How To Get To The Pitons From the Cruise Port in 2025
When your cruise ship docks in the beautiful port of Castries, St Lucia, you need to know how to get to the Pitons from the Cruise port. In my twenty-seven years working on Cruise ships as a Port Shopping Guide. When the ship docked in St. Lucia, my desk hours in the morning would be packed. The number one question is: “How to Get to the Pitons from the Cruise Port”.  Here is the answer: You can get to the Pitons by Helicopter, Boat and by Road from the Cruise port of Castries, St. Lucia. Read on for details.
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Taking a Boat down to the Pitons in St. Lucia.
It is a spectacular way to travel to the Pitons. There are several ways to travel by boat; see below for more information. The trip will be 30-40 minutes flat out, or enjoy a slower boat cruise down the west coast by Catamaran.
By road to the Pitons from the ship.
If you take a taxi/shuttle bus and drive straight there without stopping to take in the view. The journey should be 75 to 90 minutes, subject to traffic.
Or what about a HELICOPTER to the Pitons?
A 30-minute flight that will whisk you all around the island, taking in a stunning aerial view of the Pitons. The Soufriere Volcano, fishing villages, and idyllic bays along the coastline.
Download your FREE St. Lucia Map here.
Cruising down to the Pitons by Boat.
BY BOAT – The whole of the West coast is gorgeous, and as the Pitons come into view, it’s like the cherry on top of the cake. If you want to include some beach and snorkeling. This is the perfect way to travel to the Pitons and do it all via the Western Coastline.
Most boat trips are around 5-6 hours and include a few stops. Joe Knows, Herod’s, and Spencer Ambrose are all good. Spencer makes a beach break boat trip, cruising straight down to Jalousie beach between the Pitons. The trip includes lunch, drinks, coolers, and a return boat cruise. This includes a stop for the bat cave through Marigot Bay and the Lady Slipper arch. Years ago, I made the trip by Catamaran, which was amazing. It was my first time on a Catamaran. What a relaxing way to sail along the west coast to the Pitons.
Download your FREE St. Lucia Map here.
Taking the Road down to the Pitons.
Take a taxi/shuttle bus and drive straight there without stopping. The journey should be 75 to 90 minutes. Take this option if you are not bothered about going to a beach, snorkeling, etc.
Some tour operators provide a round-trip half-day tour, and the drive down is 75-90 minutes one way. To comfortably take in the Pitons, you’re looking at about a 4-hour trip.Â
Check if the quoted price is for both of you. If your Taxi driver says it’s $60. Confirm that it is for the taxi or per person. Sometimes they are talking per person, and you’re thinking that’s the price for the whole taxi.
The best way to see them would be to take a taxi to the Tet Paul Nature Trail. It is a really short/simple walk with the most incredible views of the Pitons. Access to the trail is very cheap, and the taxi would be the major expense. No matter which way you choose to see the Pitons, the taxi will be the most expensive part.
The Pitons are surrounded by lush vegetation in a stunning location. If you ask, your driver will know all the different viewpoints. Each one is as good as the previous. Bear in mind that stopping to take photos will add extra time to your trip. Traveling by road is a great way to see the Pitons.
Download your Free St. Lucia Cruise Port Map.
Splash out on a helicopter ride over St. Lucia to the Pitons.
The helicopter is awesome. A 15 or 30-minute flight that will whisk you all around the island, taking in a stunning aerial view of the Pitons. You will see the Soufriere Volcano, fishing villages, and idyllic bays along the coastline.Â
Here are the details: Flight time: approx. 15 minutes. Capacity: 6 passengers. Flight time(s): On-demand, daylight hours only.  If you’re looking to take a helicopter tour from Castries to the Pitons in St. Lucia, several operators offer scenic flights showcasing the island’s stunning landscapes. One notable option is the South Island Helicopter Tour provided by St. Lucia Helicopters. This 20-minute flight departs from Castries and includes breathtaking aerial views of Marigot Bay, fishing villages, lush rainforests, and culminates with the iconic Pitons and the Soufriere Volcano. As of now, the cost is $197 per adult (ages 13 and up), $177 for children (ages 2-12), and infants under 2 fly free.
Download your Free St. Lucia Cruise Port Map.
The Helicopter pad is in Pointe Seraphine, Castries, where your ships dock. If you dock over on La Place Carenage, you will need to leave plenty of time to get across to Pointe Seraphine, which is only over the bay. There is a water taxi to get you across the bay, or you can get a land taxi.  The Cruise Port Terminal in Pointe Seraphine is a 20-minute leisurely walk (under 1 mile) along the waterfront from La Place Carenage. Make sure you download your free maps.
More information regarding The Pitons.
The pitons are the symbol of St. Lucia and are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It would be best if you always went with a guide. Make sure you have the right footwear for hiking, climbing, and scrambling.
The town of Soufriere includes the Pitons, two volcanic spires rising side by side from the sea (770 m and 743 m high respectively), linked by the Piton Mitan ridge. The volcanic complex includes a geothermal field with sulfurous fumaroles and hot springs.
The dominant terrestrial vegetation is tropical moist forest grading to subtropical wet forest, with small dry forest and wet elfin woodland on the summits. The Gros Piton is home to some 27 bird species (five of them endemic), three indigenous rodents, one opossum, three bats, eight reptiles, and three amphibians.
Six Other things to do in St. Lucia
1. Catamaran Day Sailing:
Sail along the west coast of St. Lucia aboard a catamaran for a full-day excursion, by far the best tour. Â Visit some of the island’s highlights, like Sulphur Springs, the region’s only drive-in volcano. See the majestic Pitons, looming 2,000 feet (600 meters) over the coast, and stop at the Diamond Botanical Gardens to view the waterfalls. Enjoy a buffet lunch, return to the Catamaran for a relaxing swim in the Caribbean’s tropical waters.
2. Rainforest Adventures and Aerial, Tram and Zipline:
Explore St Lucia’s rainforest via aerial tram and zipline. You can book a half-day or full-day eco-adventure, a guided nature tour that allows a bird’s-eye view of the lush tropical forest. Clip into a harness to zoom through a 10-zipline canopy tour. Hike through the rainforest accompanied by an expert adventure guide.Â
Check out local price tours with my recommended tours on Viator.
3. Tax & Duty-Free shopping:
The best shopping is on Pointe Seraphine. Walk down the gangway, you’ll see a lovely outdoor, open-air shopping experience from tax- and duty-free watches and Jewelry.
Visit Ingrid Bagshaw Boutique, she is the Granddaughter of the famous Sydney Bagshaw, who designed the country’s coat of arms in 1967 and founded the renowned “Bagshaws of St. Lucia” silk screen company in 1962. She has a beautiful boutique in Pointe Seraphine. Click here for more information about this gorgeous boutique. Download the map with a coupon to locate which is just steps off the ship.
Download your Free St. Lucia Cruise Port Map with Shopping Coupons.
Pigeon Island National:
Park Pigeon Island is a 44-acre islet located in Gros Islet in the northern region of Saint Lucia. Originally isolated from the country in the Caribbean Sea. The island was artificially joined to the western coast of the mainland in 1972 by a man-made causeway. Built from dirt excavated to form the Rodney Bay Marina. Great for nature lovers and hikers.
Splash Island Water Park:
On the Northwest coast of St. Lucia, on the famous Reduit Beach.  Splash Island is the Caribbean’s first open-water sports park. It is located in front of the multi-award-winning Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa. In Rodney Bay Village, Gros Islet, St. Lucia.
The Pitons:
The Pitons are two towering volcanic plugs, volcanic spires in St. Lucia. These iconic twin peaks are called Gros Piton and Petit Piton. They dominate the island’s scenery, soaring 2,000 feet from the sea on the southwest Soufrière corner. Designated a World Heritage Site and the surrounding Pitons Management Area, these volcanic spires take every first-time visitor’s breath away.