Travel and Leisure, a leading US travel publication, has named Saint Lucia one of the best Caribbean islands to visit.

The magazine has just released the results of its 2017 World’s Best Awards Survey and Saint Lucia emerged as one of its leading Caribbean vacation destinations. Every year, Travel and Leisure asks its readers to share and rate their holiday experiences from around the world. Readers are invited to give their opinions on categories such as hotels and resorts, spas, sights and attractions, food, friendliness and general value for money. Based on readers’ feedback and rating, Travel and Leisure then produces its annual top list of premier places to visit and experience.

For its “Top Islands in the Caribbean” list, the publication cited some key characteristics that these destinations shared such as secluded beaches, luxurious resorts and spas, and off-the-beaten-track experiences and sites. With a score of 82.6 out of 100, Saint Lucia emerged ahead of Barbados and other OECS countries except for Anguilla that got 86.8. Travel and Leisure highlighted the fact that travelers were attracted to destinations that offered more than the typical tourist experience of sun, sea and sand. Saint Lucia continues to be a favorite because it offers unique attractions such as the iconic twin peaks, the Pitons, the world’s only drive-in volcano and the Sulphur Springs mud baths. The magazine also named Jade Mountain in its top 100 hotels in the world with the hotel coming in at number 25, an outstanding achievement for the locally owned property.