What You Need to Know About Saint Lucia Carnival

Carnival Chaser
May 17
3 min read

Marissa - Saint Lucia Carnival Tuesday — Marissa Williams - Xuvo Carnival

The hidden gem of the Caribbean carnival circuit (but not for long 👀)

Let’s clear something up: if Saint Lucia Carnival isn’t on your 2025 list, you’re sleeping.

This isn’t just a warm-up carnival. It’s its own thing. Soft life views. High-energy fetes. Two full days of mas. And a vibe that blends island chill with full-on road madness.

The best part? It’s still just under the radar enough that you can do the most and still feel like you’re in on a secret. Until you post that recap video and everyone’s in your DMs like “where was this??”

🗓️ The Basics

Main Carnival Events: July 1–23, 2025
Parade of the Bands: Monday July 21 + Tuesday July 22
Top Fetes: Mess, Brazen, Sa Ka Fete, Indulgence
Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$). About $1 USD = $2.70 EC, but mentally just round it to 2:1
Getting Around: No Uber. But Saint Lucia has its own ride-share app called Allez — available in both app stores. Still, booking a trusted driver is your safest, smartest move.

Saint Lucia Carnival

💡 Smart Girl Travel Tips

1. Stay on the route.We cannot stress this enough. Once you hit the road on Carnival Monday or Tuesday, you're locked in. There’s no side street escape. The parade route is long and closed. That means if you’re not staying along the route (Rodney Bay/Gros Islet = smart), you’ll be walking miles back to your car or pick-up.

2. Lunch isn't lunching like T&T or JA.Forget a hotel buffet or Glam Hub cooler. Lucian Carnival lunch = handed to you from a truck while you’re parked on the road. It’s quick, simple, and not the time to be picky.

3. E-Sims > Local Sim Cards. Trust us on this one. Skip the hassle of SIM card kiosks. Use an e-SIM service like Mobimatter or Airalo to stay connected the second you land.

👀 What to Do Besides Mas

You're not just coming for feathers and wining. You're coming to see Saint Lucia.

Hike or snap the Pitons (you’ll get a million likes either way)
Soak in the Sulphur Springs + Mud Bath
Hit Toraille Waterfall (easy access + cute pics)
Beach hop Lucian black sand beaches:
- Anse Chastanet
- Anse Cochon
- Cas en Bas
- Anse De Piton

And let’s be honest — if you didn’t get a video at Bum Bum Wall, did you even go to Lucian Carnival? 📸

Bum Bum Wall - Saint Lucia Carnival Must Do — Bum Bum Wall - Saint Lucia Carnival

⚠️ Fete Facts You’ll Thank Us For

Mess is not paint. It’s MUD. You will be coated from lashes to toenails.

Bring throwaway clothes.
Don’t even think about your favourite white top.
Good news: it washes out easy. Your hair will survive.

Lucian Soca is king.This is not Trinidad Carnival. If you only know Machel, Bunji, and Nailah — you're gonna learn today. Expect high doses of local Lucian Soca. And yes, they go hard.

Safety is decent — but stay smart.Lucian Carnival is one of the safer Carnivals, but don’t get careless. Thieves still exist. And not all men are raised right. Travel in squads, know your surroundings, and keep your phone zipped.

Trish Newaz Saint Lucia Carnival Photo by Nigel so Crazy — Trish Newaz - Makeup and Hair by Glam Hub

I don’t know the first thing about makeup — like, I literally own lip gloss and clothes. But when I book with Glam Hub, I never stress. They’ve done my glam twice in Jamaica and once in Saint Lucia, and every single time I’ve left feeling like a goddess. The Saint Lucia team? Amazing Hair, makeup, photos — I didn’t lift a finger. I just showed up and let them do their magic. Definitely recommend.

— Trish Newaz, Los Angeles

💋 Now Let’s Talk Glam

Two days of Carnival means two mornings of prep. And if you're flying in, the last thing you want is to be winging your lashes at 4 a.m. in hotel bathroom lighting.

That’s where we step in.