One of the reasons we love Caribbean cruises is to get a glimpse of the island nations and see which ones we want to return for an extended land visit. St. Kitts in the West Indies was such a pleasant surprise and definitely one we would love to visit again and explore more. Here are some things to do in St. Kitts for a day (or an extended time).
Location of St. Kitts
The islands are located in the West Indies on the Eastern Caribbean sea. The west side of St Kitts borders the Caribbean sea and the eastern part faces the Atlantic Ocean. They also consider it one of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles.”
The closest Caribbean island neighbors are the U.S. Virgin Islands which is 30 minutes by plane, Antigua and Barbuda or Anguilla which are about 45 minutes flight and Puerto Rico which is about an hour by plane. It is about 2,100 km (1,300 miles) from Miami and 1,600 miles from New York.
St. Kitts is about 29 km (18 mi) long and about 8 km (5.0 mi) across. This was our first glimpse of Basseterre, which is the capital city of St. Kitts and Nevis.
History of St. Kitts
Its official name is The Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis. These two tropical islands are part of the Leeward Islands chain. Carib Indians lived in the area.
In 1493, Christopher Columbus visited St. Kitts and named it St. Christopher in honor of his patron saint (or maybe himself too?). English settlers in 1623 shortened it to Saint Kitts, establishing the first English colony in the West Indies.
Columbus also saw Nevis on his 1493 voyage. Its name came from when he named it Nuestra Señora de las Nieves meaning “Our Lady of the Snows” when he described the clouds on top of Nevis Peak that resembled snow-capped mountains. The English settled the island in 1628.
Soon after the British settled, the French arrived in St. Kitts to establish their own colony in 1627. The French and English battled it out during the 17th and 18th centuries to take control of the island but ultimately became a British possession starting in 1783. The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis became an independent country in 1983.
Sugar ruled the islands for many years. Other Caribbean islands introduced sugar cane to St. Kitts in 1643. The island’s fertile soil and tropical climate resulted to 200 estates and 68 sugar plantations producing sugar by 1775. It became the richest of the British territories/colonies because sugar was considered the world’s most important crop at that time.
St. Kitts was once even known as “Sugar City” in the 1600s. Sugar production lasted for over 350 years in St. Kitts which was a lot longer than the other Caribbean islands.
Things to do in St. Kitts
Cruises dock at the terminal known as Port Zante. It is a shopping center of souvenir shops, some restaurants and casinos which greet visitors on the island as they get off the cruise ships. Of course, it comes with Instagram and Snapchat ready areas for posing and remind you where you are.
Explore the Downtown Area
This is also where most tours of the island and beyond start. Our Best of St. Kitts tour started in the downtown area not too far from the cruise docks.
We highly recommend this tour. It was in an air-conditioned mini bus and came with a tour guide. It was wonderful to learn all about the history and local culture as we saw the best things to do in St. Kitts.
Basseterre (pronounced bass-tear) is the capital city and we had a quick tour around it. We learned that years of British rule on the island had left a lasting impact here. The Circus (named and modeled after London’s Piccadilly Circus) has remnants of a classic English phone booth.
We passed by a green clock called the Berkeley Memorial named after a local official, the Government Headquarters, the St. Kitts National Museum, some beautiful British colonial buildings and the impressive Immaculate Conception Catholic Cathedral. It is a small central area, easily walkable and very accessible for cruise ship passengers. Local walking tours are available.
The main public square is called Independence Square (initially Pall Mall Square) later renamed in 1983 after St. Kitts and Nevis declared their independence. This was first built in the late 1700s.
British colonial buildings flank the area and laid out like the Union Jack with an ornate fountain in the middle. Its darker past involved slaves being auctioned off here. It was also the site of a slave market where slaves sold things they grew or made.
St. Kitts and Nevis has a long history with slavery. In the late 17th century, during the Transatlantic Trade in Africans, enslaved African people were brought to the Caribbean islands. The primary purpose was to assist with the sugar cane plantations.
Wingfield Estate
Our first stop was Romney Manor and Wingfield Estate set in 8 acres covered by lush vegetation. Its first owner was Sam Jefferson II who was the great, great, great grandfather of Thomas Jefferson. He purchased it in 1625.
Yes, that same Jefferson, the third president of the USA and an American forefather. Since then, the estate has had four family owners.
We briefly stopped at Wingfield Estate which was next to the Wingfield River. The estate became an archaeological site with beautiful gardens in the early 2000s. The site has petroglyphs traced back to the Amerindians/Carib Indians.
The property grew, harvested and distilled sugar cane for 350 years. It was interesting to see some remnants of old structures like the aqueduct, the chimney, an original rum distillery and a couple of old houses. This is an active archaeological area so you never know what they’ll discover in the near future.
Exploring Romney Manor
Our next stop was at Romney Manor which was for about 50 minutes. I definitely would have loved to stay here a bit longer. They renamed it Romney Manor in the mid 1600s when the Earl of Romney purchased the property.
An amazing Saman tree, nown as the “largest living organism” on the island, flanked the entrance and garden. The tree is over 400 years old with a circumference of 24 feet. It was huge and incredible looking.
The Making of Batik
The manor is also known for and associated with Caribelle Batik. They produce various colorful batik products using the art form the Indonesians have used. Batik is an art and craft of decorating cloth using wax and dye. Caribelle batik has been around since 1976.
The house was the site of a batik demonstration. It was so interesting to see how they turned a simple cloth into a work of art. The staff showed us an informative demonstration showing us the techniques they used to create these colorful and unique products.
There were so many beautiful products at their store. I wanted to buy so many things here and most are one of a kind. If you want to buy some last minute batik items, there is also a Caribelle batik store on the cruise ship dock.
Stroll the Gardens
Beautiful tropical flowers surrounded the manor and estate There was such a sense of tranquility here despite the manor being a popular tourist stop.
If you need some refreshments, the Rainforest Bar sold several drinks (including the rum punch local favorite). The surroundings here are so tranquil and tropical, it will make you savor that drink.
Don’t miss the bell tower up the stair way. Unfortunately, the owners used this to control the slaves’ daily lives. During the slave emancipation, they destroyed many bell towers because of what they symbolized.
The Romney Manor bell tower is the only well-preserved one standing on the island. The Earl of Romney was the first owner of the major estates to release his slaves during the start of emancipation.
Bloody Point
Along the way, our guide showed us some historic spots. This bridge and river may look unassuming but was the site of major atrocities. British and French soldiers cornered and killed about 2,000 Carib Indians because they feared they were going to be attacked.
This was Bloody Point and the deaths of so many people turned the river red for three days. Visitors can visit the historic site and pay their respects by hiking along the river.
Apprenticeship replaced slavery after its abolition in 1834. Apprenticeship ended in 1838 which meant that laborers could find work somewhere else beyond the plantations.
We passed by Challengers. This was the first post-emancipation village set up by the slaves on the island in 1840. There were some remnants of the old houses.
Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park
Our longest stop was at Brimstone Hill and the most noteworthy one. This UNESCO World Heritage site was a well-preserved complex of 17th and 18th centuries British military architecture. It is known as the “Gibraltar of the West Indies. It rises at almost 800 feet from the sea level.
Designed by British Army Engineers and built and maintained by the African slave workers, this is an amazing fortress that took over 100 years to complete. There is a collection of interesting structures here ranging from barracks, bastions, battlements, residences, roads and retaining walls. We enjoyed exploring the citadel, Fort George Museum and the panoramic views it offered.
Read more about our visit to Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park.
Thomas Hill Overlook
Our last stop was on the Thomas Hill Overlook which offered some gorgeous views. The 360 -degree view included the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea two local bays and neighboring Nevis Island. There were some vendors here selling drinks as well as a guy with baby monkeys to pose with for a fee.
Other Things to Do in St Kitts (on our return trip list)
With only a day in St. Kitts, we had to pick on seeing the most attractions that would maximize our time. We would love to do the following activities on a return visit. If you’re lucky enough to be here for a few days, don’t miss doing these other things to do in St. Kitts.
Explore the St. Kitts beaches
It was almost torture to see the beautiful beaches around St. Kitts and not have the time or chance to spend an hour or two there. We will definitely check out some of the island’s popular beaches when we return to St. Kitts.
For beautiful views of Nevis and its volcano, then the mile-long Cockleshell Bay on the southern tip is a great place to visit. Its white sands and calm waves make it a popular beach. It is free to access and has vendors for chair rentals and a variety of beach bars and restaurants for food and drinks. This is a popular beach among visitors, cruise ship passengers and locals.
Frigate Bay is the activity hub and resort area on the island with its ideal location near shopping, hotels and nightlife. South Frigate Bay is on the Caribbean Sea where water is a bit warmer and waves are a bit milder. North Frigate Bay is on the Atlantic Ocean side with great views, a long reef and wonderful stretch of sand. The St. Kitts Marriott resort flanks this beach and keeps it well maintained.
Go to Majors Bay if you want to get away from the crowds. It is located on the narrowest part of the island. There aren’t any areas for shade or facilities but you will get a long stretch of golden sand and warm waters.
Spend the day in Nevis
It’s only fitting to visit the neighboring and sister island of Nevis if you’re here for an extended time. Though, there are shore excursions to Nevis for a day trip too if you’re here during a cruise stop. Nevis is only two miles (3 km) across St. Kitts separated by a channel known as The Narrows. There are several ferries and water taxis that regularly take visitors between the two islands and take from 20 minutes to 45 minutes.
Nevis Island may only be around 36 square miles but has some interesting attractions. It is a circular island surrounded by coral reefs and Nevis Peak makes up most of the island.
Active hikers may want the challenge of hiking the mountain or there is also an ATV island tour that can take you to the mountain. The sandy beaches like, Oualie Beach or Pinney’s Beach, are some of its top hangout places for sunbathing or snorkeling.
The capital city of Charlestown is one of the best preserved among the Caribbean islands. It’s one of the best places to see colonial buildings and learn about the island’s history.
It is also where visitors can visit the museum and historic site of Alexander Hamilton’s birthplace and boyhood home. Yes, that same Hamilton of the US Constitution fame and eventually the mega-popular musical.
Ride the St. Kitts Scenic Railway
One of the most popular attractions on the island is the St. Kitts Scenic Railway. Using the “island series” railcars and the narrow gauge railway that were used to transport sugar cane between the plantations to the Basseterre central sugar factory in the early 1920s, this is undoubtedly the most unique way to see the island. The 3-hour tour includes 12 miles of sightseeing by bus and 18 miles on the train as it meanders through villages and forests.
The double-decker rail cars include the upper part with an open-air seating platform offering unobstructed, panoramic, 360-degree views. The lower area is enclosed and air-conditioned with six-foot vaulted windows. It also has a service bar and restrooms.
If we had more time at St. Kitts, we certainly would have done this tour. It is a bit pricey but the experience looks priceless. The tours also include detailed narration of St. Kitts’ history, songs and stories to get to know the island as it weaves through the villages.
Interesting things about St. Kitts and Nevis
The locals on St. Kitts are called Kittitians (pronounced kitt-ish-un) and on Nevis they are called Nevisians (pronounced Nee-vish-un).
The two island country is the smallest in the Americas and the Western Hemisphere if you take both size and population into account.
English is the official language of the islands.
The islands may be small but there are over 200 churches here. The locals are predominantly Christians. We saw plenty of churches during our tour. One of the most famous was St. George’s Anglican Church which is the site of the Western Hemisphere’s oldest pipe organ.
The biggest sport on the island seems to be cricket. The two-island county has a team called St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots. They have a big stadium near Basseterre.
One popular local dish is “goat water”. This is a stew made from a goat’s neck bones and meat with some seasonings. Let me know if you’ve tried it.
Don’t be surprised if you see some green monkeys around the island. They were supposedly brought here by the French as pets. We actually saw a couple during our tour.
The biggest event of the year is the St. Kitts National Carnival. This annual, islandwide celebration unofficially starts in November until the new year. We were here during the first week of the year and they were getting ready for the festivities.
More Fun Facts about St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Kitts has several universities that is a cost effective alternative the US Mainland schools especially for those who want to be veterinarians or a doctor. University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS) is a leading medical school and Ross University of Veterinary Medicine is a well known vet school.
We passed by these two schools and their ocean view locations were beautiful. Our guide pointed out where some of the students from around the world lived. It is a gorgeous setting to be doing some intense studying.
The two islands also claim to grow over 44 different kinds of mangoes due to its volcanic soil and climate. It wasn’t mango season during our trip. Since this is my favorite fruit, it’s just another reason to return to St. Kitts.
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