UVF Airport to Tamarind Villa Private Transfer

Tamarind Villa is in the north of St Lucia, roughly 75 km from Hewanorra International Airport (UVF). The drive takes 80 to 95 minutes. The fare is $132 for the whole vehicle rather than per person, covering up to three passengers. Families of up to 5 (up to 3 adults and 2 children) add $25 per extra person, while groups of 4 or more adults, 3 or more children, or 6 or more people are charged our group rate, shown when you choose your passengers.

Your driver meets you inside the arrivals hall with a sign showing your name, takes the luggage and has you on the road minutes after customs. The rate is fixed when you book.

Nothing is charged online and there is no deposit.

The drive from Hewanorra to the north

The route runs up the Atlantic side of the island. From Vieux Fort the Micoud Highway passes through Micoud and Dennery, climbs into rainforest at Barre de l'Isle, the ridge that splits St Lucia, then drops through the Cul de Sac valley into Castries. From there the coastal highway continues north past Choc Bay and Bois d'Orange.

Castries is where time is lost on weekdays, 7am to 9am inbound and 4pm to 6pm outbound, and Rodney Bay slows in the early evening.

Send us the villa name and a contact number for whoever is handling your arrival, since northern lanes are residential and often unnamed.

What to eat while you are here

A villa kitchen and a week on the island is a good excuse to eat local rather than international, and it is cheaper too.

Green fig and saltfish is the national dish. Green fig means green banana, boiled and served with salted cod cooked down with onion, peppers and herbs. It turns up at breakfast as often as at dinner, and every cook makes it slightly differently.

Bouyon is the other one to look for, a thick one pot soup of provisions, dumplings and meat that appears in local restaurants on set days. Cocoa tea is a breakfast drink made from cocoa sticks grated into hot water with spice and milk, and the sticks are sold at the market to take home.

The tree this villa is named after gives you the sweets. Tamarind pods are sour and sticky, and rolled with sugar into tamarind balls they are sold everywhere from market stalls to petrol stations.

Find all of it at the market, roadside stalls at lunchtime, and the street food nights, with Gros Islet on Fridays a few minutes from here and Dennery's fish fiesta on Saturdays.

Around Tamarind Villa

The north is the most convenient part of St Lucia, though villas sit on residential slopes, so little is walkable.

Rodney Bay has Reduit Beach, the restaurant strip, Baywalk Mall, supermarkets and pharmacies, ten to fifteen minutes away. Pigeon Island National Landmark, with the fort ruins and two calm beaches, is a short drive. Castries and the cruise terminals are around twenty five minutes south, and Soufriere and the Pitons 90 minutes to two hours, so plan a full day for them.

What is included in your transfer

• Private air-conditioned vehicle for your party only
• Licensed local driver who knows the highway and the northern lanes
• Meet and greet inside arrivals with a name sign and luggage help
• Flight tracking on the day you travel
• Complimentary bottled water
• All taxes and fees
• Child seats free on request, give us the ages when you book

Not included: an optional gratuity for your driver.

How booking works

1. Pick this transfer, choose the pay-in-cash option, register and submit your details. The flight number field is optional at this stage.
2. You get a confirmation email straight away letting you know we have received the booking.
3. Someone goes through your details and confirms the booking, usually in under 30 minutes, and you get a confirmation email.
4. We assign your driver and ask for the flight number about 24 hours before travel if we do not have it. He meets you at arrivals with your name on a sign, takes the bags and drives you north to the villa, where the fare is paid in cash.

Frequently asked questions

I am flying into SLU George Charles Airport. Can you collect me?

Yes. SLU sits just outside Castries, and the fare from there is $40 for the whole vehicle, covering up to three passengers. Families of up to 5 (up to 3 adults and 2 children) add $25 per extra person, while groups of 4 or more adults, 3 or more children, or 6 or more people are charged our group rate, shown when you choose your passengers. Select SLU under "Your airport" to see the price and book. Your driver tracks your flight and waits for you, with the same fixed price on the return trip.

What is green fig and saltfish?

The national dish. Green banana boiled and served with salted cod cooked with onion, peppers and herbs, eaten at any time of day.

Where do we find proper local food?

The market, roadside stalls at lunchtime and the street food nights. Gros Islet on Fridays is the closest to here.

Can we buy local ingredients easily?

Yes. The market has provisions, spices and cocoa sticks, and the Rodney Bay supermarkets cover everything else a few minutes away.

Can you take us to a food night?

Yes. Gros Islet on Fridays and Dennery on Saturdays both work as evening runs, and neither is a drive you want to make yourself afterwards.

What if my flight is delayed?

We track it and update your driver, who waits. No extra charge and the booking stands.

How do I pay?

Cash to the driver once you reach the villa. Nothing is taken online and there is no deposit.

Book your UVF to Tamarind Villa transfer now and we will confirm it by email once someone has checked your details.