Travel Guide to St Kitts

Location

St Kitts and its sister Nevis (located to the south of St Kitts) is found mid way around the Caribbean chain of islands just to the west of Antigua. There are direct flights or you can reach the islands on LIAT via one of the major gateways with Antigua being the closest just 20 minutes away.

Shopping

St Kitts is not one of the best islands to shop, but a trip around the capital Basseterre is interesting and will be enough for any gifts or memorabilia you may wish to purchase.

Geography

St Kitts and Nevis are of volcanic origin giving rise to the mountainous interior and fertile volcanic soil allowing for the growth of lush vegetation. The original inhabitants named the island “Liamuigo” meaning fertile land and this name still remains on the island today as the name of the extinct volcanic peak, Mount Liamuigo which rises to 3800 feet. The volcanic influence can be seen on many beaches where there is black sand or waves of black in the white sandy beach. The east coast is exposed to the crashing Atlantic waves making it unsafe for swimming.

History

As with many Caribbean islands, the first inhabitants were the Arawaks who spread to the islands from South America and then the Caribs.

Columbus first spotted the island in 1493 but did not land. This however did not stop him naming the island St. Christopher after himself, which was later to be affectionately shortened to St. Kitts.

It was not until 1624 that the English started to settle albeit in a small way. The French also landed in 1625 and an agreement was made to share the land. However this did not last long and the British and French fought over the island for a century.

In 1834 slavery was abolished.

In 1882 St Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla unite.

In 1983 St Kitts and Nevis gain Independance.

Climate

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Av Temp (F)	82	82	84	84	85	85	86	86	86	85	84	82
Av Temp (C)	28	28	29	29	29	29	30	30	30	29	29	28
Sunshine Hours	7	7	8	8	8	8	8	8	7	7	7	7
Rain (inches)	4	2	2	2	4	4	5	5	6	6	5	4

The Caribbean is subject to a hurricane season which is officially from 1 June to 30 November. However 80% of the stormy weather activity occurs within the August-October period with its peak usually being early-mid September. The centre of most storms miss the region moving off to the north, with others causing only minor disruption to weather conditions. However, there are usually a few each year that will pass through the region in hurricane force wind conditions.

Basic Information

Language
English is the official language.

Currency
Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) is the local currency and is pegged to the US Dollar at the rate of US$1=EC$2.70, although US$ are usually accepted as are credit cards in hotels and many restaurants and shops.

Electricity
230 volts

Banks
Opening hours Mon-Thur 8am-2pm, Fri 8am-4pm, Sat 8:30am-11am.

Driving
Driving is on the left and roads are well maintained.

Time difference
GMT -4 hours.

Tipping and local customs
10% is generally expected in restaurants and by taxi drivers and is often added automatically in restaurants and hotels.

Water
Bottled mineral water is recommended.

Tourist Board information
www.interknowledge.com/stkitts-nevis

Visas
No Visa is currently required for British or Irish passport holders. This should be re-checked on booking for any changes. Six months valid passport is required.

What makes it so special?

The undiscovered feel to the island along with the great value for money as an up and coming tourist destination. The fascinating Atlantic coast makes for an interesting trip around the island with old plantations, forts and lush tropical vegetation.

Where to visit?

Basseterre is a relatively quiet capital city with interesting colonial buildings and museums and a market.

Plantation houses located around the two island

Brimstone Hill Fort