In short
The Pitons — Gros Piton and Petit Piton — are two volcanic domes rising seven hundred metres straight out of the water near Soufrière. They are a World Heritage site and are climbed with a guide.
Saint Lucia has the distinction of holding the Caribbean's only drive-in volcano: you reach the fumaroles of the Sulphur Springs by car.
What it really costs
The island is expensive, with a hotel offer geared to the high end and to honeymoons. Independent accommodation exists around Rodney Bay and Soufrière and costs far less.
Castries is the port and administrative capital, not a place to stay. The north — Rodney Bay, Gros Islet — holds the life.
What nobody tells you
Distances look short on the map but the road is winding and slow: an hour and a half from Castries to Soufrière for thirty kilometres.
The Friday night street party at Gros Islet is the local event of the week, busy and cheap, unlike everything else the island offers.
The island is green because it rains: the wet season runs from June to November, and it coincides with hurricane season.