2877 SAINT LUCIA - Diamond Waterfall

Diamond Waterfall is the main attraction of the Diamond Botanical Gardens, the oldest botanical gardens on the island, located in the town of Soufrière. What made this waterfall stand out was that its waters were laced with minerals as its stream emanated from rainwater mixed with volcanism giving the falls a colorful appearance that seemed to change often. It has 17m in height, and the flow of water varies at different times of year but is always spectacular.

2871 SAINT LUCIA - The map of the island

Located in Lesser Antilles, between Saint Vincent, Barbados and Martinique, Saint Lucia is a volcanic island, more mountainous than most Caribbean islands, with the highest point being Mount Gimie (950m). Two other mountains, the Pitons, form the island's most famous landmark. The capital city is Castries (population 60,263) where 32.4% of the population lives. Major towns include Gros Islet, Soufrière, and Vieux Fort. The local climate is tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds.

1516, 1577 SAINT LUCIA - Pitons Management Area (UNESCO WHS)

1516 Saint Lucia - The Pitons and Soufriere Bay

 

Posted on 07.04.2015, 13.05.2015
The Pitons are two mountainous volcanic spires rising side by side from the sea (770 m and 743 m high respectively), linked by the Piton Mitan ridge, and located near the town of Soufrière, on the southwestern coast of Saint Lucia. The volcanic complex includes a geothermal field with sulphurous fumeroles and hot springs. The Marine Management Area is a coastal strip 11km long and about 1km wide. It comprises a steeply sloping continental shelf with fringing and patch reefs, boulders and sandy plains. The coral reefs, which cover almost 60% of the marine area, are healthy and diverse.

1577 Saint Lucia - The Pitons view fron the Soufriere Bay

The dominant terrestrial vegetation is tropical moist forest grading to subtropical wet forest, with small areas of dry forest and wet elfin woodland on the summits. Because, on the one hand, the Pitons fully illustrate the volcanic history of an andesitic composite volcano associated with crustal plate subduction, and on the other they have an powerful visual impact and incontestable aesthetic qualities, the two adjacent forest-clad volcanic lava domes rising abruptly from the sea, the Pitons Management Area was included in 2004 by UNESCO among the World Heritage Sites.