Showstopping beauty, turquoise waters and oceanic splendor is what awaits any visitor to the Caribbeans’ St Lucia.
With its rich rainforests and sandy beaches, it can be difficult to decide what to do first, though many would agree that checking out the local population of sea turtles is an unmissable opportunity.
This guide tells you exactly where to see turtles in St Lucia including the exact spots and locations.
Can You Swim With Sea Turtles in St Lucia?
Yes, you can swim with the sea turtles in St Lucia.
Many of the beaches in St Lucia have snorkeling or diving areas where you are likely to meet and swim with the turtles.
The most common sea turtles found in the waters around St Lucia are:
Green Turtle
The only herbivore of the sea turtle family starts life as a carnivore during their hatching season.
Visit St Lucia between the months of April and September to see new green turtle hatchlings.
Hawksbill Turtle
Once nearly hunted to extinction for their unique shells, these beautiful creatures are most commonly seen between May and October.
Leatherback Turtle
The largest of the sea turtles can be seen in its nesting period between March and August before they migrate north for the winter.
💡Helpful Tip: To see as much of the island as possible in a short period of time, book this land and sea tour. This highly-rated tour takes you across the island to see all of St Lucia’s top attractions including the Drive-In Volcano, the Pitons, Toraille Waterfall and more.
Where To See Turtles In St Lucia
St Lucia has sandy shores, beautiful coral and exhilarating diving spots all around, but you cannot see the turtles on every single beach.
Below I’ve listed the best spots to see turtles in St Lucia.
If you’re a certified diver then you might like this scuba diving tour which takes you to St Lucia’s best diving spots.
1. Anse Cochon (North)
One of the best locations to swim with turtles in St Lucia is Anse Cochon which is located on St Lucia’s western shore.
At the edge of Anse La Raye, you will find this beautiful stretch of beach.
Although a large part of this strip is under the control of the nearby resort, visitors can still access it.
Here you will find warm waters with small waves and plenty of fish to join you in your underwater explorations.
While many snorkeling spots advertise large stretches of coral reef, this one offers a ton of variety.
Not only is the coral reef full of tropical fish and sea turtles, but you also have stretches of sand and rock where you can find other varieties of sea life enjoying the warm waters.
One of the best ways to explore this reef and ensure you get to meet turtles is by going with a guide.
I’d recommend booking a snorkeling tour like this one as it includes tons of extra activities like a visit to St Lucia’s famous Sulphur Springs and the Toraille Waterfall.
It additionally includes that all important snorkeling activity at Anse Cochon so you can swim alongside turtles and other marine life.
Alternatively, you could book a beginner’s scuba diving tour! This is ideal for anyone that’s new to scuba diving.
You’ll get the care and attention you need from your guide whilst exploring the best that St Lucia has to offer.
Check out what you can expect from snorkeling at Anse Cochon in the video below:
2. Anse Chastanet Beach
One of the best places in St Lucia to see turtles is at Anse Chastanet Beach which is located on St Lucia’s western shore right next to the Jade Mountain Resort.
Anse Chastanet boasts the darkest black sand on the island and is the place to be if you want to enjoy some of the island’s most spectacular scuba diving and snorkeling spots.
The crystal-clear bays of this area are part of a designated marine reserve. This reserve protects miles of colorful coral reefs that are teeming with tropical fish and sea turtles.
For the best chance of seeing sea turtles at Anse Chastanet Beach, book onto a snorkeling tour!
Your knowledgeable guide will know where to find turtles without fail and can explain all of the awesome marine life to you.
For somewhere a bit quieter where you can still see turtles, you can head down a footpath to Anse Mamin which is just a 10-minute walk away from Anse Chastanet.
Check out what you can expect from snorkeling at Anse Chastanet Beach in the video below:
3. Grande Anse Beach
Also known as the Des Barras Beach, the Grande Anse Beach in the north of St Lucia is a great place to get up close and personal with the large leatherback turtles.
You can get super close to these turtles and watch them as they pull themselves across the deep soft sand of the coast.
Alternatively, hire a snorkel or bring your diving equipment to enjoy a swim in the Caribbean waters beside these large sea turtles.
Grande Anse is the perfect beach to enjoy some peace and quiet away from the popular tourist spots.
It is not as easy to reach compared to other beaches due to rough roads and accessibility issues which has led to the beach being dubbed St Lucia’s ‘Forgotten Beach’.
If you are willing to put in the effort to reach it, you will be rewarded with spectacular views and breathtaking turtle-watching opportunities.
4. Coconut Bay
Another great place where you can see turtles in St Lucia is at Coconut Bay which sits right on St Lucia’s southern tip.
White sand, swaying palms, the Atlantic breeze and the option for water sports are to be found at Coconut Bay.
On the doorstep of the Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa, you have a mile-long stretch of beach where the turtles seasonally come to nest.
5. Fairyland
Near the beaches of Soufriere is a popular sea turtle diving spot known as Fairyland.
Fairyland is located just off the cliff face known as West Pointe which is just south of Anse Chastanet Beach.
It’s approximately a mile north of Soufriere Bay and provides an incredible view of the Piton mountains.
Named for the large variety of corals and sponges that create a unique underwater backdrop, Fairyland has some of the most vibrant corals in the whole of the Caribbean.
Among this wall of color, you can expect to find large shoals of fish, octopus which use this area as a breeding ground, and sea turtles which regularly visit the site.
Veteran divers rank this place high on spots to visit in the Caribbean.
With 25 to 50 ft dives for amateur and regular divers, to over the wall and into the canyons for veterans, Fairyland has something for every diver.
This is a place where you do not want to forget your underwater camera.
Check out what you can expect to see at Fairyland in the video below:
6. Rosemond’s Trench
Another great spot where you can swim with turtles in St Lucia is Rosemond’s Trench.
For new to intermediate divers, Rosemond’s Trench has everything you need to enjoy a day on the reef and spot some turtles.
Rosemond’s Trench is the newest addition to popular sea turtle spots in St Lucia. It was discovered by veteran diver Rosemond Clery who decided to continue past Anse Cochon and explore.
This sheltered trench is full of coral, schools of barracuda and spotted eagle rays. It’s super vibrant with so much to see at every turn.
Sea horses camouflage themselves in the coral while the sea turtles lounge on top of the giant sea sponges.
Check out what you can expect from Rosemond’s Trench in the video below:
7. Turtle Reef
My absolute favorite place to swim with turtles in St Lucia is at Turtle Reef in Soufriere.
You can’t get much closer to the turtles than when you swim side by side with them through the crystal clear waters of Turtle Reef.
Both hawksbill and green turtles thrive in this crescent-shaped reef as it is located near several seagrass beds.
It is important to note that, despite its name, turtles cannot always be found at the Turtle Reef.
Turtle Reef was named for the shape of the reef itself, although during the turtle season they can often be found in this reef.
Turtle Reef has a rich ecosystem where you can find much more than just turtles.
Pillar corals and barrel sponges can be found throughout this reef along with trumpet fish, eel and many smaller coral critters.
The depth of the reef offers options for both snorkelers and divers of all levels.
Snorkelers and newbie divers have tons to explore. The depth does go down to 140 ft which provides much more for the intermediate and veteran divers to explore.
Check out the beautiful sea turtles spotted at Turtle Reef in the video below:
Tips For Swimming With Turtles
First time swimming with turtles?
To ensure the turtles remain safe, there’s a few key things to bear in mind when swimming with them in St Lucia.
Remember that all of the different turtle species are endangered so it’s important that we do all we can to help their chances.
- Don’t be too loud. Try to be as quiet as possible when swimming up to a turtle as loud noises will scare them away.
- Do not touch the turtle. Turtles are wild animals and should be respected.
- Do not get too close. This might scare the turtle and they could bite you if they get really scared (don’t worry this is super rare!).
- Do not feed the turtles. They don’t need help finding food.
- Always approach a turtle from the side. This gives them a clear view of you and a clear path ahead of them if they want to swim onwards.
- Don’t disrupt the turtle’s natural behavior. You can enjoy the turtles by watching them do their thing but try not to disturb them.
These key tips protect both you and the turtles.
Fun Sea Turtle Facts
To get you prepared for your trip to St Lucia where you’ll hopefully see some beautiful sea turtles, here’s some fun turtle facts.
- The correct word for a baby turtle is a ‘hatchling’.
- A typical green sea turtle will be 3 to 4 feet long and weighs between 300 and 250 pounds.
- Sea turtles tend to build their nests for their eggs in the same location that they were born.
- Mother turtles lay up to 100 eggs in each nest.
- It is estimated that only 1 out of 1,000 hatchlings survives to be an adult so they need all the help they can get.
- In their lifetime, female turtles lay thousands of eggs so at least a few will survive.
- The green sea turtles mostly eat seagrass, seaweed and algae.
- Sea turtles have been on Earth for more than 100 million years, even outliving the dinosaurs who became extinct 65 million years ago.
- All species of sea turtles are either threatened or endangered.
- Sea turtles never get to meet their babies as after laying their eggs, the mothers return to the ocean.
- Male sea turtles spend their entire lives at sea.
- The gender of a baby turtle is determined by the temperature of the nest – warmer temperatures tend to lead to females whereas cooler temperatures tend to lead to males.
And that’s it!
Thanks for reading this post on where to see turtles in St Lucia.
You should now have everything you need to get out there and swim with some turtles!
Need more help planning your St Lucia vacation?
- Snorkeling at Sugar Beach
- Why Are Flights To St Lucia So Expensive?
- Is St Lucia A Third World Country?
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