Destinations / St Kitts

Overview

St. Kitts' British settlers designed and built the second largest fort in the Caribbean to protect an island just 68 square miles in size -- it was that important to them -- and with good reason.

LOCATION :

These two Caribbean gems are part of the Leeward Islands, located south of Saba & St. Eustatius, and just north of Montserrat.

LANGUAGE :

English

CURRENCY :

Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$)

TIPPING :

A service charge of 10% will be added to your bill. If not already added, restaurant tabs should be tipped 10-15%.

ELECTRICITY :

230 volts/60hz. Some hotels use 110 volts.

HIGHLIGHTS

Touring Nevis' plantation inns
Savoring High Tea at the Golden Lemon on St. Kitts, a proper treat
Taking in the view from Brimstone Hill Fortress

OVERVIEW
St. Kitts' British settlers designed and built the second largest fort in the Caribbean to protect an island just 68 square miles in sizeit was that important to themand with good reason. This island has sugar-producing valleys so fertile that even to this day, agriculture is still the island's primary source of income. That's not to say that tourism is not important here. The Four Seasons resort on Nevis is usually ranked among the Caribbean's finest and celebritiessuch as Oprah and Robert DiNiromake up a chunk of the frequent visitors.

St. Kitts and Nevis have always been resilient despite hurricanes, fires and earthquakes. Some greathouses and windmills are recycled into quaint antique-filled inns. Churches are restored to their stately splendor. Nothing can wipe the Cheshire grins from the islanders' faces.

The capitol of Basseterre is situated on the south shore of St. Kitts. Begin your tour of the city at the Victorian-style Berkeley Memorial Clock in the town square, called The Circus. A few blocks north, St. George's Anglican church is a fine example of the island's spring-back attitude. Destroyed four times, it was rebuilt four times.

West of Basseterre, Old Road Town, the site of the first English settlement, was the capital of St. Kitts until 1727.

Dieppe Bay on the northwest coast has charcoal-colored sand and a pier that can get busy. Watch the colorful sloops pull in with the day's catch. At Black Rocks frozen lava formations have been whittled by the waves.

Back at Basseterre, a sugar factory and brewery offer tours, but call ahead to confirm. Journey onto St. Kitts' peninsula, where the ambience is definitely deserted. Mongoose, monkeys and white-tailed deer frolic freely.

Across the channel, Nevis was the birthplace of statesman Alexander Hamilton and the wedding site for Lord Horatio Nelson and Fanny Nesbit.

Outside of Charlestown, you can find the ruins of the Caribbean's first resort: the Bath Hotel and Bath Springs. It opened for business in the late 1700s.

A number of fine beaches grace the shores of 36-square-mile Nevis, but Pinney's and Newcastle seem to be the all-around favorites.

Diving is becoming a favored sport; with more than 400 wrecks recorded from the 15th to the 19th century in the waters surrounding St. Kitts and Nevis, take a dive and see what you can uncover. Other activities include surfing, snorkeling, hiking, tennis and golf. Of course, afternoon tea is a must, as is watching cricket matches. It's all part of the traditional charm of this emerging hot spot.

GEOGRAPHY

Topography: St. Kitts is a whale-shaped island has mountains running down its back. The tail is blessed with opalescent beaches that look pink one day and gold the next. A dormant volcano, responsible for a dozen or so black-sand beaches, rises nearly 3,800 feet right where you'd expect a whale's blowhole to be. Two miles away, saucer-shaped Nevis is a lush, green island punctuated by cloud-clad, volcanic Nevis Peak at 3,232 feet high.

Climate: St. Kitts and Nevis average about 79ºF and are tempered by trade winds. Dry, mild weather is usually experienced from November to April; May to October it's hotter and wetter. The average water temperature is 80º F.

HISTORY
Christopher Columbus was so enamored by St. Kitts that he named it after his patron saint. (The British later shortened St. Christopher to St. Kitts.) In 1967, St. Kitts, along with nearby Nevis (just two miles away), was made an Associated State of Britain. In 1983, the two-island nation was granted independence. Since its discovery by American tourists, it has become a lightly visited but very trendy destination.

WEBSITE :

www.stkitts-tourism.com

CAPITAL :

Basseterre (Nevis: Charlestown)

TOURIST INFORMATION :

800-582-6208

POLITICAL STATUS :

Independent Nation; Member of the British Commonwealth

AREA SIZE :

69 square miles

TAXES :

There is a departure tax of $22, and hotels and restaurants add 7% tax.

AREA CODE :

869; when calling from North America, dial 1+869+the seven digit phone number. Otherwise, use the country code you're calling from + 869+the seven digit phone number.

TIME :

Atlantic Standard: One hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time

DOCUMENTS :

Visas are not required for most travelers. US citizens do not need a passport, only proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate AND a photo ID.

AVERAGE WATER TEMPERATURE :

82F

AVERAGE VISIBILITY :

100 feet

TYPES OF DIVING :

Wreck , Reef, Drift

BEST TIME TO DIVE :

Year Round