Saint Lucia is on the high of everybody’s dream listing of Caribbean island getaways. The island is blessed with stunning seashores, fascinating volcanic geography, and spectacular mountain climbing trails. It’s no marvel you’re debating a visit; Saint Lucia is certainly one of our favourite locations, too.
Nevertheless, these planning levels do beg the query: Is Saint Lucia secure? What must you count on out of your journey by way of crime and pure catastrophe danger? 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 danger, and extra. We may help make Saint Lucia one of many most secure locations you can probably go to.
Is St Lucia Protected?
We all know that not everybody has the posh of limitless time to analysis Saint Lucia. If you need fast solutions, don’t fear; we’ve obtained you.
Listed below are the principle issues it’s best to know in regards to the danger of journey in Saint Lucia:
As a complete, Saint Lucia is among the most secure island nations to go to within the Caribbean. The foremost resort areas and most neighborhoods are extremely secure, with hundreds of thousands of holiday makers touring to Saint Lucia hassle-free annually.
There are some pure risks in Saint Lucia, together with a hurricane danger from June till November. The island additionally has the danger of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The possibility 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 ample insurance coverage, and keep away from high-risk instances, like August till October for hurricane danger.
There are crime incidents in Saint Lucia, particularly at giant occasions just like the Saint Lucia Carnival. Be cautious of petty crimes like bag snatching and pickpocketing in heavy crowds. Nevertheless, additionally remember that there’s a critical crime danger, 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 legislation. The primary factor to notice could 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 be aware that drug offenses carry extreme penalties, generally together with the dying penalty. It’s additionally unlawful for anybody to put on camouflage clothes, a rule not even youngsters are exempt from.
Talking of issues which can be enforceable by legislation, you want a short lived driving license to hire a automotive in Saint Lucia. Some rent corporations can get hold of this move for you, however it’s good to ask upfront; in any other case, you’ll should consider an in-person go to to the official Division of Tourism. Fast facet be aware: by no means cease for pedestrians flagging down your car, and at all times maintain your doorways locked whereas driving.
St Lucia Crime Charges
Sadly, there’s really been a spike in Saint Lucia’s crime charges prior 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 danger, and the protection rating falls by half once you stroll in the course of the day versus strolling at evening. that being stated, we felt extremely secure once we had been visiting the island.
As a normal rule, its remoted areas appeal to 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 (sarcastically named) Serenity Park and Vieux Fort. That is typical amongst huge cities, and we’d advise you to maintain your wits about you. It’s clever to take a look at the precise crime hotspots of specific locations in Saint Lucia that you just’re visiting.
As at all times, take further care or just keep away from touring after darkish. Solo evening walks on seashores and drunken rides in taxis and not using 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 happening.
Preserve jewellery and costly objects at residence or well-concealed when in Saint Lucia. Regardless of precise occasions of focused vacationers being low on this stunning nation, rule when touring wherever is “carry it in case you’re ready to lose it”. Within the case of a mugging, by no means attempt to battle on your belongings.
Police Power Presence
As a complete, the Royal Saint Lucia Police Power 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 pressure receives help from the US in its operations and does job of dealing with justice on the island. You may contact the Royal Saint Lucia Police Power on 911 and know that they’re the most effective level of contact in a harmful scenario.
Nevertheless, we suggest reviewing the foundations and cultural variations in Saint Lucia earlier than touring. These are the next legal guidelines it’s best to know:
You have to carry a short lived Saint Lucia license if renting and driving a automotive on the island.
Medicine, together with marijuana, aren’t authorized in Saint Lucia and carry extreme authorized repercussions, together with the dying penalty.
It’s unlawful for anybody to put on camouflaged garments.
LGBTQ+ exercise is at the moment not authorized, and displaying affection in public is probably harmful.
The police are efficient in Saint Lucia, so don’t get on the mistaken facet of them both! That is significantly true in case you’re driving somewhat than utilizing public transportation.
Pure Disasters in St Lucia
Saint Lucia isn’t resistant to pure disasters, though there’s often minimal disruption or extreme occasions. Typically talking, these are the three major dangers:
Volcanic exercise
Earthquakes
Hurricanes
Volcanic exercise and earthquakes are uncommon and fairly onerous to foretell. Nevertheless, you possibly can 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 danger. In a great world, it’s best to keep away from this era, particularly from August till October, when hurricanes are at a peak.
If that isn’t attainable, although, be sure to take a look at our subsequent part.
Hurricanes in St Lucia
So, if you’re useless set on holidaying in Saint Lucia between June and November, right here’s what it is advisable 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 menace.
Right here’s the rating system you possibly can count on:
Class 1: Winds of 74-95 mph are harmful and may trigger injury, similar to injury to powerlines that would trigger outages.
Class 2: Winds of 96-110 mph which can be 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 affect 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 can be destroyed with collapsed roofs and partitions.
Staying Protected in St Lucia Hurricanes
So, how do you keep secure on this situation? Effectively, you possibly can take some easy steps to maximise your possibilities of security in Saint Lucia’s hurricane season. On this part, we’ll provide the high three.
Almost all hurricanes impacting Saint Lucia are in class 1 or 2, so that you shouldn’t expertise probably the most extreme finish of the size. 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 sudden prices and to be versatile along with your itinerary. Cancellation insurance coverage is at all times a helpful card to have up your sleeve!
Listed below 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 approach to contact the police or an ambulance and navigate to locations like hospitals (it’s best to have already got discovered the place they’re as a precautionary measure). Carrying or preserving 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 resort or lodging have a particular procedures plan? In the event that they don’t let you know once you arrive or once you get your reserving affirmation, then ask. Just remember to understand how individuals 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 may increasingly 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 residence. Having a backup plan, like offline maps or the flexibility to simply textual content your ISP to improve to a roaming bundle, is important. It’s best to by no means assume that you just’ll have WiFi to remain secure.
Staying Protected on St Lucia Seashores
You may by no means be too cautious in the case of the ocean. There’s at all times a slight danger, and the ocean could 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 japanese 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 frequent sense when deciding the place to swim. And in case you’re uncertain, ask your resort for recommendation or go to a extra protected seashore, like one of many personal resort seashores with a 24/7 lifeguard.
Want some inspiration? Try the most effective seashores right here.
Climate in St Lucia
Figuring out the climate of your vacation spot earlier than departure can actually be a lifesaver. In case you go to St Lucia in July, you’ll know that it’s hurricane season with a excessive storm danger. Climate issues, as it might probably massively affect your journey. Figuring out your vacation spot inside out is the actual manner ahead.
St Lucia has two major 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 better 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. It’s best to go to throughout this time in order for you clear skies for sightseeing and loads of hikes and seashore days.
Summer time
St Lucia shouldn’t be all people’s cup of tea in summer time, and it’s proper in the course of the June to November hurricane season. July and August have the best ranges of humidity, with common onerous spells of downpours. That stated, costs are decrease, and sights are quieter.
In case you really feel like an low season vacation, it’s nonetheless worthwhile. You may restrict the danger of being impacted by a hurricane with ample 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 gradual halt round November, which implies fall fully falls into the class of “hurricane danger”. We wouldn’t actually suggest 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 a lot of wet days.
Winter
December to February is when issues begin to change in St Lucia. You may wave goodbye to the hurricane danger and good day to the transition from moist to dry season. December is more likely to nonetheless expertise loads of moist days (a mean of 16), however January drops (a mean of 14 moist days), and February drops even additional (simply 9). You might positively have enjoyable reserving to go to St Lucia in winter; simply purpose for that later window.
5 Ideas To Keep Protected 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 price noting that credit score and debit playing cards are solely accepted at some retailers, in native taxis, and in some accommodations. To keep away from this, we’d recommend at all times carrying {dollars} as free money. This fashion, you don’t have to attract out cash wherever harmful or get into altercations by accident.
Carrying a pockets of money can also be helpful when managing the danger of a harmful mugging assault. So many individuals hail using a dummy pockets trick, which simply includes carrying a pretend pockets with fewer {dollars} or non-valuable playing cards in it. Within the occasion of a mugging, you possibly can hand over that pockets as a substitute of your actual one – sensible, proper? You would possibly as properly use this money to double up as a dummy pockets when touring to St Lucia.
2. Sensible Lodging
It’s price reiterating that the place you might be 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 recreation changer concerning security. You’ll thank your self later when you possibly can stroll hassle-free to the principle sights and facilities.
3. Registered Taxis
We shouldn’t have to emphasise this, however it’s so necessary that we add it to this listing anyway. Solely ever use registered taxis, that are marked by a lightweight blue quantity plate. Frankly talking, in case you 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 danger.
4. Know Your Climate
The numerous danger of this stunning island is the climate. So do your analysis and know the climate danger of the month you’re visiting. This little bit of preparation could make all of the distinction. In case you sense there’s “one thing within the air,” you’ll be taking the lead in preserving your self secure.
5. Know the Native Legal guidelines
A lot of staying secure is simply being road savvy. However in case you resolve to go to St Lucia, you also needs to know the native legal guidelines, which require some analysis. Try to be aware of the restrictions round drug use, the foundations for renting vehicles, and the conservative attitudes in the direction of LGBTQ+ relationships. This fashion, you possibly can maintain the police in your facet.
Recommendations on St Lucia For Solo Vacationers
Saint Lucia is such an enchanting vacation spot. And in case you don’t imagine 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’re extra interesting to criminals finishing up muggings, particularly in case you’re utilizing your telephone for instructions with no “second pair of eyes”.
There’s no person to fall again on in case you get spiked or drink an excessive amount of.
There’s no person to look at your issues on the seashore or once you use bogs.
Mainly, try to be conscious that 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 obligatory. Try 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 at all times keep away from strolling alone at evening.
When touring to Saint Lucia, reserving group excursions and day journeys is likely to be worthwhile, particularly in case you don’t really feel assured managing public transportation solo. Strolling isn’t probably the most environment friendly manner of getting round, leaving you weak to isolation. The info on sexual assault stats are somewhat regarding, so it pays to be somewhat cautious.
In case 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 might need a barely spiked crime fee, 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 youngsters isn’t going to be out and about at evening anyway. Therefore, you might be 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 seashore (shallow water can nonetheless be deceptively robust), select the place your resort is situated fastidiously, and keep away from remoted areas or famend city districts at evening.
It is likely to be price 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 necessary to consider when you’re going, who you’re going with, and what you’re going to do there. All of those components play an enormous half in how secure your time in Saint Lucia can be.
In case you’re an skilled traveler, you received’t have any points navigating Saint Lucia. Listed below are some fast FAQs to solidify the entire security ideas we’ve run over.
General, 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 danger of assault and theft.
St Lucia is barely extra harmful than Jamaica, with a spiked murder fee 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 once you get probably the most rain, and it’s the height of hurricane season, that means there’s a danger of disruption and a critical danger of flash floods.
Completely. Saint Lucia is an excellent place to go to. Its fascinating geographical format provides a lot of actions, like mountain climbing and driving into the world’s solely drive-in volcano.
Is St Lucia Protected? Remaining Ideas
As you possibly can see, Saint Lucia is a rustic with some crime dangers and risks. Whereas there’s a danger of hurricanes and volcanoes, extra extreme occasions are uncommon. At all times decide respected lodging, analysis hurricane season, and take customary journey precautions, and also you’ll have a incredible time. Saint Lucia actually is a gorgeous nation once you go to along with your head firmly screwed on.
That’s all from us; Saint Lucia is certainly one of our high 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 case you’d like additional inspiration on touring to Saint Lucia, take a look at our complete information to the greatest issues to do in Saint Lucia – together with the one drive-in volcano on the planet.