The best time to visit St. Lucia is really any time of the year. No matter what time of year, there is no shortage of fun things to do on the island.
However, if you’re interested in more specific activities, there are different times of the year that would best suit your needs as a holidaymaker.
For the best weather, the best time for deals, the best times to experience local culture and more, this list should be a helpful guide to finalizing your plans for a truly wonderful St. Lucian vacation.
1. The Best Time to Experience Music
The Soleil Summer Festival has become the go-to event for music in St. Lucia. It features a number of music festivities which span a few months.
The Saint Lucia Jazz Festival replaced the popular Jazz and Arts Festival which was slated from May to April. The new festival, which is in its second year is now condensed to a week full of local and international musical acts.
This year’s festival from May 7th to 13th featured Barbara Cadet, Carolyn Malachi, Jazzmeia Horn and Etienne Mbappe among many others. Although you would have missed this year’s amazing lineup, it’s never too early to start planning your vacation around next year’s jazz festival.
Soleil features other musical performances later in the year. This year’s Roots & Soul festival is scheduled for August 31st to September 2nd.
This music festival is dedicated to reggae, hip-hop, Afro-punk and R&B artists. It includes both free and paid for concerts. Tickets are available online for the upcoming Roots & Soul Festival.
You can keep up to date with the Soleil Summer Festival by visiting their official website
2. The Best Time to Experience Culture
Carnival
St. Lucia is known the world round for its vibrant culture. Carnival and Jounen Kweyol are two of our biggest festivals and attract thousands of visitors every year, and are the best times to visit to experience our culture.
Saint Lucia Carnival is one of the best in the region. It’s more than just the two days of local ‘jump up’ through the streets of Castries in July.
There are tons of events that happen before and after Carnival Monday and Tuesday. Many of them take place in the form of fetes/parties, beach parties, boat rides, concerts by local and regional soca artists and some high end ‘VIP’ type events.
Popular events leading up to the two big days include the National Carnival Queen Show, Power and Groovy Soca Monarch, and Panorama.
Carnival Monday and Tuesday are highly anticipated among both locals and visitors. The high energy, colorful and vibrant festivity is the highlight of St. Lucia’s calendar of events.
For the best Carnival experience, joining one of the numerous carnival bands is ideal. Not only will you be clad in a gorgeous costume, but you will receive the full St. Lucian Carnival experience. This year’s two day Carnival experience is scheduled for July 16th and 18th.
Jounen Kweyol
Jounen Kweyol is another local explosion of culture. In St. Lucia, it is celebrated on the last Sunday of October.
This is one of the best times to visit St. Lucia as you get to experience raw and unaltered St. Lucian traditions.
From the traditional foods exquisitely prepared from local produce to craft products, national clothing and the rhythmic beats of local folk bands and ‘solo’ artists (a musical genre of sorts).
The Soleil Summer Festival has adopted Jounen Kweyol, and it is now more than food and music. Month-long activities in October now includes lectures, theatrical performances and art exhibitions.
These are not the only two cultural events in St. Lucia.
3. The Best Time for Deals
Like most popular tourist destinations, St. Lucia has a high and low season. The high season usually includes higher accommodation prices at hotels. It typically runs from December to April.
It is generally the busiest time of year, as many visitors come over to escape the harsh winters in North America and the UK.
For cheaper prices, the best time to visit is during the low season from May to November. It’s also good to note that most of the musical and cultural festivals take place during this low season.
Even with prices generally lower during these months, many hotels offer package deals in an effort to get more visitors to stay over longer.
In the next point, we’ll let you know the benefits of visiting during the high price season, and the downside to the low price season.
4. The Best Time Based on the Weather
It’s always wise to plan your St. Lucian vacation based on the island’s weather patterns. We don’t have four seasons, just two, the: Rainy Season and Dry Season.
The wet, rainy or hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th. Rain showers are more frequent then, and it’s always a good idea to walk with an umbrella.
Although the months of the rainy season fall in the low price season, outdoor activities might be limited if the weather doesn’t prove fair.
The dry season runs from December to May and is the more popular time of year among visitors. With generally fair and sunny weather, outdoor and water activities are extremely popular.
As a result, you would have to pay a higher price for accommodation.
We hope this helps you plan your St. Lucia trip. Let us know in the comments your favorite time to visit St. Lucia!
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