Riding Through St. Lu

All terrain vehicles supply another cool way to see St. Lucia. Rolling along the Honeymoon Beach area of Vieux Fort, on the island’s southern tip, the picturesque countryside and small fishing villages serve as a vivid backdrop. St. Lucia's landscape is extremely hilly and rocky so navigating an ATV can be a little jarring initially. I'd never rode an ATV and was slightly intimidated by the various gears. After bumping over rocks, potholes and hills along the rugged Atlantic coastline for about 30 minutes, you learn how to swerve around all of the obstructions.

The heat from the ATV's engine can also burn your shins. Mine started tingling after about 15 minutes. Guides provide makeshift shin guards that do the trick with pieces of foam and an elastic band to hold them in place. Lead by the baby-faced and charming Bash, we glide past small houses perched on hilltops, bamboo and cinnamon trees and cows and goats freely roaming. The ATVs roll through coconut and banana plantations before Bash stops to guide the way through secluded coves. Climbing the coves grants a spectacular vista of the Atlantic and the twin-peaked Pitons mountains, which are St. Lucia's defining feature. Amid palm trees swaying and hibiscus scenting the balmy air, we stop in the quaint town of Virgie for a snack. Fresh star fruit, mango, sugarcane and wax apple are laid out on a table for sampling. I ended the tour with mud-splattered ankles and a sense of accomplishment.