Soufriere

Soufriere

Soufriere, St. Lucia
Soufriere is a picturesque town, located on the southwest coast of the Caribbean island of St. Lucia.The oldest settlement on St. Lucia, it was an important trading center under the French. At its prime in the late 18th century, as many as 100 sugar and coffee plantations flourished in the vicinity. Even after almost two centuries of British rule, the French legacy here is still apparent in the names of people and places, their speech and some of the old town's architecture -- enough to give the town character. Many natural attractions, like the sulphur springs, rainforest, waterfalls, botanical gardens, pristine coral reefs and the world famous Piton mountains are found in the area.

Rain Forest
St.Lucia's interior has a huge natural rain forest. Of particular appeal to bird watchers, hikers and nature lovers, it covers 19,000 acres of lush mountains and valleys. It is home to giant ferns, birds of paradise and many other indigenous tree species, exotic flowers and�fruits, and its paths are strewn with tiny bromeliads, wild orchids and mushrooms.
Among the rare and beautiful birds adding color to the scene are the brightly-hued St. Lucia Parrot, known locally as the "Jacquot," the White Breasted Thrasher, the St. Lucia Peewee, and the St. Lucia Oriole..
�Because we value our natural resources, the St.Lucia Government controls the number of visitors to the Reserve and prior arrangements are needed before entering the area. Travel in an open Land Rover.
Experience the thrill of open air driving on country roads through scenic countryside and villages into the heartland of St.Lucia's rainforest.

There a trained guide will escort you at a leisurely pace downhill through plantation forest and into prime virgin forest.� You will be given a wealth of information as to plants and the most important features of the forest including fauna, floral and exotic birds. In particular the national flagship of the St.Lucia (Amazona Versicolor) the endemic St.Lucian parrot.

A natural cascade waterfall, awaits you for your indulgence and enjoyment.� Experience a natural Hydro massage in a cool mountain spring in this most awe inspring natural location.

Return journey is uphill.� For those requiring an energetic pace, a good cardio vascular workout, the path is clearly defined.� Follow instructions and await the casual ones at the roadside/land rover.

Diamond Falls
In addition to its fabulous setting, Soufriere is the gateway to some of St. Lucia's most interesting natural attractions -- the world's only drive-in volcano; pretty Diamond Falls, the lowest of the six waterfalls that tumble down the mountain from the volcano.Nearby, too, are some historic plantations - Soufriere Estate and Morne Coubaril Estate and Fond Doux Estate which can be visited.
The privately-owned Diamond Falls and Mineral Baths, less than a mile east of Soufriere, are part of the Soufriere Estate dating from 1713. The Baths, originally built in 1784, were restored by Mrs. Joan Devaux in the 1980s, with some of the original 18th century baths still in use. At the entrance, a narrow path edged with tropical flowers and shaded by stately palms leads to the bathhouse and a series of pools, each a different temperature. Beyond are the falls roaring out of a mineral-streaked gorge and spilling through the gardens into the pools.
Sulphur Springs
Two miles south of Soufriere, you explore the "drive-in" volcano. Also known as the Sulphur Springs, the area is the remnant of a volcanic crater, now protected by the St. Lucia National Trust. The road goes to the edge of the volcanic activity from where you can walk with a park guide to see pools of boiling mud and clouds of steam that shoot 50 feet in the air. Small streams of water flow over the rocks streaking them with colors that indicate the presence of sulphur, iron, copper, magnesium, and zinc. Fresh rain water collects in the boiling crater where it is heated, saturated with minerals, and runs down the mountainside in six waterfalls - the lowest being Diamond Falls, east of Soufriere.

Joan Alexander
Hummingbird Beach Resort
Anse Chastanet Rd
Box 280
Soufriere, St. Lucia West Indies

hbr@candw.lc