Saint Kitt’s in Nevis is an island nation located in the Eastern Caribbean. It was colonized by the British in 1623 and over the years, the British and the France fought for power over this tiny island. The result of this was the elimination of the indigenous community and a mainly African population (because of the slavery brought to the island). Saint Kitt’s and Nevis gained independence from the British in 1983. All of this has shaped the demographics and culture of the island. For more on Nevis specifically, see my post Nevis Travel Guide: Why You Should Visit the Island of Nevis (coming Feb 18, 2024).
A Few Tips for Visiting Saint Kitt’s
- The currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar, but USD is widely accepted.
- They drive on the left side of the road.
- Taxi fares are fixed by the government at $40 an hour, and getting around by taxi is extremely expensive. Even a short ride will cost $20.
- If you plan to move around the island, I recommend booking tours or renting a car. It will save you money.
- The general cost of any meal will run you between $25 – $40 per person, so plan accordingly.
- You need cash! Either EC or USD. The taxi drivers and a lot of tours only accept cash, so it’s important to get it ahead of time. There are few ATMs on the islands.
Day One in Saint Kitt’s
For your first day in Saint Kitt’s, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the island. A super common thing to do in both island is a half island or full island tour. This tour looks to include most of the best sites for a good price. You can also hire a local taxi (for $40 an hour) to take you to these places. The most common sites you’ll see in the island tours are:
- Brimstone Hill Fortress – The fortress built by African slaves for the British defense of the island. It is one of the main things to do in Saint Kitt’s. Generally, you can only stay 45 minutes. It costs $15 to enter on top of your tour fee.
- Tip: The road up is a bit treacherous so plan for someone to take you if you’re not comfortable driving.
- Caribelle Batik – Also the site of Romney manner and Wingfield Estate, this is a popular destination to see and buy island Batik. The manor was once owned by the great-great-grandfather of Thomas Jefferson.
- Tip: It’s closed on Sundays.
- Timothy Hill – A viewpoint on the island where you can see the entire length of the island with the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other.
- Tip: It’s not recommended to go to beaches on the Atlantic side of the island due to rip tides.
- Tours may also include a trip to a beach or the Black Rocks.
If you have time after the tour, I recommend heading to Frigate Bay Beach (or The Strip according to locals) for some food at Boozie’s on the Beach or one of the many restaurants in that area. The sunset from this beach is great!
Day Two in Saint Kitt’s
For your second day in Saint Kitt’s, I recommend getting out on the sea and hitting a beach! There are some really great beaches in Saint Kitt’s if you know where to go. For my second day, I decided to go diving with Pro Diver’s Saint Kitt’s and I highly recommend it if you dive. If you’re on a cruise, the diving leaves from the port, so it’s an easy place to get to for an activity.
We did two dives, one to a wreck and artificial reef called River Taw and another to a reef called Brimstone Shallows. They were two incredible dives and the instructor is great. Among things you will see are octopus, Caribbean reef sharks, sea turtles, and many enormous lobsters! This was my first time truly seeing octopus (after >30 dives) and it was such a treat. They’re notoriously difficult to find, yet they seem to be abundant in Saint Kitt’s. The cost of a two tank dive was around $130. I think this cost shifts depending on the daily rate.
Once you’re done with your dive, take a ride down to Cockleshell Beach and grab a bite and a drink at Reggae Beach Bar. This little inlet beach is super calm, and you can swim and snorkel freely. There is even a chance for you to see ocean wildlife such as fish and sea turtles! This is probably one of the best beaches in Saint Kitt’s, although it can get crowded.
After a beautiful day on the sea and at the beach, head to one of the popular spots on the island such as Marshall’s ($$$) or Poinciana Restaurant ($$$). Make sure to reserve in advance, we weren’t able to get into Marshall’s once while we were there!
Day Three, Head to Nevis
Wow, if you go to Saint Kitt’s, do not sleep on Nevis (pronounced Neevis). Nevis is actually the more luxury destination of the two islands, and here you will find the fanciest hotels and homes. It is a small island, only 36 square miles, with 13,000 residents and five parishes.
It was settled by the British in the 1620’s and is the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton. If you want to see Nevis in a day, I recommend a half or full island tour. The tours are generally done by the local taxi drivers, and the cost is $40 an hour. A half island tour is about $80 and a full island tour is about $120. I recommend the half island tour because the northern part of the island isn’t really worth seeing.
If you want to skip the taxi to the Nevis ferry (which is about $40) and the local speedboat to get there ($22 round trip), I recommend a tour. This Nevis Island 7-Hour Tour from St. Kitts is actually quite good considering it takes care of all of that for you. However, I would ask if it includes entrance fees to the Alexander Hamilton Museum ($10) and the Botanical Gardens ($19).
Getting to Nevis
To get to Nevis, you can take a taxi or drive to the Park Hyatt Saint Kitt’s or Reggae Beach Bar and get the Islander water taxi. The taxi is $22 round trip or $15 one way and runs relatively regularly throughout the day. The trip takes 7-10 minutes. If you want to double check the schedule, you can call the Park Hyatt and ask.
What You’ll See in Nevis
I did the half island tour in Nevis. At the port, there will be taxis waiting. You can simply ask one of the drivers there for the cost of the tour (remember, the taxis are a set $40 per hour). On the half island tour you will visit:
- The Nevis & Alexander Hamilton Museum (extra $10 entrance fee)
- The 400 year old Nevis Hot Springs (free)
- The botanical garden (if there’s time, $19 entrance fee)
- Montpelier Plantation Hotel
- The Hermitage Hotel
- Golden Rock Hotel
The actual stops on your tour may change based on your driver and the time you have. I chose not to stop at the botanical gardens because of the entrance fee and the amount of time. I spent the most time at the first two stops, so just consider, the amount of time you spend in each place may raise your tour fee. For more on Nevis, check out my post, Essential Things to Do and See on the Island of Nevis.
