Soufriere is an official point of entry and a pleasure-craft port within the Soufriere Marine Management Area. Customs is at the SMMA bayfront office, Immigration at the bayfront police station, and SMMA manages yacht moorings and anchoring zones.
Soufriere combines a recognised point of entry with a marine-management regime. Customs and Immigration are published at separate bayfront locations, while the yacht itself normally uses an SMMA mooring rather than a marina berth or unrestricted anchorage.
The Tourism Authority places Customs in the SMMA office on the bayfront and Immigration at the bayfront police station. Current published Immigration hours extend across weekends and holidays, but Port Health and any overtime attendance should still be aligned to the yacht's ETA.
SMMA states that anchoring is not allowed generally within the management area and provides yacht moorings instead. Its current site notes approximately 60 mooring systems across the yacht zones, so the marine-area arrangement is a core part of a Soufriere call.
SMMA identifies only limited alternative anchoring areas north of Anse Chastanet and at the northern part of Hummingbird Beach, subject to fishing activity. The Tourism Authority also publishes length-based SMMA mooring charges, making yacht size relevant to the local cost profile.
Prepare the applicable records before arrival or departure.
Soufriere combines national Yacht Clearance with SMMA mooring and zoning requirements, so the border formalities and the yacht's position in the bay need to be planned together.
National passenger and cargo reporting and the separate report-inward requirement apply before arrival. Soufriere is not a conventional berth-based marina, so the arrival plan should also account for SMMA-managed moorings, anchoring restrictions and the limited designated anchoring exceptions.
Port Health pratique is required before normal shore communication. The Tourism Authority publishes Customs at the SMMA office and Immigration at the bayfront police station, allowing the local authority sequence to be coordinated once the health requirement is satisfied.
Published SMMA yacht-mooring charges are divided by yacht length, including separate bands up to 70 ft, 70–120 ft and over 120 ft. The applicable rate should be confirmed for the yacht and duration, and international departure still requires the relevant outward reporting and border formalities.
The Port of Soufriere Bay is specifically designated for pleasure craft. International yacht arrivals still fall under St. Lucia’s national Customs and Port Health framework.
SMMA mooring arrangements and marine zoning are separate local requirements. They do not replace Customs, Immigration or Port Health clearance for an international arrival.
Customs law requires advance passenger and cargo information through the proper officer, normally at least 24 hours before arrival from a non-CARICOM country and one hour from a CARICOM member state. Short-voyage alternatives may be set by Customs.
The Customs framework separately requires the vessel’s report inward 24 hours before arrival. This is distinct from the advance passenger and cargo data submission.
St. Lucia’s seaport regulations require an international vessel to await pratique before shore communication. In Soufriere, that requirement is coordinated with the yacht’s SMMA position and the bayfront Customs and Immigration facilities.
SailClear is an optional electronic pre-arrival service where supported. It does not replace IMPACS reporting, formal Port Health/Customs/Immigration clearance, or the separate SMMA mooring and zoning requirements.
Yes. SLASPA lists Soufriere as a smaller point of entry, and Customs regulations specifically designate the Port of Soufriere Bay for pleasure craft. It is therefore legally and operationally different from the commercial ports at Castries and Vieux Fort.
The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority places Customs at the Soufriere Marine Management Area office on the bayfront and Immigration at the police station on the bayfront. Its current published Immigration hours are 08:00–12:00 / 13:00–16:30 Monday–Thursday, 08:00–18:00 Friday and 08:00–16:30 on weekends and holidays.
Generally no. SMMA states that anchoring is not allowed across the management area and provides yacht moorings instead. It identifies limited alternative anchoring areas north of Anse Chastanet and at the northern part of Hummingbird Beach, provided commercial fishing is not disturbed.
The current SMMA website states that approximately 60 mooring systems have been installed in the yacht zones. Availability is still operational rather than guaranteed, so a yacht's arrival timing and size should be coordinated in advance.
The Tourism Authority currently publishes EC$54 / US$20 per night for yachts up to 70 ft, EC$270 / US$100 per night for 70–120 ft and EC$540 / US$200 per day for yachts over 120 ft, with a weekly rate for the smallest band. These rates are changeable and should be reconfirmed for the intended stay.
Use this page for Soufriere arrival, departure and St. Lucia yacht-paperwork assistance.