When I booked my winter escape to the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, I knew one thing for sure – the Soufriere Experience had to be on my itinerary. It was the longest tour I had lined up for the four-day trip, and included the following: a scenic drive along twisting roads to see the two Pitons, a 45-minute hike, a ‘drive-by volcano’ tour, a mud bath and then a dip in a waterfall.
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A Wobbly Start
The day began with a hiccup. My driver arrived as expected but our expectations didn’t quite match. I had browsed the company’s website and was told by them over email that I could customize the tour – skip a few stops, linger longer at others. But when the driver showed me his list, it was noticeably shorter. A quick call to the company revealed that an email had been sent outlining the fixed route. One I’d, apparently, missed.
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I wasn’t thrilled. But hey, when you’re in paradise, you learn to let things go. We hit the road.
The Road Less Smooth
Driving in St. Lucia is challenging, especially along the coastal belt where I spent most of my time. The terrain is hilly, making for roads that continuously wind uphill and downhill. Adding to the challenge, these roads are often narrow with sharp curves.
But there was something to enjoy, at least for me sitting next to the driver – banana plantations, colorful hillside homes, and makeshift stores – all zipped by our window like a slideshow of local life. Now and then, the sea appeared, a sudden sweep of blue against the horizon, urging us to pause, breathe, and admire.
And then I saw them.
The Pitons. Towering, majestic, impossible to ignore. Gros Piton stood tall at 793 meters, its sibling Petit Piton slightly shorter but no less grand. Shrouded in green, these volcanic peaks are UNESCO stars and national icons.
Into Soufriere – And the Pitons
We rolled into the historic town of Soufriere—once the island’s capital but now the second most important city after the capital Castries. The green spire reaching out from the church and the stores lining up the narrow streets gave it the charm of some European and eastern Canadian towns I have been to.
Then we moved to the vantage point for some obligatory photos with the Pitons in the background.
The Pitons were formed hundreds of thousands of years ago due to volcanic activity and stand grand with lush vegetation in the background of Soufriere. They are UNESCO Heritage sites and the taller of them, the Gros Piton, is 793 meters tall while the smaller one, the Petit Piton, is 643 meters tall.
There are hiking possibilities – hiking on the taller one less challenging than hiking on the shorter one.
But considering that even a hike on the Gros Piton is challenging, we had decided to skip that part.
Hiking the Tet Paul Nature Trail
Instead of scaling Piton heights, I opted for the Tet Paul Nature Trail – a 45-minute hike billed as “medium challenge.”
We paid the entrance fee and a guide joined us for the hike.
The trail weaved through steps roughly carved into clay with the edges firmed up by bamboo. Some paths were slippery with rain and mud, and some were steep and there were ropes or bamboo railings to hold on to.
But the stops made up for the stumbles. At rest spots, the world opened up: the Pitons in the distance, Sugar Beach gleaming below, and sailboats gliding across the sea like white butterflies.
Around us, nature thrived—pineapple plants, papayas, cashews, bamboo groves, and plantain trees.
All in all, at times it was more “sweat and hold-the-rope” hike than a medium challenge walk but it was enjoyable.
A Drive Into the Volcano
Next up: Sulphur Springs, claimed to be the world’s only “drive-in” volcano. The name isn’t a gimmick – you really do drive into the caldera of this still-active but dormant volcano. As we approached, I saw to my right spots of white steam coming out of vents and as I got out of the car, the faint whiff of sulphur hung around like a mischievous perfume.
We paid the fee, and a guide led us along the rocky paths. There was a downstream and I touched the water – it was hot. “In some spots, the temperature hits 170°C,” the guide said casually, as if we weren’t walking beside a boiling earth pot.
At the viewpoint, I watched vents bubble from vents. In some spots, there was black liquid bubbling.
A reminder that while this volcano last erupted in 1766, it’s not asleep—just simmering.
The Mud Bath – St. Lucia Style
A short drive later, I arrived at what for most visitors is one of the most important items in their bucket list – getting muddy in the mud bath.
The mud at Sulphur Springs comes in shades of grey and white and comes from the mineral-rich deposits formed by geothermal activity in the area. It is kept in big buckets outside the pools and is rich with minerals like magnesium and iron. I slathered it on, and let it dry before slipping into one of the hot pools.
There are four pools which are filled with hot water fed by the underground water heated by the volcano. The closer the pool is to the source the hotter.
After I found that the first one was way too hot for me, I moved to the last which was perfectly fine for me.
Of course, with all the people dipping in with the mud, the ponds are also muddy.
This wasn’t my first mud rodeo.
Years ago, I braved the El Totumo Mud Volcano in Colombia. There, I climbed into a mound filled with thick, gloppy mud, and floated in its buoyant soup. Later, I walked down the wooden steps to the nearby lake where fierce local women scrubbed me down.
Last Stop: A Waterfall Dip
Lunch was a hearty local buffet and then we were off to the Toraille Waterfall, a 50-foot cascade near Soufriere.
I changed into my swim gear, tiptoed over pebbly steps, and slipped into the cool pool. The waterfall hit like a strong massage, my hands shielding my head from the force. I stood there, letting the water pound the stress away.
It was a fitting finale to a day of extremes.
Final Thoughts
I could’ve stopped at the Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens, but I was content. We cruised back through Soufriere, catching glimpses of its church, its shops, and its easy rhythm of life.
Despite the initial confusion, the Soufriere Experience turned out to be a bit more than I’d bargained for.