St Lucia May holidays

Festivals and events in St Lucia in May

A visit to St Lucia in May gives you an opportunity to experience the St Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival. A week-long musical medley organised annually since 1992, the festival is now one of the most established and anticipated jazz, blues, R&B and Calypso festivals in the Caribbean. With past line-ups including artists such as Rihanna, Elton John and Diana Ross, you have a great opportunity to see someone normally headlining a sold-out stadium in a more intimate setting and at an affordable price.

Alongside the chance to see established musicians, the festival is a fantastic opportunity to see the Caribbean’s rising stars in ambiences as varied as jazz cruises, open-air waterfronts and carnivalesque street parties.

Top places to visit in St Lucia in May

While the St Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival takes place predominantly in the north of the island, there are plenty of events taking place throughout St Lucia. We recommend exploring the beaches and bars of Rodney Bay, which blend compellingly to provide the ultimate Caribbean experience. Spend most of the day soaking up the sunshine at the idyllic Reduit Beach, before making your way over to Rodney Bay marina. Here you will find restaurants offering a fantastic range of cuisines; from Michelin-starred Caribbean dining at Jacques Waterfront to East Asian cuisine at Razmataz. With recipes rooted both in the heritage of the island and internationally, and made with the freshest ingredients, there is a good chance that you will have the culinary experience of a lifetime. Then, end your day bopping along to the headline event of the festival which normally takes place at Pigeon Island National Landmark, complete with an epic firework display. Not a bad day’s work!

What’s the weather like in St Lucia in May?

May is the driest month and also one of the warmest, with an average temperature of 26.5°C, highs of 30°C and lows of 24°C. There is still a low chance of rainfall with an average of 9 days of rain in the month. There are brief, tropical showers and the sun shines for eight glorious hours a day.

What to pack for a holiday in St Lucia in May

• Pack light clothing, swimwear and shoes suited to a summer holiday.
• Comfy, rubbed-soled shoes for excursions and light hikes or hiking boots for longer treks.
• Sun cream is an integral part of a Caribbean packing list. Ensure that your sun cream is listed as reef-friendly – many commercially sold sun creams contain chemicals like oxybenzone which have been linked to coral bleaching.
• Sunglasses and a hat.
• A jumper or cardigan for the cooler evenings.
• A smart outfit for the evening.
• Mosquito repellent.
• Travel plug adapter.
• Prescription medicines.
• Tote bag for shopping and to use as a beach bag.
• Snorkelling gear if you wish to snorkel from the beach.
• Camouflage is illegal in St Lucia, so don’t pack your khaki cargo shorts.