following countries do not need visas: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Beglium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark (includes Faroe Islands and Greenland), Dominica, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, and Zambia.

For dependencies:

• The Dutch municipalities of Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and the Dutch constituent countries of Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Marteen
• The French overseas collectivities of French Polynesia and Saint Martin
• The French overseas regions of French Guiana, Guadelope, and Martinique
• The British Overseas Territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Saint Helena, and the Turks and Caicos Islands
• All three British Crown Dependencies
• Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

If your nationality is not mentioned anywhere above, you will need to apply for a visa. As of the moment, citizens of Haiti do need visas but this is temporary.

Most nationalities pay $50 for a single-entry tourist visa. It lasts 6 weeks, and extensions can sometimes be made at Saint Lucia's immigration department.

You must have a completed application form, passport, 1 passport-size photo, funds to cover your stay, the $50 fee, and a travel ticket for leaving Saint Lucia to get the visa.

Everyone will need a passport except citizens of countries in the OECS. For stays of 6 months or less, citizens of Canada or the USA can enter with any type of national ID card and proof of an onward ticket.

St. Lucia has two airports,

• George FL Charles Airport (SLU ^IATA), which is near Castries.
• Hewanorra International (UVF ^IATA), which is near Vieux Fort.

George FL Charles Airport is closer to many of the all-inclusive resorts, has a modest terminal and runway able to easily support inter-island commercial flights. For less-experienced pilots in high-performance aircraft, the over-water approach and hills on both sides of runway can seem a bit harrowing, but prevailing winds are usually favorable. The airport is right next to Vigie beach, so it's possible to top up your sun tan while you wait for your flight. The terminal is about two miles from downtown Castries, so it is walkable if you do not have much luggage.

Hewanorra is the larger of the two airports in St. Lucia. International flights from Europe and continental North America arrive at this airport. Many of the resorts in the north of St. Lucia require a 1 to 1.5 hour journey by car from Hewanorra. However, the journey north is a good way to see the island except if arriving at night. It is recommended to either have a rental car available or to take a taxi as public transportation is inconsistent throughout the island. Expect to pay 80 to 90 USD for a taxi ride to the Rodney Bay resort area in the north of the island.

More information on both airports can be found on the official website for the St.Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority^{[dead link]}

Cruise ships (usually one or two at a time) are frequent visitors to the small, picturesque harbour in Castries. An open air mall abuts the main pier and offers "duty free" shops. See "Buy" below. Visiting St. Lucia via a cruise is a popular option for travelers. During cruise season, many attractions throughout the island may be busy due to the volume of visitors from the ships.

Ferries to and from neighbouring islands are available, if rather expensive.

The most extensive official service is operated by Express des Isles, which runs services to Martinique, Guadeloupe, etc. E.g. one way to Martinique is €69 online + EC$33 harbour tax payable at ferry terminal.

Channel Shuttles Inc. operate a slightly cheaper ferry service (EC$235 including departure tax) to Martinique operating from Castries at 10:00 on Wednesday and 15:00 on Thursdays. They can be contacted on 7139701/4518161 or their office can be found in the ferry terminal just outside of Castries.

Catamaran rides from Soufriere to Rodney Bay are also offered through a local tour company.

The currency of the country is the East Caribbean dollar, denoted by the symbol: "$" or "EC$" (ISO currency code: XCD), which is also used by seven other island nations in the Caribbean. The EC dollar is subdivided into 100 cents. It is pegged to the United States dollar at an exchange rate of US$1 = EC$2.70.

Coins circulate in denominations of 5, 10 and 25 cents and 1 dollar. Banknotes circulate in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 dollars.

Castries market is a good place to buy gifts as is the JQ Shopping Mall in Rodney Bay. There is also La Place Carenage, a duty free and gift and souvenir outlet located in the main harbour of Castries. There you will find fine jewellery arts and crafts, ideal for gifts.

Supermarkets have quite good prices on rums produced or bottled on the island, e.g., Elements 8, Admiral Rodney, and especially Chairman's Reserve.

Visits by cruise ships over the years have generated a duty free mall (at dockside, Point Seraphine, Castries) with jewelry, souvenirs, art, liquor/rums and other offerings typical for cruise shoppers.

You may also find lower, "duty-free" prices available across the island in strip malls and resorts. You may need identification as a visitor to qualify for duty-free treatment.

Saint Lucian food consists mainly of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish and a variety of curry, jerk, rice and stewed dishes. The coal pot is a delicious stew, traditional to native carib cultures and can be found at many local restaurants in Castries, Soufriere and Vieux-Fort. Vegetarian and meat rotis can be found at a number of small local restaurants. Ask any local for the best roti shop and he or she will tell you how to get there. Rotis are usually made fresh in the morning so, if eating a spicy early lunch is of interest, it's highly recommended. Local cuisine is prepared throughout the island so, depending on where you are staying, ask a local if he or she knows someone/somewhere that prepares local food and you will be sure to be welcomed somewhere nearby. Many rum shacks in rural towns also prepare food if given advanced notice. Fish, veggie, chicken and goat meals are very common and usually come with a number of sides including salad, plantain, breadfruit, macaroni, and rice prepared a number of different ways.

For a quick snack, barbeques with chicken and pork can be found in any community on a Friday night. The food is well marinated and spiced. Soak up the sauce with a barbequed or fried bake. Fried chicken and fish can also be found, and are quite delicious.

There are weekly parties and festivals held in various communities throughout the island where you can also sample a range of local foods, including sea food, barbequed meats, salads and drinks. These festivals are filled with dancing, drinks, food and music. Let your hair down, try some cuisine and lime it up. Be sure to ask what is in the pots before you sample the food. For those environmentally conscious, blackfish is porpoise.

• Friday night: Anse La Raye "Seafood Friday"
• Friday night: Rodney Bay Jump-up
• Every Second Saturday: Canaries Creole Pot
• Saturday: Dennery (East coast) Fish Fry

Rodney Bay is full of people from all over the world and the restaurants reflect the diversity. You can find a variety of cuisines, from East Indian to Italian including local dishes of course, in a small area.

• East Winds Inn
• Ladera - 5 Star, amazing views, Eco-tourist
• Sandals - Exclusive, couples only
• Rendezvous, The Couples Resort
• The BodyHoliday LeSPORT Resort
• Stonefield Estate Villa Resort
• Anse Chastenet
• Fond Doux Plantation ^{[dead link]} - 3 Star
• Coconut Bay Resort & Spa (Vieux Fort)
• Calabash Cove Resort - Boutique, Ocean front cottages 5 Star