St Kitts & Nevis

St Kitts and Nevis is a two-island country in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean. St Kitts, the larger island, rises to the cloud-capped cone of Mount Liamuiga, 1,156 metres high, with rainforest on its slopes and old sugar estates around its coast. Nevis sits just across a narrow channel, a near-round island built around Nevis Peak. Both are English-speaking, easy to get around and refreshingly low-rise.

Why go

St Kitts packs a lot into a small space. In a single day you can walk the ramparts of Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, ride the old sugar-cane railway along the Atlantic coast, and still be back on a Caribbean beach for sunset. The south-east peninsula has quiet bays, and the view from Timothy Hill takes in the Atlantic on one side, the Caribbean on the other and Nevis straight ahead. Nevis itself is slower again: plantation inns, hot springs at Bath, the long sand of Pinney's Beach and the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton in Charlestown.

When to go

The weather is warm all year, with temperatures of about 24°C to 29°C. December to April is the dry season and the busiest time for UK visitors. May to November is wetter and overlaps the Atlantic hurricane season (June to November), with lower prices and quieter beaches. Sugar Mas, the national carnival, fills Basseterre with music and parades over Christmas and New Year.

Getting there from the UK

British Airways flies from London Gatwick to St Kitts, with a short stop in Antigua on the way. Allow around 10 hours in total. You land at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport, about 15 to 20 minutes by road from the Frigate Bay hotels, and we arrange the transfer for you. Nevis is reached by ferry from Basseterre in about 45 minutes.

Where to stay

• Frigate Bay: the main resort area, on a narrow isthmus south of Basseterre. The calm Caribbean beach on the south side has beach bars along "the Strip"; the north side faces the Atlantic. The 18-hole Royal St Kitts Golf Club runs between the two. Good for couples, golfers and first-timers.
• Half Moon Bay: just north of Frigate Bay on the Atlantic coast, quieter and breezier.
• The south-east peninsula: Cockleshell Bay and South Friars Bay, for beach days and long lunches.
• Nevis: a gentler pace, best as a day trip from St Kitts or as a second stop.

What to do

Tour the island by road to Brimstone Hill and Romney Manor, where Caribelle Batik is made in the gardens of an old estate. Take the St Kitts Scenic Railway on its 30-mile loop. Sail by catamaran down the coast and snorkel in a sheltered bay. Walk into the rainforest with a guide and watch for green vervet monkeys, or fly over the canopy on a zipline at Wingfield Estate. Cross to Nevis for the day.

Food

Look for stewed saltfish with coconut dumplings, spicy plantains and breadfruit, the national dish. Goat water, a rich goat stew, appears at weekends and festivals. Fresh lobster, conch and mahi-mahi are on most menus. To drink, try CSR, the local sugar-cane spirit, and a cold Carib, brewed on the island.

Good to know

• Currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$). US dollars are widely accepted
• Time: 4 hours behind the UK in winter, 5 hours behind in summer
• Language: English
• Driving: on the left
• Electricity: 230 V; both UK-style and US-style sockets are found, so bring an adaptor
• Entry: British visitors need a passport valid for six months and an online travel authorisation before they fly. Check the latest rules before you travel

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