One of the most naturally beautiful islands in the Caribbean, St Lucia is dominated by mountainous terrain and lush tropical vegetation. The capital, Castries, located in the north-east of the island, is home to over 40% of the population with most of the popular hotels and resorts also located nearby. To south lie the famous Pitons surrounded by densely forested hills   and valleys,  home to banana plantations, fishing villages and the quaint, old French-colonial township of Souffriere. St. Lucia is an attractive, lively, typically Caribbean destination with a rich identity all of its own.