What’s better than one island paradise? Two island paradises! The sister islands of St. Kitts and Nevis are only about a mile apart and sit between the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea – and both boast quiet, secluded beaches perfect for a tranquil escape.
Once home of 18th-century sugar plantations, they remain an unspoiled destination of quiet beaches, rainforests, seaside lagoons, and a dormant volcano that’s home to a crater lake. Green vervet monkeys and friendly locals make these islands an inviting place to visit.
Set on St. Kitts, downtown Basseterre is the site of historic colonial remnants, including St. George’s Anglican Church, Independence Square, and the impressive Old Treasury Building, among others. You’ll also find plenty of shops and outdoor bars to enjoy a drink in the warm weather.
Though they’re so close together, both islands do vary in their own ways; St. Kitts has majestic mountain ranges, lush rainforests, and volcanic craters, while the smaller Nevis boasts an almost perfect ring of pristine beaches, steaming hot springs, and fascinating sunken shipwrecks ideal for a dive.
Encompassing it all – no matter which island you find yourself on – will be truly immaculate natural beauty, endlessly sunny skies, warm waters, and surprisingly uncrowded beaches, making either of the two islands a premier Caribbean beach getaway. And if you want to explore both islands, a two-mile wide channel with ferry services helps visitors easily enjoy them both on a single trip.
How do they keep it so uncrowded? Development is strategically constrained, keeping the islands incredibly pristine and quiet, and St. Kitts and Nevis is famous around the world for their excellent preservation of the environment. Nature lovers will want to take advantage of tours through tropical forest areas, the seaside lagoons, and through lava formations.
Favorite activities include boating and scuba diving, fishing, hot springs soak (on Nevis), snorkeling, other water sports, shopping in quaint areas with beautifully preserved architecture, and touring plantation homes that have been morphed into grand, yet intimate inns. Hike the spectacular Mount Liamuiga, a dormant volcano, which dominates the landscape of St. Kitts. And the black-and-white-sand beaches allow for countless hours of lounging on the beach (and sipping bright-colored frozen cocktails).
For the picture-perfect beach vacation, St. Kitts and Nevis delivers that and then some. Contact your travel agent to get started on your getaway to this elevated paradise – with culture, history, and a breadth of natural attractions besides its stunning beaches.
