The Pitons and Soufrière in depth: volcano, waterfalls and the climb

About The Pitons and Soufrière in depth: volcano, waterfalls and the climb

By the ULTIMATE St Lucia Editorial Team

The two Pitons are the picture of Saint Lucia, and the town of Soufrière sits at their feet. Here is how to get the most from the island’s most dramatic corner, from the summit of Gros Piton to the mud baths, the waterfalls and the cacao farms.

Why the Pitons matter

Gros Piton and Petit Piton rise side by side from the sea on the south-west coast, 770 m and 743 m high, joined inland by the Piton Mitan ridge. UNESCO listed the area around them as the Pitons Management Area, a World Heritage Site of 2,909 hectares: 1,134 of land and 875 of sea. It protects much more than two mountains. The peaks are the remains of a collapsed volcano, the Soufrière Volcanic Centre, and the site takes in the geothermal field of the Sulphur Springs, the caldera-like Qualibou Depression and a strip of sea about 11 km long, where coral reefs cover more than 60% of the marine area.

Life on the Pitons is surprisingly rich. UNESCO counts at least 148 plant species on Gros Piton and 97 on Petit Piton and the ridge, including eight rare trees, and some 27 bird species on Gros Piton, five of them endemic. Hawksbill turtles are seen inshore, and whale sharks and pilot whales offshore. Petroglyphs and other artefacts show that Amerindian people once lived here.

Two spires of forest-clad rock, rising straight out of the sea.

Soufrière town

Soufrière is the old town on the bay between the peaks and the rainforest, and its waterfront, with fishing boats, water taxis and small beaches, has some of the most famous views on the island, especially at sunset. Come for lunch and a walk along the bay, and use the town as your base for the sights around it. Hewanorra airport is about 45 minutes away by road.

Climbing Gros Piton (and Petit Piton)

Gros Piton is the climb most visitors attempt. The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority describes a 4 km round trip through forest and volcanic rock that usually takes four to six hours, moderate to challenging, with a certified local guide required. Start early, wear boots with good grip, and carry at least two litres of water each, a rain jacket, insect repellent and sunscreen; a walking stick helps on muddy sections. Ladera arranges guided climbs, including one that starts from the sea.

Petit Piton is another matter: a 3.2 km round-trip scramble with fixed ropes on near-vertical rock, rated very challenging and taking three to five hours, with a professional guide mandatory. If you want the view without the climb, walk the Tet Paul Nature Trail, a short trail to a 360-degree viewpoint over both peaks; on clear days its owners say you can see Martinique and St Vincent.

The drive-in volcano

Just outside town, the Sulphur Springs are often called the Caribbean’s only drive-in volcano. A short guided route takes you past steaming fumaroles, bubbling mud and fissures inside the old crater, and then most people try the mud baths: grey volcanic mud on the skin, rinsed off in warm spring water. Go in the morning or late afternoon, when it is cooler and quieter, and bring swimwear and a towel. We describe the experience, not health effects.

Diamond Falls and the waterfalls

The Diamond River runs down from the Sulphur Springs, and its waterfall at the Diamond Botanical Gardens is stained by the minerals it carries. The gardens cover six acres of the Soufrière Estate, part of a land grant made by Louis XIV in 1713. In 1784 the governor, the Baron de Laborie, sent its spring water to Paris for analysis, and Louis XVI paid for a stone bath house with 12 baths; it was destroyed after the French Revolution and later restored, and you can still bathe in the hot-spring public baths or book one of the two original private baths at the gate.

For a swim under a waterfall, Toraille drops 50 feet from a cliff into a cool pool in the forest. Piton Falls, in the valley between the peaks, runs warm mineral water into small pools, and Ladera leads walks to Superman Falls near the Rabot Estate.

Cacao country

Soufrière’s volcanic soil and rain made it the island’s cacao country, and the tourism authority calls the Rabot Estate the oldest working cacao farm on the island. Hotel Chocolat bought it in 2006: take the Tree to Bar tour at Project Chocolat, where you follow the cacao from the pod and make your own bar, then lunch on “cacao cuisine” at the Rabot Restaurant. Fond Doux, a 19th-century working cocoa estate, and Morne Coubaril, a historic plantation with a zipline and the Sapphire Falls hike, show the older plantation side of the story.

Under the water

Below the peaks lie some of the island’s best dives. Anse Chastanet’s reef starts a few steps from the sand; Superman’s Flight, below Petit Piton, is a gentle drift along a sloping wall named after the filming of Superman II on the cliffs above; and the Coral Gardens lie at the foot of Gros Piton. The whole coast here is managed as a marine reserve, so dive and snorkel with licensed operators and follow their briefings.

Where to eat

Dasheene at Ladera has the view everyone comes for, straight between the peaks, and Chef Nigel Mitchell’s tasting menu in its Wine Room is a special-occasion dinner. In town, Orlando’s serves Chef Orlando Satchell’s Caribbean tasting menus from Tuesday to Saturday. The Rabot Restaurant is the place for chocolate in every course, and Sugar Beach’s restaurants put lunch on the sand between the Pitons.

Where to stay

This is the island’s most spectacular place to stay. Jade Mountain’s open-walled sanctuaries, most with their own infinity pool, sit above Anse Chastanet, whose resort fronts two beaches in the marine reserve. Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, fills the valley between the peaks; Ladera’s open-wall suites look straight at them from the ridge; and the Rabot Hotel puts you among the cacao trees. Smaller choices include Stonefield, Fond Doux, Crystals and Caille Blanc.

Practical tips

December to May is the driest, most comfortable time for hiking and sightseeing. Roads to Soufrière are narrow and winding, so allow time, or arrive by water taxi or on a catamaran day from Rodney Bay or Marigot Bay. Many sights charge an entrance fee and some open only in daylight, so plan the volcano and waterfalls for one day and the climb for another.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Pitons and Soufrière in depth: volcano, waterfalls and the climb before you go.