A spate of resort developments on St Lucia has made this high green island one of the Caribbean's trendy package-tour destinations, but it's still a long way from being sanitized and overdeveloped. Much of it is markedly rural in nature: a mix of small fishing villages, secluded coves, sprawling banana plantations and mountainous jungle. The most dramatic scenery is in the south, where the twin volcanic peaks of the Pitons rise sharply from the shoreline to form distinctive landmarks. If you're worried about visiting a potential second Montserrat, relax - there hasn't been a volcanic eruption since 1766.

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• Bare foot holidays

Summary|Culture|History
Castries|Pigeon Island National Park|Rodney Bay