Saint Lucia flip-flopped between English and French control until the early 1800s, when the UK finally took possession. Like other Caribbean islands, slaves were brought in to work the agricultural plantation and bananas remain a lucrative crop. In 1979, Saint Lucia was granted independence from the UK. Nowadays, the population of more than 170,000 relies on tourism and banking to fund the economy.

On your trip to Saint Lucia, make sure to try the banana ketchup and local rum. The local beer is Piton Lager. Read more about St. Lucia at the official tourism website.