Office Address
Rodney Bay, St. Lucia
Phone Number
+1 7584602257
Email Address
info@tripcarib.com
Rodney Bay, St. Lucia
+1 7584602257
info@tripcarib.com
Booked a week or more and want both the Pitons and Rodney Bay? A St Lucia split stay is worth it if you'll visit the other end of the island two or more times. Every day trip between them is about 3 hours in a car. Stay north first, finish in Soufriere, and make moving day a slow drive down the coast with a lunch stop, not a chore.
St Lucia is only 27 miles long, but the north and Soufriere feel like two different holidays. The north has the beaches, restaurants and Friday street party. Soufriere has the Pitons, the volcano and the waterfalls. Between them is 90 minutes of beautiful, bendy road, and that's where the split stay question begins.
From Rodney Bay, Soufriere is about 90 minutes each way, so every visit costs you 3 hours in a car before you've seen anything. Our drive times guide shows the same for every area.
| Your trip | Our advice |
|---|---|
| Under 7 nights | Stay in one place and do one day trip to the other end |
| 7 to 9 nights | Split only if you want 2 or more days at the other end |
| 10 nights or more | Split. You'll gain more time than the move costs |
For a couple who want two Soufriere days and the rest in the north:
| Plan | Transport | Hours in the car |
|---|---|---|
| Stay north, two Soufriere day trips | About $575 (airport round trip $225 plus two return days by car at about $175 each) | About 9 hours |
| Split stay, north first | About $290 (airport to the north $120, moving day about $90, Soufriere to the airport about $80) | About 4.5 hours |
Fares come from our St Lucia taxi rates list. The split also wins on time, because the move happens once.
Most locals say do the north first, and we agree for two reasons:
The only trade-off is a longer drive on arrival day. Eat at the airport, and the coastline does the rest.
Most hotels check out at 11am or noon and check in at 3pm, which leaves a 3-hour gap. Use it. With a private car, your bags ride with you and you make a few stops on the way south:
The catamaran between Rodney Bay and Soufriere is a lovely day out, but it's a sightseeing trip, not a removal service. Two suitcases and a cooler bag don't belong on a party boat.
One traveller on TripAdvisor did exactly this: four nights at Bay Gardens in Rodney Bay, then on to Jalousie under the Pitons. They loved the scenic drive and kept the same driver all week. That's how we like to run it too. One driver who knows your plans picks you up at the airport, moves you south with stops on the way, and gets you to Hewanorra on time at the end. Once you're in Soufriere, our guide to getting from UVF to Soufriere explains the final airport run.
Is a split stay in St Lucia worth it? For 7 or more nights, if you want two or more days at the other end of the island. For a shorter trip, stay put and take one day trip.
How long is the drive from Rodney Bay to Soufriere? About 90 minutes, longer with stops or Castries traffic.
Should I stay north or south first? North first, Soufriere last. You'll be closer to Hewanorra for your flight home.
Can I take a boat between hotels with luggage? Boats between Rodney Bay and Soufriere are run as day trips. For moving hotels with suitcases, a car is the practical choice.
What else is there to do at each end? Our list of the best things to do in St Lucia splits them by area.
"The driving experience is beyond my expectation." A TripCarib guest on WhatsApp
Tell us your two hotels and your flights. We'll plan the airport pickup, a moving day with stops on the way south and your ride to Hewanorra at the end, all at fixed prices per car.
