Heading for a November opening is Solis, The Palmyra Resort and Spa, a complex that includes a hotel, a resort village with 500 condos and villas, spa and convention center. Opening in November as well in the region is a new 350-room hotel, Phase II of Grupo Iberostar's 950-room all-inclusive development. Also under construction is the Jamaican government's new $51-million, 300,000-square-foot Montego Bay Convention Center, scheduled to open in December of next year.

In Montego Bay itself, the new Hotel RIU Montego Bay will open its doors Aug. 29. The all-inclusive complex will have 681 rooms, all with balconies or terraces.

Information: Jamaica Tourist Board, 305-665-0557; www.visitjamaica.com.

PUNTA CANA, D.R.

Via AA and Lan from Miami,

Spirit from Fort Lauderdale

There seems to be no end to growth of Punta Cana as a favored Caribbean destination. Luxury developments like Roco Ki and Cap Cana are opening this year and Four Seasons, Fairmont, Ritz Carlton and Westin also will be coming on the scene later. New golf courses also on springing up, nudging the Dominican's east coast toward becoming the golf capital of the Caribbean.

And making the getting there easier, the highway from the capital city of Santo Domingo to Punta Cana is undergoing improvements that will cut travel time from 3 ½ hours to just two.

Information: Dominican Republic Tourist Office, 305-444-4592; www.dominicana.com.do.

ST. CROIX, U.S.V.I.

Via American Airlines

from Miami

Sister island St. Thomas gets more attention, but bigger St. Croix is a charmer as well. Christiansted, former capital of the Danish West Indies, wears its heritage well and has dozens of shops offering perfumes, china, crystal and jewelry. Just offshore is Buck Island and its famous underwater marine park. Frederiksted, on the west coast, is also a cruise port and lies close to a rain forest.

Under Danish rule, St. Croix was a rich sugar-producing island and you can still see windmills, beautiful great houses and churches from that period. The island's landscape varies widely, from lush forests to dry plains.

St. Croix has a unique advantage over most other Caribbean islands: It's a U.S. territory, so American travelers don't need passports to visit there.

Information: U.S.Virgin Islands Tourism Office, 305-442-7200; www.usvitourism.vi.

ST. LUCIA

Via American Airlines

from Miami

Easily recognized by its dramatic Piton Mountains -- twin peaks that rise 2,000 feet above the island's southern coast -- St. Lucia is one of the most romantic Caribbean islands. Its lush landscapes, fine beaches and accommodations ranging from luxurious resorts to intimate inns have made it one of the region's most popular islands.

Several new luxury developments are coming on line. On Praslin Bay, the 600-acre Le Paradis Beach, Golf and Marina Resort with a Greg Norman golf course is scheduled to open this fall. Recently opened on Rodney Bay, the five-star Landings at St. Lucia offers 62 suites, a RockResorts spa, yacht harbor and other amenities. Phase II with additional lodgings and facilities will open this fall. Opened just last month was Cap Maison, a boutique hotel and residence complex on the north shore looking across to neighborning Martinique. In the offing next year: A new Ritz-Carlton on Half Moon Bay and a huge Raffles resort.

More adventurous visitors can go zip-lining through the rain forest, walk amid bubbling sulphur pools on Mount Soufriere, the world's only drive-in volcano, go hiking or biking on the island's many trails.

Information: St. Lucia Tourist Board, 212-867-2950; www.stlucia.org.

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