St Lucia Camping

A guide to st lucia camping and st lucia backpacking for those who want to explore the stunning natural environment of the island, get to know it’s people and culture, and avoid the resorts and tourist centers.

First, you will need to pick the best part of the island for st lucia camping. The Castries / Rodney Bay/ Gros Islet area is the most heavily populated and touristy. Although it’s worth a day trip, if you’re into camping and the outdoors, you will want to stay elsewhere.

However, St Lucia camping is not officially encouraged and there are no camp grounds. In fact, customs will want to know which hotel you’re staying at, so plan to book a room for the first night or two. One reason for this, quite plainly, is that it is not safe to just pitch a tent or hike on your own in St. Lucia. Theft is a very common problem, and violent crimes are on the rise. Therefore, the only way we recommend camping is to do so within the grounds of a private property or residence such as Balenbouche Estate. There, you can lock up your valuables and someone will look out for you and your belongings. 

Another reason st lucia camping and st lucia backpacking is not encouraged is because the island’s economy depends almost exclusively on tourism. St. Lucia wants visitors to spend as much locally as possible. Arguably, backpackers may spend more in the local economy than those staying at some of the all-inclusive, foreign owned resorts!

Camping at Balenbouche

We often allow visitors to camp on our extensive grounds for a few days. We can also offer you a greatly discounted rate ($40 – $60/night) on one of our eco friendly cottages, especially in the off-season!

An affordable and safe alternative to camping is to find a cheap place to stay in a natural setting. There are quite a few beautiful spots to choose from – Balenbouche Estate being one of the best of course. 🙂 From here, you can take the local bus and we can tell you which areas are safe to go on your own or arrange a local guide to take you on walking tours. You can also rent a car and visit the many off-the beaten track nature heritage sites and hiking trails on the island. To enter the protected forest reserve, you must be accompanied by a local guide. Please contact the St Lucia Forestry Department for more information.