Renting Bikes and Mopeds in St. Lucia

Bikes, mopeds, and scooters are popular modes of transit on many Caribbean islands, but on St. Lucia's hilly terrain, they are better suited to adventure seeking. The island's scenic and beautiful mountains turn striking out on two wheels into a labor of love.

While bicycles and mopeds can be rented individually, they are most often rented as part of a tour or other adventure program. Bike tours can be popular amongst vacationers looking for an active way to spend a day exploring the island, and a few guided bike tours exist on the island.  These tours often include transportation from your hotel or cruise ship to the starting point of the tour, equipment rental, and sometimes even food or beverages if your tour overlaps a mealtime.  The tours might stick to popular destinations in the city, or venture out into the jungle to educate you on local flora and fauna. In contrast, Some locales have set up biking courses with varying degrees of difficulty, so you feel as though you're out on your own, but have some semblance of guidance.

If you're an active adventurer and want to strike out on your own, you'll find winding paths through many mountainous areas that are mainly meant for hiking, but can be uses by mountain bikers as well -- just make sure you keep an eye out for those on foot.  Travelers will find the best mountain biking near Soufrière and Anse Chastanet, depending on whether they are in the northern or southern portions of St. Lucia.

Mountain bike rentals may run as low as $25(USD) per day, but usually cost more than $30(USD) for two hours, $49(USD) for a half-day, and $69(USD) for a full day of biking. You may also have to put down a deposit, which is usually around $100(USD). Bike rentals are sometimes included in your stay at all-inclusive resorts.

If you've got the urge to zip around St. Lucia on a scooter or moped as your primary means of transportation, it is possible, though not recommended.  The hilly terrain makes the use of a scooter a difficult feat and tourists who insist on using scooters are often seen struggling through the varied terrain, sometimes finding it less time consuming to get off and push their scooters for a few feet.  If you want to rent a scooter or moped for a day of getting around a city that lies on more flat terrain, such as Rodney Bay, however, you may have an easier time. 

Though renting a scooter or moped may not be the ideal vehicle for your tour of St. Lucia, that doesn't mean you should count it out, and renting a bicycle is an option for active travelers with the stamina to peddle through steep conditions.  Reasonable rates and knowledgeable tour guides may sway you one way or the other, but regardless of what you choose, your options remain open in St. Lucia.