St. Lucia black sand beaches are a critical part of its natural beauty. But, most people are not aware of the black sand beaches that make the island an even more wondrous place to visit.
St. Lucia has many white sand beaches lining the beachfront of its hotels, but visitors are often surprised that St. Lucia offers more than they bargained for when it comes to the variety of beaches. St. Lucia black sand beaches are hard to ignore. They bring to the island a great sense of beauty and adventure that most visitors can ignore.
If you’ve never been to a black sand beach before, a visit to one of St. Lucia’s black sand beaches will give you a unique and exciting experience.
Here are six of the best black sand beaches in St. Lucia that are irresistibly alluring.
1. Cas en Bas Beach
The Cas En Bas Beach is somewhat of a hidden beach in the north of St. Lucia. This beach is a haven for kitesurfers so if you love kite surfing, visiting this beach is a must.
Cas En Bas Beach is worth exploring if you love adventure and crave a unique beach experience. But if you are in for calm waters and some warm sunbathing, the less calm seas and seaweed that is occasionally washed ashore at the Cas en Bas beach may drive you away.
It is very windy at Cas En Bas beach, and visitors usually come here to kitesurf, but if that is not your thing, this beach also makes for an ideal spot for kite flying.
There is a kitesurfing school there for those who want to perfect their kitesurfing skills. If you don’t like surfing, you may enjoy horseback riding which is a popular excursion done there.
There is also a nice restaurant where you can relax and have a drink or a bite of the local St. Lucian food. If you are tired and would like to rest, you can rent a chair at a reasonable price.
How to get to Cas En Bas Beach
You can gain access to the Cas En Bas Beach via the Cas En Bas Road. If you’re coming from the direction of the city of Castries, the entrance to the Cas En Bas Road is the left inroad of the T junction opposite the entrance to the town of Gros Islet.
2. Anse Cochon Beach
The Anse Cochon beach is the perfect beach to enjoy some peace and tranquility. You will find the black sand beach here free of blemish and graced with natural beauty. The beach, which is located between Castries and Soufriere, is a favorite spot for ardent snorkels.
The bay here is pristine, perfect for spending some alone time and taking in the surrounding vegetation. You can rent sun loungers, snorkeling equipment, and kayaks from Ti Kaye where you can also enjoy delicious seafood and some burgers. Ti Kaye is a small resort on the left side of the beach.
How to get to Anse Cochon Beach
There are two ways to access the beach. You can either use a boat or go on foot from Anse La Raye through the access road to Ti Kaye. You can then take a walk down a track that will lead you to the resort where you then go down 166 steps before finding yourself on the beach.
3. Anse Chastanet Beach
The Anse Chastanet beach is a little ways off the town of Soufriere in the heart of one of the islands most well managed marine reserves. The Anse Chastanet beach is an excellent example of the volcanic origins of St. Lucia. There you will find the darkest sand amongst all beaches in St. Lucia. Anse Chastanet beach is in a well-protected marine reserve, so it’s an excellent spot for snorkeling and scuba diving activity.
Although this is a public beach, there is a resort at that location that may limit your access to the location moving away from the beach. If you’d like to snorkel at the Anse Chastanet beach, you can rent snorkeling gear at the resort’s dive shop.
Stationed at the beach, you will also find various tour operators offering guided boat snorkeling trips to the less accessible coral reefs in the surrounding areas of the beach. The Anse Chastanet beach offers some of the most pristine snorkeling experiences in St. Lucia.
The black sand at the Anse Chastanet beach is impressive to see as the waves polish it as the water recedes into the ocean. This stretch of dark volcanic sand is considered one of the best black sand beaches in St. Lucia. The area has many coconut palm trees, and lush vegetation covers the hillsides.
There is also a lovely restaurant owned by the Anse Chastenet resort where you can buy launch. The restaurant offers a beautiful lunchtime buffet almost daily and also has an attractive menu that will satisfy your hunger with excellent St. Lucian cuisine.
How to get to Anse Chastanet Beach
You can get to the Anse Chastanet Beach easily by boat, but to get there by car, you would need to travel along a bumpy road. The following map will show you how to get from Soufriere by car.
4. Anse De Piton
Anse De Piton also called Sugar Beach is located right between the famous St. Lucia Pitons. This beach is originally a black sand beach, but the entire beach was covered with white sand after a resort was built at the location. You can still see the evidence of its original volcanic black sand where the waves crash onto the beach.
Sugar Beach is on the west coast of St. Lucia just a few kilometers from the town of Soufriere. Although it is a public beach, most of it is dominated by guests staying at the Sugar Beach Resort. Visitors that don’t stay at the resort can still have access to the beach and enjoy a relaxing day in its beautiful surroundings.
At Sugar Beach you can enjoy an amazing sunbathe and get your tan on or, you can go swimming in the Crystal Clear Waters. If snorkeling is your thing, there is much to see in the surrounding coral reefs. If that’s not enough, you can rent a kayak from the resort and go kayaking along the coastline.
If you’d like something to eat while at Anse De Piton beach, there is a nice bar that also offers sandwiches burgers and salads. There is also the bayside restaurant owned by the resort close to the beach which has a reputation for serving excellent food.
How to get to Anse De Piton
You can get to Anse De Piton by boat, or you can also get there by car via the Sugar Beach Resort access road. Once you get to the entrance of the resort, inform the security guard at the gate that you are here to access the beach. If you’re coming with your car, they will give you directions to the parking area and show you how to get to the beach from there.
5. AnseL’Ivrogne Beach
The Anse L’Ivrogne beach is one of the most well-conserved coves in Saint Lucia. This black sand beach is also part of the piton management area which is a natural reserve filled with protected forested area and wildlife. At Anse L’Ivrogne beach you will also find the trailhead for one of St. Lucia most popular excursions – the Gros Piton hike.
The water depths at the Anse L’Ivrogne beach is unique to other beaches in St. Lucia. The surrounding water suddenly plummets to a deeper seabed just a few meters off the shore. To some visitors, snorkeling at the Anse L’Ivrogne beach is a bit intimidating due to the deep waters of the bay.
Many trees line the beach providing lots of shade if you don’t want to sunbathe or explore the surrounding waters.
You can also spend part of your day at AnseL’Ivrogne Beach with the locals at the Zion Lion Farm. The farm is owned by a local farmer, Mr. Paul Clifford who organizes a guided tour of the Organic farm at AnseL’Ivrogne Beach. The tour takes you from the beach all the way to the end of the farm. The tour also includes a local cooking session at the beach restaurant. So if you get hungry, you can eat there.
Mr. Clifford runs his cooking session with ingredients picked fresh from his organic garden. These ingredients include sweet potatoes, tomatoes, sweet peppers, and other fruits and vegetables. During the tour at Zion Lion, Mr. Clifford also provides lots of insight about St. Lucia including its history and culture.
How to get to AnseL’Ivrogne Beach
The easiest way to get to the Anse L’Ivrogne beach is by boat. You won’t be able to get to this Beach by car. To get there on foot, you would need to take an adventurous trek through the piton management area. It’s about a 30-minute walk off the road down the side of a hill through some lush vegetation.
6. Laborie Beach
The Laborie beach is perhaps the best of St. Lucia Black sand beaches where a hotel or resort do not hinder access. It is a fantastic stretch of sand that expands a wide open area. This magnificent beach has calm waters, beautiful shade-giving palm trees and picturesque fishing boots lining some parts of the shore.
The Laborie beach is always bustling with activity at different sections of the beach. There’s a part of the beach where you will find many fishers caring for their boats and equipment. You will find certain spots where most tourists and visitors hang out. And there’s also part of the beach that is good for snorkeling.
If you get hungry while at the Labourie beach or you want to have a drink, you can visit the Juliette’s Bar near the beach. There you will find warm and welcoming locals ready to serve you a choice menu of local food.
How to get to Laborie Beach
Laborie beach is easily accessible from the main road. You can see it from the main road on the way to Laborie. When you get to the Laborie village, you can take a short walk toward the sea to get to the beach.
Have you been to any of these black sand beaches in St. Lucia? Tell us about your experiences in the comments.
Damian is a co-founder, editor, and author at Islanderkeys. He is also a dedicated father and husband. Damian is an IT Manager / Web developer by profession, but he loves to Blog and share his knowledge about St. Lucia in travel forums.