People get robbed everywhere. Crime happens every where. While living on a farm in Mass. I had my home broken in to twice !! I have had my car stolen out of the movie theater parking lot in broad daylight in my home town. I am sorry to hear you had this happen to you on your vacation. And it is a shame that this experience most likely ruined your vacation and thoughts of St. Lucia. It is a beautiful place but like the rest of the world they have some problems.

I agree, people do need to know that they need to be very careful when vacationing in St Lucia.

Yes, crime does unfortunitaly happen everywhere. It is just very disturbing when you are targeted because you are a tourist.

St Lucia is one of the most beautiful islands I have been fortunate enough to visit. The people we encountered were so very genuinely friendly.

This being said there was an underlyng feeling of having to watch your back at all times when out exploring the island.

It may be a different experience for people who spend thier vacation in an all inclusive.

My husband and I traveled out of the resort at many times. I think that when you are in place that is unfirmiliar you should always watch out for yourself and be aware of your surroundings.

When we went out at night we took the precaution of hiring a cab driver and asking him to stay at the Fish Fry with us. All the locals knew him and he was quite helpful in explaining the culture and history of the island. He and my husband exchange email still.

I too have read stories of others having this horrible experience while visiting St.Lucia.

You are right justwannatravel we do go with the AI resorts when we travel for the high level of security.

I did not mean to be insensitive to your situation and it is a good thing that you are reminding others to take precautions while traveling as tourists are often targeted.

Olderthandirt,

I also am very sorry that this happened to you. It must have been terrifying.

For others that may be considering a trip to St. Lucia but are concerned about safety, I wanted to share my perspective. I had booked a trip to St. Lucia last spring for travel in December 2006. In the interim, I read about a rash of violent crimes and questioned my choice of vacation destination. After careful consideration, I decided that I felt comfortable with my decision to travel to St. Lucia alone (I'm female). I split my trip between an AI resort in the north and a non-AI hotel in Rodney Bay and felt very safe in both locations. Beyond that, I took an organized day trip to the south part of the island and went into Castries one afternoon by myself for some shopping. I never felt like I was being watched or preyed upon, but I would not have been comfortable exploring in some of the poorer parts of the county by myself. St. Lucia was one of the most beautiful places I have been and was a wonderful vacation.

I think it is important that travelers considering a destination educate themselves about the risks of travel, and then make choices that are appropriate for them.

Sorry to hear that happened to you. While this sort of thing will/can happen anywhere, normally the mark of the true sense of a place is how the authorities handled it.

What happened afterward? Were you taken seriously, what was their reaction?

We were in St. Lucia in 2005, and did not feel safe. We hired a car and drove about with it locked. However, it is a lovely place,We wouldn't go back though. we were at coconut bay and it wasn't for us, the staff were very nice. I got awful ear infection in pool and was ill for days. The nurse on site was soo kind . Soured for me by being charged £15 to change £100 traveler cheque ! Thats life

Here we go again...............

If I am going to Rodney Bay, to people have advice for safety. We were planning on leaving the resort and eating dinner, and traveling around Casteries. Will we be OK, and suggestions?

BostonBostonTravel,

This sounds obvious, but just use the same common sense you use at home (don't pull out wads of cash, be aware of your surroundings, walk with purpose, secure you passport, jewelry, extra cash, and other valuables in your room safe when you don't need them with you, etc.).

The Rodney Bay area is fine for walking around day or night. I walked out to dinner by myself (I'm female) every night I was there. Other visitors did the same.

I took the local minibus to Castries one afternoon to do some shopping. It was a day when there were not many cruise ships in port, so I was one of the few tourists in the craft market and the shopping area. Although I didn't feel really uncomfortable there, I felt like I stood out, and two local ladies (one on the bus and one guard near the duty free shopping area) warned me about keeping a tight hold on my handbag and sticking to the main streets, which made me think that there must be some street crime there. I'm not sure what you are planning to do in Castries, but I would recommend only walking around during the day and not venturing too far off the beaten path. Or, if you want to explore more local culture, use a local taxi driver as a guide. If you want to go to restaurants there for dinner, take cabs. Personally, for a more urban experience, I much preferred Rodney Bay to Castries.