Saint Lucia is on the prime of everybody’s dream checklist of Caribbean island getaways. The island is blessed with stunning seashores, fascinating volcanic geography, and spectacular mountaineering trails. It’s no surprise you’re debating a visit; Saint Lucia is considered one of our favourite locations, too.
Nevertheless, these planning levels do beg the query: Is Saint Lucia secure? What must you anticipate out of your journey when it comes to crime and pure catastrophe threat? As a complete, we’d let you know to train regular precautions, however that’s simple sufficient to say. What precisely are “regular” precautions anyway?
On this information, we’ll study security in Saint Lucia. Get able to dive deeply into particular crime charges, pure catastrophe threat, and extra. We can assist make Saint Lucia one of many most secure locations you might probably go to.
Is St Lucia Secure?
We all know that not everybody has the posh of limitless time to analysis Saint Lucia. If you’d like fast solutions, don’t fear; we’ve acquired you.
Listed here are the principle issues you must know concerning the threat of journey in Saint Lucia:
As a complete, Saint Lucia is without doubt one of the most secure island international locations to go to within the Caribbean. The key resort areas and most neighborhoods are extremely secure, with thousands and thousands of holiday makers touring to Saint Lucia hassle-free every year.
There are some pure risks in Saint Lucia, together with a hurricane threat from June till November. The island additionally has the chance of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The prospect of a extreme catastrophe occurring is low however can’t be dominated out. It’s clever to know the right protocols earlier than touring, have satisfactory insurance coverage, and keep away from high-risk instances, like August till October for hurricane threat.
There are crime incidents in Saint Lucia, particularly at massive occasions just like the Saint Lucia Carnival. Be cautious of petty crimes like bag snatching and pickpocketing in heavy crowds. Nevertheless, additionally bear in mind that there’s a critical crime threat, together with armed theft. These are fortunately rare incidents sometimes occurring in distant areas or after darkish.
There are some strict cultural variations, enforceable by regulation. The primary factor to notice may be very conservative attitudes to LGBTQ+ relations throughout the nation. Whereas members of the LGBTQ+ can nonetheless journey to Saint Lucia, it’s advisable to be aware of issues like public shows of affection. You also needs to observe that drug offenses carry extreme penalties, generally together with the demise penalty. It’s additionally unlawful for anybody to put on camouflage clothes, a rule not even kids are exempt from.
Talking of issues which are enforceable by regulation, you want a brief driving license to lease a automotive in Saint Lucia. Some rent corporations can acquire this cross for you, nevertheless it’s sensible to ask upfront; in any other case, you’ll should consider an in-person go to to the official Division of Tourism. Fast facet observe: by no means cease for pedestrians flagging down your car, and all the time preserve your doorways locked whereas driving.
St Lucia Crime Charges
Sadly, there’s really been a spike in Saint Lucia’s crime charges up to now three years, lately scoring a murder rating of 77.6 p.c in 2022. There’s an general crime rating of 70.24 on Numbeo, which is deemed excessive threat, and the protection rating falls by half if you stroll in the course of the day versus strolling at evening. that being mentioned, we felt extremely secure once we have been visiting the island.
As a normal rule, its remoted areas entice opportunistic assaults and theft. Within the capital of Castries, there’s a extra clockwork sample of normal crime, like medication and armed theft, in locations just like the (paradoxically named) Serenity Park and Vieux Fort. That is typical amongst massive cities, and we’d advise you to maintain your wits about you. It’s clever to take a look at the particular crime hotspots of explicit locations in Saint Lucia that you just’re visiting.
As all the time, take further care or just keep away from touring after darkish. Solo evening walks on seashores and drunken rides in taxis with out a pre-agreed fare are all recipes for catastrophe. Equally, take further care within the daytime when main occasions just like the Saint Lucia Carnival are going down.
Hold jewellery and costly gadgets at dwelling or well-concealed when in Saint Lucia. Regardless of precise occasions of focused vacationers being low on this stunning nation, an excellent rule when touring anyplace is “convey it if you happen to’re ready to lose it”. Within the case of a mugging, by no means attempt to battle in your belongings.
Police Drive Presence
As a complete, the Royal Saint Lucia Police Drive is an efficient system on the island. It’s a little short-staffed and underfunded, with occasional accusations of corruption within the type of bribes. Nevertheless, the police power receives help from the US in its operations and does an excellent job of dealing with justice on the island. You possibly can contact the Royal Saint Lucia Police Drive on 911 and know that they’re the most effective level of contact in a harmful scenario.
Nevertheless, we advocate reviewing the foundations and cultural variations in Saint Lucia earlier than touring. These are the next legal guidelines you must know:
You need to carry a brief Saint Lucia license if renting and driving a automotive on the island.
Medication, together with marijuana, aren’t authorized in Saint Lucia and carry extreme authorized repercussions, together with the demise penalty.
It’s unlawful for anybody to put on camouflaged garments.
LGBTQ+ exercise is presently not authorized, and exhibiting affection in public is probably harmful.
The police are efficient in Saint Lucia, so don’t get on the flawed facet of them both! That is notably true if you happen to’re driving slightly than utilizing public transportation.
Pure Disasters in St Lucia
Saint Lucia isn’t proof against pure disasters, though there’s normally minimal disruption or extreme occasions. Usually talking, these are the three foremost dangers:
Volcanic exercise
Earthquakes
Hurricanes
Volcanic exercise and earthquakes are uncommon and fairly arduous to foretell. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to subscribe to alerts when touring to Saint Lucia, which is able to promptly notify you of updates and emergency programs of motion. It’s one thing to be aware of and subscribe to earlier than flying to the island.
Hurricanes are extra common, and Saint Lucia has a hurricane season between June and November. There are not often really harmful hurricanes in Saint Lucia. Nonetheless, flash flooding, journey disruption, and injury are an actual threat. In a great world, you must keep away from this era, particularly from August till October, when hurricanes are at a peak.
If that isn’t potential, although, be certain to take a look at our subsequent part.
Hurricanes in St Lucia
So, if you’re lifeless set on holidaying in Saint Lucia between June and November, right here’s what it’s good to know. Hurricanes are measured on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. This ranks between 1 and 5 in severity and helps to categorise damages and decide whether or not hurricanes are a critical risk.
Right here’s the rating system you’ll be able to anticipate:
Class 1: Winds of 74-95 mph are harmful and might trigger injury, akin to injury to powerlines that might trigger outages.
Class 2: Winds of 96-110 mph which are very harmful and can trigger injury, like all powerlines destroyed and energy out for weeks.
Class 3: Winds of 112-129 mph that trigger devastating impression with electrical energy and water entry broken for weeks.
Class 4: Winds of 130-156 mph that trigger catastrophic injury and a few areas to be uninhabitable for a lot of months. There could also be injury to some homes.
Class 5: Winds of 157 mph that may trigger catastrophic injury, with most areas uninhabitable for a lot of months. A excessive share of homes might be destroyed with collapsed roofs and partitions.
Staying Secure in St Lucia Hurricanes
So, how do you keep secure on this state of affairs? Nicely, you’ll be able to take some easy steps to maximise your probabilities of security in Saint Lucia’s hurricane season. On this part, we’ll provide the prime three.
Practically all hurricanes impacting Saint Lucia are in class 1 or 2, so that you shouldn’t expertise probably the most extreme finish of the dimensions. However try to be ready for issues like energy outages and impacted flights. It’s a good suggestion to have insurance coverage to cowl you for any surprising prices and to be versatile together with your itinerary. Cancellation insurance coverage is all the time a useful card to have up your sleeve!
Listed here are some further recommendation for you.
1. Carry a Charged Powerbank
A charged energy financial institution is important for energy cuts. Your telephone is your lifeline; it’s a solution to contact the police or an ambulance and navigate to locations like hospitals (you must have already got realized the place they’re as a precautionary measure). Carrying or retaining an influence financial institution charged is an effective way to guard your self in case of an outage.
2. Know Your Resort or Lodging’s Emergency Insurance policies
Does your lodge or lodging have a particular procedures plan? In the event that they don’t let you know if you arrive or if you get your reserving affirmation, then ask. Just remember to know the way folks round you’ll act if there’s a hurricane and if there are any accommodation-specific methods to remain secure.
3. Consider Having No WiFi
This will sound apparent, however there’s no WiFi if there’s no energy. This implies you’ll lose entry to issues like Google Maps, your banking app, and even simply contact with family and friends again dwelling. Having a backup plan, like offline maps or the power to simply textual content your ISP to improve to a roaming bundle, is important. You must by no means assume that you just’ll have WiFi to remain secure.
Staying Secure on St Lucia Seashores
You possibly can by no means be too cautious relating to the ocean. There’s all the time a slight threat, and the ocean might be harmful. When staying secure on St Lucia’s seashores, a very powerful factor to know is that the island doesn’t use warning flags. This implies that you could be not be warned if there are areas unsuitable for swimming or with riptides.
Off the again of this, the island’s jap shoreline additionally opens out onto the Atlantic Ocean. This implies waves can get critically uneven, particularly in hurricane season when winds decide up typically.
Not having restricted areas means you should use your widespread sense when deciding the place to swim. And if you happen to’re uncertain, ask your lodge for recommendation or go to a extra protected seaside, like one of many personal resort seashores with a 24/7 lifeguard.
Want some inspiration? Take a look at the most effective seashores right here.
Climate in St Lucia
Realizing the climate of your vacation spot earlier than departure can actually be a lifesaver. In the event you go to St Lucia in July, you’ll know that it’s hurricane season with a excessive storm threat. Climate issues, as it could massively impression your journey. Realizing your vacation spot inside out is the actual means ahead.
St Lucia has two foremost seasons: the moist season from June till December and the dry season from December till late Could. Temperatures are additionally fixed at 78-83 levels Fahrenheit. However we’ll take a more in-depth take a look at the seasonal variation month by month.
Spring
That is the most well-liked time to go to St Lucia and falls into the Spring Break dates. March is the driest month in St Lucia, with April additionally pretty dry and Could beginning to see just a bit extra rain. You must go to throughout this time in order for you clear skies for sightseeing and loads of hikes and seaside days.
Summer time
St Lucia is just not all people’s cup of tea in summer time, and it’s proper in the midst of the June to November hurricane season. July and August have the best ranges of humidity, with common arduous spells of downpours. That mentioned, costs are decrease, and sights are quieter.
In the event you really feel like an low season vacation, it’s nonetheless worthwhile. You possibly can restrict the chance of being impacted by a hurricane with satisfactory analysis beforehand and cancellation insurance coverage. Simply be ready to take a couple of taxis on moist days.
Fall
The hurricane season grinds to a sluggish halt round November, which suggests fall solely falls into the class of “hurricane threat”. We wouldn’t actually advocate this time of yr. Even when there are not any hurricanes, it falls clearly into the moist season (which runs from June to December), so that you’re plenty of wet days.
Winter
December to February is when issues begin to change in St Lucia. You possibly can wave goodbye to the hurricane threat and hi there to the transition from moist to dry season. December is more likely to nonetheless expertise loads of moist days (a median of 16), however January drops (a median of 14 moist days), and February drops even additional (simply 9). You might undoubtedly have enjoyable reserving to go to St Lucia in winter; simply purpose for that later window.
5 Ideas To Keep Secure in St Lucia
Staying secure in St Lucia is completely manageable. It’s only a case of doing analysis and taking primary precautions. It’s a secure vacation spot; it simply requires a little bit of pre-departure prep and in-country savviness.
Right here’s our recommendation on the highest 5 methods to remain secure when touring to St Lucia.
1. A Word on Money
It’s value noting that credit score and debit playing cards are solely accepted at some outlets, in native taxis, and in some motels. To keep away from this, we’d recommend all the time carrying {dollars} as unfastened money. This fashion, you don’t have to attract out cash anyplace harmful or get into altercations unintentionally.
Carrying a pockets of money can be useful when managing the chance of a harmful mugging assault. So many individuals hail the usage of a dummy pockets trick, which simply entails carrying a faux pockets with fewer {dollars} or non-valuable playing cards in it. Within the occasion of a mugging, you’ll be able to hand over that pockets as an alternative of your actual one – good, proper? You may as effectively use this money to double up as a dummy pockets when touring to St Lucia.
2. Sensible Lodging
It’s value reiterating that the place you’re situated issues. Be sure you’re a secure distance from any tough areas, whether or not you’re in cities or extra rural cities. Doing that analysis earlier than committing to lodging is a sport changer concerning security. You’ll thank your self later when you’ll be able to stroll hassle-free to the principle sights and facilities.
3. Registered Taxis
We shouldn’t have to emphasise this, nevertheless it’s so vital that we add it to this checklist anyway. Solely ever use registered taxis, that are marked by a light-weight blue quantity plate. Frankly talking, if you happen to get into an unregistered taxi, no person is aware of who you’re with or the place you’ll find yourself. It isn’t a secure touring follow, so don’t take the chance.
4. Know Your Climate
The numerous threat of this stunning island is the climate. So do your analysis and know the climate threat of the month you’re visiting. This little bit of preparation could make all of the distinction. In the event you sense there’s “one thing within the air,” you’ll be taking the lead in retaining your self secure.
5. Know the Native Legal guidelines
A lot of staying secure is simply being avenue savvy. However if you happen to determine to go to St Lucia, you also needs to know the native legal guidelines, which require some analysis. You have to be aware of the restrictions round drug use, the foundations for renting automobiles, and the conservative attitudes in direction of LGBTQ+ relationships. This fashion, you’ll be able to preserve the police in your facet.
Recommendations on St Lucia For Solo Vacationers
Saint Lucia is such an enchanting vacation spot. And if you happen to don’t consider that straight off the bat, simply take a look at these enjoyable info. There are some things to notice as a solo traveler, although:
You might be extra interesting to criminals finishing up muggings, particularly if you happen to’re utilizing your telephone for instructions with no “second pair of eyes”.
There’s no person to fall again on if you happen to get spiked or drink an excessive amount of.
There’s no person to look at your issues on the seaside or if you use bogs.
Principally, try to be conscious you could be considered as a little bit of a sitting duck. Don’t grow to be bait; be savvy and conscious of what’s round you.
A Word For Feminine Solo Vacationers
Any skilled solo feminine traveler is aware of how staying secure works. When touring to Saint Lucia, customary precautions are mandatory. You have to be aware of strolling alone in quiet areas or neighborhoods infamous for crime, stay vigilant of your environment always, and restrict your consumption of alcohol. You also needs to all the time keep away from strolling alone at evening.
When touring to Saint Lucia, reserving group excursions and day journeys may be worthwhile, particularly if you happen to don’t really feel assured managing public transportation solo. Strolling isn’t probably the most environment friendly means of getting round, leaving you weak to isolation. The information on sexual assault stats are a bit of regarding, so it pays to be a bit of cautious.
In the event you do your analysis on “unhealthy areas” and stick by the standard solo feminine handbook guidelines, you’ll love this tropical island.
Recommendations on St Lucia For Households
St Lucia may need a barely spiked crime price, however as a complete, it’s nonetheless nice for a household vacation. It is because there’s a strong infrastructure of family-friendly resorts, and even problematic areas are secure within the daytime. A household with younger kids isn’t going to be out and about at evening anyway. Therefore, you’re in a superb place to discover Saint Lucia safely.
You probably have accountable and skilled grownup vacationers, you’ll love visiting Saint Lucia as a household. Simply be cautious of issues like riptides on the seaside (shallow water can nonetheless be deceptively robust), select the place your lodge is situated rigorously, and keep away from remoted areas or famend city districts at evening.
It may be value sticking to the north facet of Saint Lucia, the place loads of family-friendly resorts exist.
Visiting St Lucia: FAQs
When planning a safe journey to St Lucia, it’s vital to consider when you’re going, who you’re going with, and what you’re going to do there. All of those elements play an enormous half in how secure your time in Saint Lucia might be.
In the event you’re an skilled traveler, you gained’t have any points navigating Saint Lucia. Listed here are some fast FAQs to solidify the entire security suggestions we’ve run over.
Total, very secure. Simply be cautious of particular areas like Anse Le Raye (identified for armed robberies) and take care at evening and in distant areas, the place there’s a heightened threat of assault and theft.
St Lucia is barely extra harmful than Jamaica, with a spiked murder price of 77.6 p.c versus Jamaica’s 52.9 p.c in 2022.
The climate in Saint Lucia from August to October is fairly horrific. That is if you get probably the most rain, and it’s the height of hurricane season, which means there’s a threat of disruption and a critical threat of flash floods.
Completely. Saint Lucia is a superb place to go to. Its fascinating geographical structure provides plenty of actions, like mountaineering and driving into the world’s solely drive-in volcano.
Is St Lucia Secure? Remaining Ideas
As you’ll be able to see, Saint Lucia is a rustic with some crime dangers and risks. Whereas there’s a threat of hurricanes and volcanoes, extra extreme occasions are uncommon. All the time decide respected lodging, analysis hurricane season, and take customary journey precautions, and also you’ll have a improbable time. Saint Lucia actually is a gorgeous nation if you go to together with your head firmly screwed on.
That’s all from us; Saint Lucia is considered one of our prime suggestions for island holidays within the Caribbean. The rugged volcanic panorama with jutting peaks behind white sand seashores is iconic. And its luxurious lodging scene is equally spectacular. In the event you’d like additional inspiration on touring to Saint Lucia, take a look at our complete information to the finest issues to do in Saint Lucia – together with the one drive-in volcano on the earth.