THE BAHAMAS  | PANAMA  |  DOMINICA  |  HONDURAS  |  ST. LUCIA  
ST. VINCENT  |  SABA  |  DOMINICAN REPUBLIC  |  GRENADA

ST. LUCIA
Follow Tinker's Trail
"This is probably the sweetest bike ride in the Caribbean," says mountain biker David "Tinker" Juarez. Then again, Juarez is biased. The two-time U.S. Olympian helped design Tinker's Trail, a wildly twisting ride that careens along steep hills through southwestern St. Lucia.

"It's really jungle biking, not mountain biking," says Michael Allard, who conceived his company, Bike St. Lucia, after hearing bikers lament the lack of rideable routes in the Caribbean. Allard's nine trails wind through lush, wild orchid-lined terrain, past colonial ruins, to a refreshing swimming hole.
Experts point their wheels to Tinker's Trail, which switchbacks to a 900-foot (274-meter) peak. To date, only Juarez has succeeded in riding it all the way up and back. Says Allard: "It really separates those who have been to the Olympics from the rest of us mortals."

Conveniently, Bike St. Lucia's trail system is on the enormous grounds of the Anse Chastanet beach resort near Soufriére. Rooms are plush and many have no fourth wall, revealing views of the ocean or the countryside. In your downtime, dump two wheels for four and hit the windy road that circles St. Lucia. The section between the towns of Castries and Soufrière passes a huge fig plantation and offers dramatic views of the landmark Pitons.
 
WHAT TO DO
Biking
Bike St. Lucia equips Anse Chastanet guests for jungle rides ($39 a day; $89 for non-guests; www.bikestlucia.com).
 
WHERE TO STAY
Anse Chastanet beach resort ($295; www.ansechastanet.com) is probably the only place in the Caribbean with a 600-acre (243-hectare) estate of forests, gardens, two beaches, and a spectacular marine reserve just offshore.
 
GETTING AROUND
Budget, Avis, and Hertz operate out of St. Lucia ($40 a day). Rentals require an international driver's license or a $20 local permit, which can be a hassle to obtain. Taxis from Hewanorra Airport run $70.

THE BAHAMAS  | PANAMA  |  DOMINICA  |  HONDURAS  |  ST. LUCIA  
ST. VINCENT  |  SABA  |  DOMINICAN REPUBLIC  |  GRENADA