Things to do in St Lucia

Posted at 02:43h in Africa, South Africa, Travel Guides by Claudia Bartsch 0 Comments

St Lucia Beach - St Lucia rainforest

Saint Lucia or St Lucia? Most people might probably think of the Caribbean Island Saint Lucia before thinking about the beautiful town in the Kwa Zulu Natal province of South Africa but there are definitely some parallels to find. The climate is similar to the Caribbean town and both areas are bordered by an ocean with pristine beaches.

However, the hidden gem St Lucia I am talking about is about 250 km north of Durban, the third largest city in South Africa. iSimangaliso Wetlands Park, which surrounds St Lucia has some of the highest concentration of hippos and crocodiles in Southern Africa. It is quite often that in the evening hours you will see a hippo going for a walk in town or sipping water on people’s swimming pools. However, St Lucia has a lot to offer and was part of my 5 day road trip in Kwa Zulu Natal. Here you will find a list of things to do in St Lucia and a suggestion of how to spend one day in this hidden gem:

1. Safari in iSimangaliso Wetland Parks

This park is the 3rd largest National Park in South Africa and was listed as the country’s first World Heritage Site due to natural beauty. With our tourguide we started at 6 a.m. for a safari. During that time we saw numerous birds, khudus, a rhino, hippos, crocodiles, buffalos, red dykers, water- and bushbucks. Unfortunately, you can´t find the BIG 5 here but Hluhluwe Imfolozi National Park is just around the corner from St Lucia and perfect for a day trip. After spotting some animals we went to Cape Vidal, a pristine, stunning beach, to do some snorkelling. For lunch, we stopped at Mission Rocks, which is a popular fishing and picnic spot, for a traditional South African Braai. Braai, you ask? Here you can learn how to speak ‘South African’.

Has South Africa been on your bucket list for long?

Here you can find my recommendations for amazing guided tours:

2. Boat safari

At 3 p.m. we started our sunset boat safari. We already saw a hippos the evening before chilling on the streets of St Lucia but going too close is a bit dangerous. That´s why I love boat safaris. There is no other way where you can see hippos and crocodiles that close. Besides that, we saw spectacular birdlife.

Boat Safari along the St Lucia Rainforests

3. Braai time

You are in a fishing town. This is definitely the right spot to braai a nice fresh fish. We received fresh fish from the fisherman and bought some yummy vegetables at the local market. This is how our day ended.

South Africa - Braai

Other things to do in St Lucia:

Deep sea fishing
Whale watching (June to end of November)
Watch turtle’s lay eggs and breed on the beaches (November to the end of March)
Safari in Hluhluwe Imfolozi National Park
Trailhiking
Horseback riding
Bird watching
Go on a boat safari

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This is a a sunset in St Lucia in South Africa.

Where to stay in St Lucia:

My recommendation: Monzi Safari Tented Lodge and Backpackers

This is Monzi Safari Tented Lodge and Backpackers in St Lucia South Africa.

This tented camp has something for everyone and every budget. It is super clean and tidy, offers a fully equipped kitchen, braai area as well as a pool and many chill areas. Monzi also offers really good safaris to Hluhluwe Imfolozi National Park, iSimangaliso Wetland Parks and many many more. Check it out!

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Have you already been to St Lucia? Whate are things to do in St Lucia, that you recommend? Leave me a comment!

Would you like to read and see more about my Africa trips? Here we go!

[Disclaimer: This blog post contains some affiliate links. Once you purchase something, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This tiny commission will help support my blog hosting and other maintenance costs. All my opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. Thank you!]

It stands June 2018

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Travelling the world like a local