Soufriere Volcano in St. Lucia is locally known as the Sulphur Springs and it is not too far away from all of the three resorts we stayed in and have reviewed here.
We drove our hire car up to and through the crater of the volcano, which emits steam and sulphur with boiling mud and water bubbling away just a few metres from the roadside. Sulphur can be a bit stinky so be prepared for the smell of rotten eggs!
Fortunatley the volcano in is considered to be dormant, its last eruption occurred in the late 18th century and is quite unlike the still active volcano that has the same name and is located in the island of Montserrat.
For us the main attaraction is a hot water stream that runs through the crater, and into a well-established hot springs and mud bath. It’s all a bit basic but it is fun and is a whole lot cheaper than the mud treatments you pay for in some fancy spas around the world.
Wear an old set of bathers and head for the buckets of mud left beside the pool. Grab handfuls of the stuff and cover your skin and have fun coating a friend.
The water in the bathing pools contain volcanic minerals with health-giving properties, which are reputed to have therapeutic qualities for the skin.
You may not like the smell coming from the spring, or be able to stand the heat for long, but as you wash it off your skin with a quick dip or longer soak in the black water your skin feels wonderfully soft and silky.
The sulphur springs emit a mixture of iron, calcium oxide, sulphur, copper oxide, carbon and magnesium to create the pungent smell and stain the rocks a green colour.
Molten volcanic lava is not part of the toxic mix; otherwise the carter would not be safe to visit.
Our Tip: The baths open at 6am and the earlier you go the quieter it is. Much more fun bathing and chatting to locals than fighting for room later in the morning