Fodor's Expert Review Parc National de la Guadeloupe

This 74,100-acre park has been recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. Before going, pick up a Guide to the National Park from the tourist office; the guide rates the hiking trails according to difficulty, and most are quite difficult indeed. Most mountain trails are in the southern half, adjacent to Ste.-Claude. The park is bisected by the route de la Traversée, a 16-mile (26-km) paved road lined with masses of tree ferns, shrubs, flowers, tall trees, and green plantains. It's the ideal point of entry. Wear rubber-soled shoes and take along a swimsuit, a sweater, water, and perhaps food for a picnic. Cruise passengers tend to arrive in the late morning or early afternoon. Check on the weather; if Basse-Terre has had a lot of rain, give it up. In the past, after intense rainfall, rock slides have closed the road for months.