What to see it St Kitts
St Kitts is one place that manages to deviate from the Caribbean’s usual sun and sand image. For the British and the French, this was the mother colony, the island from which all the other Caribbean islands were conquered. To delve into the convoluted history, the Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park is the place to go. A huge military instillation, this was known as the Gibraltar of the Caribbean for a good reason. Today there are museums, exhibitions and video presentations about the Fortress, but the main reason to go is the absolutely incredible views of the island’s east coast. Nearby St Eustatius can also be spotted on the horizon.
What to do in St Kitts
A large proportion of St Kitts is taken up with sugar cane, but not for much longer. The sugar industry finally died off in 2005 and the land has been nationalised, with much of it earmarked for development. Within a few years, therefore, it will be a very much changed landscape, and it’s best to get in early. The ubiquitous taxi tours don’t veer off the main road much, but it’s possible to take a jeep safari along all the dirt tracks and through all the cane growing wild. Greg’s Plantation Tour also visits old plantations, and explores the dark history of the island’s slave trade.
Where to hang out in St Kitts
From on top of a hill, looking out over the South-East Peninsula, there are few better views in the world. A narrow strip of (rather bumpy) land separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. The island’s best beaches are down here, and visitors can have them pretty much to themselves (well, apart from the wild monkeys and goats wandering past). Alas, the Peninsula has long been earmarked for a facelift – get there before the work starts on the resort complexes.
More St Kitts travel
For more St Kitts tours and experiences, flit through the options here.
