Fond Latisab Creole Park

Fond Latisab is a working family property in the hills above Castries that shows how rural Saint Lucia did things before machinery, and it does it with more conviction than most heritage attractions. Cassava is grated, pressed and baked into bread on the spot. Wood is sawn by hand with a two-man pit saw to the rhythm of a chak-chak and drum, which is how it was actually done and which turns the work into something closer to music. Crayfish are caught from the river the traditional way. Farine is made, cocoa is processed, and lunch is Creole food cooked over wood.

What you actually see

• The pit sawing - two men and a saw working to drum rhythm.
• Cassava bread - grated, pressed and baked in front of you.
• Crayfish catching - the traditional river method demonstrated.
• The Creole lunch - cooked over wood on the property.

When to go

December to April is the drier season for the hill roads. Tours run by arrangement rather than continuously, so booking ahead is necessary. It takes two to three hours including lunch.

Honest expectations

Visits must be arranged in advance; there are no set opening hours. The road up is narrow and winding. It is a family operation and the experience depends on who is there on the day. Cruise excursions book it out at times.

Nearby

Babonneau is in the hills above Castries; the rainforest reserves are beyond.