Wondering whether to travel to St Lucia or Anguilla for vacation? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
St Lucia is known for its impressive mountains, lush rainforests, volcanoes, and diverse landscape for exploring. Anguilla is known for its luxurious resorts, serene beaches, exceptional seafood, and beautiful off-island cays.
Both islands have beautiful Caribbean beaches and scenery, but there are key differences that set them apart. I have put together this guide to help you find out which island suits you best.
This article will cover how the island’s compare in terms of tourist activities, beaches, nightlife, cost, and much more.
So, keep on reading to find out the key differences between St Lucia and Anguilla!
St Lucia vs Anguilla
St Lucia At A Glance
St Lucia is a small island in the Caribbean that’s a popular destination for travelers and adventure seekers. St Lucia’s diverse landscape consists of towering mountains, volcanoes, lush rainforests, and tropical beaches.
Whether you’re looking to explore a volcano or tour a cacao plantation in the rainforest, St Lucia has something for you.
(Photo by: Corinne Kutz)
St Lucia is home to the Piton Mountains, which are the world’s largest volcanic plugs. These impressive mountains were formed as the result of magma cooling within 200 to 300,000 year old volcanoes, and they’re considered a natural wonder.
As soon as you arrive in St Lucia, you’ll get spectacular views of the mountains. You can hike one of the mountains (Gros Piton or Petit Piton), or get scenic views from a boat tour in Piton Bay.
(Photo by: Corinne Kutz)
St Lucia is also home to Sulphur Springs, the world’s only drive-in volcano. This drive-in volcano has hot springs, waterfalls, and mud baths. You can explore the volcano, take a dip in mineral-rich mud baths, and wash off under a picturesque waterfall.
Other popular tourist activities in St Lucia are touring cocoa plantations, snorkeling at Anse Chastanet Beach, hiking, or taking a tram ride through the rainforest.
St Lucia has many beautiful beaches perfect for snorkeling and swimming. The south side of St Lucia in Soufriere’s beaches give breathtaking views of the Piton Mountains.
Similar to Anguilla, St Lucia has plenty of beach bars and clubs to enjoy a fun night out. Every Friday night, the Gros Islet Street Party is held starting at sunset that features live music, fresh seafood, and local arts and crafts.
Things To Do In St Lucia
Due to its diverse landscape, St Lucia offers endless opportunities for fun. If you seek an adventure, head to the Sulphur Springs national park. Sulphur Springs national park is home to the Soufriere volcano, which is the world’s only drive-in volcano.
(Photo by: Aleksei Anatskii)
It also has mineral-rich mud baths, hot springs, and the picturesque, Toraille waterfall. Entrance to the park is $11 USD for adults, $5 USD for kids, and admission to the mud baths is $10 USD. You can also take a guided volcano and mud bath tour for $30 USD.
If you’re a hiking enthusiast, head to the Piton Mountains to hike Gros Piton.
The Gros Piton hike is a 3.2 mile hike that gives unbeatable views of St Lucia. The hike is quite vigorous, and requires a guide so it costs $50 USD.
(Photo by: Scott Taylor)
You can also get spectacular views of the Piton Mountains from Sugar Beach or from a boat tour in Piton Bay.
Another excellent place to hike in St Lucia is the Tet Paul Nature Trail, or the “Stairway to Heaven”. It’s a fairly easy hike run by locals with incredible views of the Piton Mountains, Soufriere Volcano, and the Maria Islands Natural Preserve.
The hike Is around 45 minutes and it costs $10 USD for a guided tour.
(Photo by: Germine Sealy)
If you’re a chocolate lover, head to hotel Chocolat for a guided tour of a cacao plantation in the rainforest. This is a must-visit attraction for anyone visiting St Lucia.
You’ll get to tour cacao groves, learn how cacao is cultivated, and most importantly, taste freshly made chocolate!
For a bird’s eye view of St Lucia, hop aboard the Rainforest Aerial Tram. This is a popular tram ride in an open-air gondola with unbeatable views of St Lucia’s rainforest.
Or, take a helicopter tour over the island for views of the Piton Mountains, Soufriere Volcano, and Pigeon Island.
(Photo by: Eagle Clarke)
If you’re looking to snorkel, Anse Chastanet beach is the best snorkeling beach in St Lucia. It’s surrounded by the majority of St Lucia’s marine reefs, and has parrot fish, sea turtles, and more impressive marine life.
If you prefer relaxing on the beach, head to Sugar beach or Reduit beach. You can go swimming, snorkeling, or rent out lounge chairs to relax on these beaches.
Sugar Beach is right near Sulphur Springs, and Reduit Beach is right by Rodney Bay Village. Sugar beach has upscale restaurants primarily whereas Reduit beach has bars and budget-friendly eats.
Spend the day at Pigeon Island National Park to explore 18th century forts and hike to Signal Hill for scenic views of Rodney Bay. The hike is fairly easy, and the entrance fee to the park is $10 USD for adults.
(Photo by: Omar Eagle)
Here are some of the top tourist activities in St Lucia
- The Piton Mountains
- Marigot Bay
- Sulphur Springs
- Hotel Chocolat
- Tet Paul Nature Trail
- Anse Chastanet Beach
- Pigeon Island National Park
- Helicopter Tours
St Lucia vs Anguilla
Anguilla At A Glance
Anguilla is a small Caribbean island that’s north of St Martin, and east of Puerto Rico. Unlike St Lucia, Anguilla has a flat landscape and a relatively dry climate.
It’s a popular destination for travelers because of its pristine beaches, exceptional snorkeling opportunities, and delicious restaurants.
If you’re looking to lounge, snorkel, and swim on vacation, Anguilla’s the place for you.
(Photo by: Cory Bjork)
Shoal Bay is one of Anguilla’s most popular beaches to stay at – that has resorts, restaurants, bars, and water sport rentals.
Compared to St Lucia, Anguilla has more beaches suitable for swimming, lounging, and snorkeling. The beaches have soft powdery sand, bright turquoise waters, and tons of amenities.
Other beaches you won’t want to miss visiting are Little Bay, Rendezvous Bay, and Cocus Bay.
Similar to St Lucia, Anguilla’s landscape is perfect for exploring. Although Anguilla has a flat landscape, you’ll still get exceptional views of the beach hiking the Windward Point Trail.
In addition, the beaches are perfect for long walks since Anguilla has a serene, laid-back atmosphere.
Beyond the beaches, Anguilla has a heritage museum, art galleries, yoga studios, spas, and more. Anguilla is more upscale than St Lucia, so it has several luxurious resorts on the beaches.
(Photo by: Cory Bjork)
If you’re a foodie, Anguilla has a wide array of excellent restaurants. From beach bars to 5-star fine-dining restaurant, there’s no shortage of great food to try in Anguilla.
Anguilla’s cuisine consists of fresh seafood and traditional Caribbean foods. Popular dishes include lobster, barbecue, and pigeon peas and rice.
The nightlife in Anguilla is lively, with plenty of bars and lounges. You can enjoy live music at a beach bar, or go on a sunset cruise to enjoy a night out.
(Photo by: Ramon Kagie)
Things To Do In Anguilla
The most popular activities to do in Anguilla are swimming, snorkeling, and lounging. If you want to spend time on the beach, head to Shoal Bay.
Shoal Bay is a stunning white sand beach with turquoise blue waters. Shoal Bay has lounge chair rentals, and rental snorkeling, parasailing, and scuba diving equipment.
You’ll find some of the best beach bars and seafood restaurants in Shoal Bay Village.
(Photo by Robert L from Pixabay)
Anguilla has several picturesque beaches that have watersports, beach bars with live music, and boat charters. Whether you’re looking to go windsurfing or enjoy cocktail hour on a sunset cruise, Anguilla has something for you.
Anguilla has a few off-island cays that are worth a visit, including Prickly Pear Cays, Sandy Island, and Scilly Cays.
Prickly Pear is the best spot for snorkeling and is located just 6 miles off mainland Anguilla. Sandy Island is a tiny serene island that’s perfect for lounging that’s located just 2 miles off shore.
Head to Scilly Cays to try grilled lobster and rum punches from one of the best seafood restaurants.
If you’re looking to avoid crowds, head to Little Bay Beach – one of Anguilla’s hidden gems.
Little Bay is a picturesque cove that’s only accessible by boat. It’s an excellent spot for snorkeling, swimming, or simply relaxing in a serene environment.
If you seek an adventure, hike the Windward Point Trail near Island Harbor for spectacular views of St Martin and St Barth.
Anguilla has spa resorts, golf courses, and plenty of 5-star restaurants to try out. If you’re looking to stay at a luxurious resort and enjoy upscale restaurants, head to Mead’s Bay or Rendezvous Bay.
(Photo by: Steve Adams)
Mead’s Bay and Rendezvous Bay have local BBQs on the weekends where you can pick up barbecue ribs and chicken. Rendezvous Bay is also home to Bankie Banx’s Dune Preserve – Anguilla’s most popular live music bar.
And if you’re wanting to shop, Anguilla has small boutiques, art galleries, and gift shops throughout the island.
Here are some of the top tourist activities in Anguilla.
- Shoal Bay
- Scilly Cay
- Prickly Pear Cays
- Sandy Island
- Bankie Banx’s Dune Preserve
- Aurora Anguilla Golf Course
- Crocus Bay
St Lucia vs Anguilla
Which island is better for vacation?
St Lucia and Anguilla are two exceptional islands to visit if you’re looking for a blend of relaxation and activity.
St Lucia is the ideal destination for you if you’re looking to hike mountains, explore volcanoes, or go on a cacao plantation tour. If you prefer swimming, lounging, and relaxing on the beach, Anguilla’s the place for you.
St Lucia’s diverse landscape is best for adventure seekers because it consists of lush rainforests, mountains, and volcanoes. On the other hand, Anguilla is relatively flat and consists of pristine beaches and off-island cays.
Beaches
There’s no shortage of beautiful Caribbean beaches in St Lucia or Anguilla.
Both islands have exceptional beaches for snorkeling, with Anse Chastanet Beach (St Lucia), and Prickly Pear Cays (Anguilla) being some of the best options.
The beaches in St Lucia are surrounded by rainforests and have stunning views of the Piton mountains. However, Anguilla has more notable beaches with turquoise blue waters that are ideal for swimming and relaxing.
Shoal Bay Beach and Little Bay Beach are some of the most serene, picture-perfect beaches in Anguilla.
Climate
St Lucia and Anguilla both have tropical climates with warm weather year-round. Anguilla’s climate is drier than St Lucia and it doesn’t experience as much rainfall during the wet season.
The average temperature in St Lucia is 73 F to 87 F, whereas the average temperature in Anguilla is 76 F to 87 F.
Currency
The official currency of St. Lucia is the US Dollar, whereas the official currency of Anguilla is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar.
Languages
The official language in St Lucia and Anguilla is English.
Cuisine
St Lucia’s food is flavorful and influenced by African, Creole, American, and Indian cuisine. The national dish of St Lucia, “green figs and saltfish”, is a dish of salted seasoned cod with boiled green bananas.
Other dishes you’ll want to try in St Lucia are callaloo soup, black pudding, and curried lambi. Anguilla’s cuisine is influenced by Caribbean, Spanish, French, African, and Spanish cooking.
Dishes you won’t want to miss in Anguilla are grilled lobster, rice and peas, and BBQ. For drinks, make sure to try out a rum punch at one of St Lucia or Anguilla’s beach bars.
Cost to Travel
Anguilla is generally much more expensive than St Lucia for a vacation. Anguilla has mostly luxurious resorts and upscale restaurants, whereas St Lucia accommodates a wider range of budgets.
Nightlife
There’s no shortage of lively bars and lounges in St Lucia and Anguilla.
St Lucia has the Gros Islet Street Party every Friday night starting at sunset with live music, arts and crafts, and delectable seafood. Additionally, Rodney Bay Village has numerous popular bars and nightclubs.
Anguilla has a laid-back nightlife, with sunset cruises and beach bars with live music. Some of the most popular venues in Anguilla are Bankie Banx’s Dune Preserve, Elvis Beach Bar, and Gwen’s Reggae Bar.
Bankie Banx’s Dune Preserve in Rendezvous Bay has live music every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday starting at 9 PM.
Additionally, Anguilla has local barbecues on Friday and Saturdays where you can enjoy BBQ on the beach as the sun sets.
Safety
St. Lucia and Anguilla are generally very safe to visit, with Anguilla being one of the safest Caribbean islands.
Like any other vacation destination, be aware of your surroundings, avoid walking alone at night, and read about the areas before visiting.
St Lucia vs Anguilla
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit St Lucia is from February through May whereas the best time to visit Anguilla is from December through April.
However, the cheapest time to visit St Lucia is May to September, and the cheapest time to visit Anguilla is April or May.
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FAQ
How far is St Lucia from Anguilla?
St Lucia is 528 km from Anguilla.
How do you get to St Lucia from Anguilla?
The only way to get to St Lucia from Anguilla is to take a connecting flight, which will take around 20 to 25 hours on average with transfers.
