ST LUCIA HISTORY AND INFORMATION

St Lucia village is a village that is surrounded by an estuary. St. Lucia Village is isolated from the mainland by an Estuary ChanSt Lucia,so one can almost describe it as an island. The Indian Ocean is on one side. It is situated where the estuary meets the sea, and is renowned as a fisherman's paradise. The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park was declared a natural world heritage site in December 1999. Crocodiles, hippos, red duiker, bushbuck, impala, zebra, wildebeest, fish eagles and goliath herons are regularly seen without entering the park.

St Lucia is a thriving coastal resort which teems with a variety of excellent accommodation - from budget B&B accommodation to top-of-the range B&B accommodation. There are many excellent self-catering accommodation venues, lodge accommodation, hotel accommodation, guest houses - in fact, accommodation to suit every taste and pocket! Backpackers are catered for as well!

The village of St Lucia bustles with live entertainment and excellent restaurants during the busy holiday season, with a wealth of things to do and places to see, making it one of KZN's prime tourist destinations.

Incorporated within the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, St Lucia’s magnificent expanse of lake, islands and estuary covers approximately 38 682 ha. St Lucia is one of Africa's oldest proclaimed wildlife game reserves and has a wetland of International importance. St Lucia was Acclaimed a World Heritage Site in December 1999.

St Lucia lake is extremely shallow, with a depth of barely 1,5 m and a large surface area, being just over 60 kilometers long and 21kms at its widest point. This makes the St Lucia Lake very different to the Lakes of the other parts of the World. St Lucia is a magnificent wilderness destination, with a wide array of wildlife. In St Lucia there are resident hippo and crocodile, and species such as the rare Somango Monkey and Red Squirrel as well as a high concentration of Serval occur in the area.

St Lucia’s coastal dunes contain an entirely different and varied ecosystem. St Lucia is a protected coastal reserve and has an amazing variety of marine life.

St Lucia’s western shores of Lake St Lucia are rich in ancient marine fossils. Research indicates that this area started forming approximately 140 000 000 years ago. St Lucia’s most recent formations was formed by dropping sea levels 2 000 000 years ago to create the largest estuarine lake in the world. St Lucia’s present eco-system has been formed through a series of wet and dry periods, rising and falling of sea levels, erosion and wind. The most recent of this was cyclone Demoina. St Lucia’s Sand dunes was formed over the last 25 000 years while Fossil deposits, sharks teeth and fossilized coral reef proves that the majority of St Lucia’s park was at one period in time, covered by the ocean. St Lucia’s fossils can be seen on the western shores of the lake.

In season whales and dolphins can be seen from our beaches as well as flamingos and pelican in the estuary - over a year period 542 different species of birds where counted.

St Lucia village is behind the protected sand dunes and are restricted to 2 storey buildings so do not expect breathtaking views from the buildings. St Lucia is small being only 5 blocks by 4 and 2 km away from the beach.

In St. Lucia you can find everything you need within walking distance. There are two well stocked supermarkets, a dozen restaurants, butchery, bakery, Laundromat, liquor stores, two fuel stations, Post Office, Internet Cafes, two banks, three ATM's, several fishing tackle shops, a hairdresser, variety of curio shops and not to be missed the locally produced fruit & craft market!

Clothing & Accessories

Health & Climate
With 300 sun-filled days a year, the climate of St. Lucia is subtropical. The summers are hot, especially January and February whilst the winters are mild. Almost 60% of the annual rain falls during the summer months. During previous seasons (since 2000) no cases of malaria were recorded in St Lucia. If visiting Hluhluwe or Kruger National Park, prophylactic treatment is advisable. In general, insect repellents and appropriate clothing should provide adequate protection in St. Lucia. / Please consult your General Practitioner.

Like its neighbours, South Africa's seasons are the reverse of the Northern Hemisphere: Spring is September - October, summer is November - March, fall is April - May, and winter is June - August. South Africa enjoys a pleasant subtropical climate with lovely warm sunny days and cool nights most of the year, enjoying an average 8.5 daily hours of sunshine.

Airport:
Richards Bay is the nearest airport offering scheduled flights and the nearby 121 Battalion 1.5Km concrete landing strip is available for private flights.

Distances from St Lucia:

• Cape Vidal (34km)

• Mtubatuba (27km)

• Nyalazi Gate (Hluhluwe Game Reserve) (57km)

• Memorial Gate (92km)

• Kozi Bay (260km)

• Sodwana Bay (170km)

• Richards Bay Airport (78km)

• Durban (252km)

• JHB/Pretoria (620km)

• Kruger National Park (700km)

• Swaziland Border (185km)

• Cape Town (1839km)

All roads to the Estuary mouth and beaches are tarred.

NO COMMISSION PAYABLE ON BOOKINGS!!

WANT TO ADVERTISE WITH US?  Contact judy: judy@haps.co.za  Tel : 083 662 1273

FreeCurrencyRates.com

Happenings Websites and its associates disclaim all liability for any loss, damage, injury or expense however caused, arising from the use of or reliance upon, in any manner, the information provided through this service and does not warrant the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information provided

WEB DESIGN. WEB OPTIMISATION, AND HOSTING BY UQH - www.ultraquickhost.com ©Ultra Quick Host ®UQH It is illegal to copy or reproduce any information or images contained in this website without written application and subsequent permission from Ultra Quick Host