Anse des Pitons, St Lucia | Wish you were here (Jul/Aug 2022)

Postcards from the Caribbean’s most extraordinary places

Nestled between Gros and Petit Piton is the magnificent crescent-shaped bay that shimmers below: Anse des Pitons. The beach itself is a regional affair: the black volcanic sand — a hallmark of beaches around Soufrière — was covered years ago by white sand imported from Guyana. But the magic is in the calm, clear, emerald green water. It’s like glass! The sheltered bay shelves rapidly into the sea, and there is wonderful snorkelling at the Petit Piton end of the beach. This is a protected area within a national marine reserve, so the waters and coral reefs are teeming with marine life — from parrotfish and angelfish to sea turtles.