St Lucia seems to have waterfalls everywhere
you go. On any drive through the St Lucian countryside you will see water tumbling from
the hills, sometimes in little hidden glens where you least expect it. Not only does St
Lucia have waterfalls but it has variety in its waterfalls from cold water to warm water
to even hot water waterfalls.
The most visited waterfall in St Lucia is Diamond Waterfall in the town of
Soufriere. Here in the midst of a lush well maintained tropical garden bursting with
brilliant flowers, the water falls from a height of 45 feet laden with minerals from
underground sulphur springs. While bathing under the falls is not allowed, adjacent to the
falls are mineral baths where it is said that bathing removes the aches and pains of age
and makes you young again. These baths were originally constructed in 1784 by King Louis
XVI of France and young Josephine Bonaparte is said to have bathed there. To find Diamond
Waterfall one simply goes through the town of Soufriere to Sir Arthur Lewis Street and
then turn on the right just before the bridge over the Soufriere River.
While you cannot bathe directly under the falls at Diamond Waterfall, at Piton
Waterfalls (also called Warm Mineral Falls) you can stand beneath the falls and have
the warm mineral water completely wash over you. These falls are near the town of
Soufriere on the way to the Jalousie Hilton and easily reached after a 15 minute walk
along a trail.
Yet another waterfall near the town of Soufriere is Toraille Falls. Accessing
this waterfall also requires you to go through the town of Soufriere to Sir Arthur Lewis
Street and near the bridge over the Soufriere River there is a sign pointing the way to
the falls and car park. Here after walking along a trail through a small tropical garden
you come upon the water falling 50 feet from a cliff. You can join the locals and bathe in
the pool below the waterfall or have a picnic in the seating area.
For those who want to combine their waterfall viewing with more rugged hiking then EnBas
Saut Waterfall will fill your passion. Getting to these waterfalls requires a two hour
hike along a 4 kilometer trail through Rainforest and Cloud Forest to reach the waterfall
which lies at the foot of Mount Gimie in the Edmund Forest Reserve. However once you
arrive there you are greeted by the sight of two cascading falls and pools. The name of
this Caribbean waterfall in english means "Below the Falls" and when you get
there you will definitely want to go below the falls and bathe in the cool river water.
Enbas Saut Waterfall is approximately 6 kilometers after the town of Fond St Jacques and
unlike many of the other waterfalls in St Lucia, it is advisable to have a tour guide for
visiting these falls.
On the west coast of St Lucia on the outskirts of the village of Choiseul is a scenic 1
½ hour rainforest trail that leads to several cascading waterfalls along the River Doree,
that are known as Saltibus Falls. Here you can enjoy a refreshing bath in one of
the natural pools. After your swim you can hike along the Mount Grand Magasin Historic and
Nature Trail that continues on deeper into the rainforest and up to the summit of Grand
Magasin.
Anse La Raye is a small fishing town on the west coast of St Lucia that is becoming
known for its Friday night street party and fish fry. The Anse La Raye Falls are
inland from the town and is actually a cascade with four drops ending in a small pool.
Travelling across to the center of the island from Anse La Raye, one comes to the small
village of Millet. Here after a short walk among local flora you can relax and bathe at
the Millet Waterfall.
Across on the east coast at the town of Dennery is Sault Falls (also called
Errard Falls or Dennery Falls). This 50 foot waterfall is in the midst of a serene forest
setting and requires a few minutes of downhill hiking and river crossing to get to the
actual waterfall. Further along the east coast near the village of Micoud lies the Latille
Waterfall. This 20ft waterfall cascades into a deep "swimming pool."
Visitors can also explore the scenic watercourse and additional pools downstream.The falls
are accessed through a tranquil organically grown fruit, herbal and flower garden.
