 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
||||||
The islands of St Kitts and Nevis are located in the northern part of the Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean, 19 degrees north of the equator, separated by a channel two miles wide. St Kitts is 23 miles long, encompassing an area of 68 square miles. A rugged mountain range, including the dormant volcano, Mount Liamuiga, covers the central part of the island. Dense, tropical forests near the summit contrast with the cultivated, fertile valley below, on the seaboard of which lies the capital, Basseterre. Most beaches are of black, volcanic sand, but those fringing the southeast peninsula known as Frigate Bay and Salt Pond reach out toward Nevis with golden, sandy shores. Nevis, the smaller island, covers a 36 square mile area consisting of long stretches of golden, sandy, palm-lined beaches, particularly on the west and north coasts. It is dominated by a central volcanic peak, the 3232 –foot Nevis Peak. Rain forests form Nevis’ hilly interior, while dry scrub lowlands predominate near the coast Charlestown is Nevis’ capital. The total population for both islands is approximately 44,000, of which 35,000 reside on St Kitts and 9000 on Nevis, primarily in Basseterre and Charlestown. The climate of St Kitts and Nevis is pleasant and healthy with an average temperature of 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Humidity is low, and constant north-east trade winds keep the islands cool. Although there’s no rainy season, annual rainfall averages 55 inches. TRAVEL INFO The official language of St Kitts and Nevis is English. The official currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar, which is tied to the US dollar at approximately $2.70 EC per $1 US. The exchange rate versus other currencies fluctuates according to world money markets. Electric current in St Kitts and Nevis is 230 volts, 60 cycles AC. While the electricity supply at some hotels is 110 volts, AC transformers and adapters are generally needed. St Kitts’ newly expanded Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw Airport, on the outskirts of Basseterre, is modern and spacious. The main airline from the United States is American Airlines, but most people travel to the area via Continental Express, LIAT, Carib Aviation, or WinAir. American Airlines flies from the USA to St Kitts daily via San Juan, Puerto Rico. Overseas carriers include British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, and KLM. Nevis’ airport, in Newcastle, is a small operation with Winair, LIAT, Nevis Express, and Carib Aviation. Construction is currently underway to build a bigger, better, brighter terminal beside the runway. It can only handle small, twin engine propeller aircraft. Within the Caribbean, LIAT has daily nonstop flights to St Kitts from Antigua, St. Martin and Anguilla, and connecting flights from those hubs to the rest of its Caribbean network. LIAT and the Nevis Express both operate flights between St Kitts and Nevis, many times a day. The rain forests provide a habitat for wild orchids, candlewoods, tree ferns and exotic vines. The brilliant red blossoms of the Poinciana, or flamboyant tree, are the national flower of St Kitts and Nevis. Fruits and flowers, both wild and cultivated, are in abundance, particularly in the gorgeous gardens of Nevis. Flowering plumeria, hibiscus and chains of love are common along roadsides and in garden landscaping. St Kitts’ uninhabited southeast peninsula has a sparse, desertlike cover of dryland grasses dotted with cacti, yucca and century plants. Trees include several varieties of the stately royal palm, the spiny-trunked sandbox tree, silk cotton, and the turpentine or gum tree. St Kitts is a small island, yet it has a wide variety of habitats, with rainforest, dry woodland, wetland, grassland and salt ponds.
A valid U.S. passport or certified U.S. birth certificate and a picture identification that contains both name and date of birth are required of U.S. citizens entering St Kitts and Nevis. Visitors should also have a valid return ticket. St Kitts and Nevis immigration recommends that visitors put their full home address in the United States on their arrival cards in order to facilitate the entry process. Stays up to one month are granted at immigration. Anyone requiring an extension must apply to the Ministry of National Security. There is an airport departure tax and an environmental levy. U.S. citizens entering with documents other than U.S. passports should take special care in securing those documents while traveling. It can be time-consuming and difficult to acquire new proof of citizenship to facilitate return travel. In an effort to prevent international child abduction, many governments have initiated procedures at entry/exit points. These often include requiring documentary evidence of relationship and permission for the child's travel from the parent(s) or legal guardian not present. Having such documentation on hand, even if not required, may facilitate entry/departure. Water: The water is of good quality and suitable for drinking. It is collected from direct precipitation, mountain springs and wells, and is chemically treated for purification. Locally bottled water is also available. Health: There are no particular health concerns associated with St Kitts or Nevis. Therefore special vaccines are usually not required. Modern ambulatory services are available and there are specialists in most fields of medicine. The main hospital on St Kitts, JNF General (465-2551) is at the west end of Cayon St in Basseterre. On Nevis, the small Alexandra Hospital (469-5473) is on Government Rd in Charlestown. Recompression chambers are available by air ambulance at nearby Saba and in St Thomas. Pharmaceutical services are widely available. Official Time: Atlantic Standard Time, 4 hours behind GMT, 1 ahead of EST. Telephone: St Kitts numbers start with 465 or 466, Nevis numbers with 469. To make a local call, dial all seven digits. When calling the islands from overseas, add the area code 869 to the local number. The islands have both coin and card phones. The Caribbean Phonecards can be purchased at the airports, Cable & Wireless (telephone) offices and numerous shops. . Newspapers & Magazines: There are three local newspapers: The Democrat and The Observer, both published on Saturday, and the semiweekly Labour Spokesman, published on Wednesday and Saturday. The St Kitts and Nevis Visitor magazine, published annually, is a good source of general tourist information and can be picked up free at tourist offices and hotels. Radio and TV: The government radio station ZIZ, can be heard on 555 AM and 96 FM. The Voice of Nevis in on 895 AM and there’s a gospel station at 825 AM. There’s a government operated TV station as well as US network TV via cable. Electricity: 230 volts, 60 cycles, so you’ll need an adapter and a transformer for US made appliances.
English is the language of the islands, and is spoken with a decided West Indian patois. People are friendly but shy; always ask before you take photographs. Also, be sure to wear wraps or shorts over beach attire when you’re in public places. Dangers and Annoyances: Manchineel trees, whose sap can cause a skin rash, grow along the coast, particularly on the leeward side of the islands. Even though the monkeys look cuddly, it’s better to be overly cautious than overly friendly. Visitors, especially women, should not jog on long, lonely roads. But this is still a fairly safe place to travel. Most crimes against tourists – and there aren’t a lot – are robberies on Conaree Beach, so exercise the usual precautions. It would be wise to safeguard your valuables. Flora and Fauna: Both islands are home to the green vervet monkey, introduced by the French some 300 years ago, and now dwelling in the forested areas in the mountains. Another animal imported by colonists, the mongoose, survives in considerable numbers. There are also some wild deer on the SE peninsula, imported from Puerto Rico in the 1930s. The anole is the most common of the many lizards, and as in other West Indian islands, there are highly vocal frogs, lots of lizards, assorted bats and butterflies, although nothing particularly rare. Salt ponds on the southeast peninsula provide feeding grounds for a variety of shorebirds, such as plovers, stilts and oystercatchers. Pelicans and frigate birds are common along the coast, and you can spot Antillean crested hummingbirds and nectar-feeding bananaquits wherever there are flowering plants. Fish abound in the local waters (rays, barracuda, king fish and brilliantly-coloured smaller species) and the increasingly rare black coral tree can be sighted in the reef of the same name. Religion: Just over one-third of all islanders are Anglican. The rest are Methodists, Roman Catholics, Baptists, Adventists, Moravians and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
St Kitt’s shape resembles a large chicken drumstick, with an oval road running around the perimeter of its main body and another extending down the spine of its southern arm. It takes about 1 ½ hours to make a nonstop loop around the northern road and about 30 minutes to drive from Basseterre, the capital, to the end of the southeast peninsula. St Kitt’s airport is on the northern outskirts of Basseterre, just a five minute drive from the center. The departure tax is EC $44 (US $16.50) if you leave by air. For stays less than 24 hours the tax is EC $4 (US $1.50). The departure tax for cruise ships and yachts is US $5. The main tourist area on St Kitts is southeast of Basseterre, the capital. There are hotels, villas, a golf course and a popular beach in Frigate Bay, while Friar’s Bay has a marvelous beach of soft golden sand. At the southern end of the peninsula there is a beach bar and superb views of the channel and of Nevis. Basseterre, the capital of St Kitts is easily explored. There are many tall palm trees and interesting shops, excellent art galleries, and some beautifully maintained houses. The Circus, named after Piccadilly Circus has duty-free shops along the streets and courtyards. On the site of an ancient slave market at Independence Square there is a public park with lovely gardens and a fountain, and 18th century Georgian buildings, including St George’s Anglican Church. The waterfront has recently been developed on reclaimed land with stores, a marina and a new cruise ship terminal. St Kitts is famous for its locally produced clothing made of beautiful batik and tie-dyed cotton. Other local crafts include hand-embroidered items, straw goods and ceramics. Shopping areas in Basseterre are found along Bay Road, Liverpool Row and Fort Street. The Circus is where Island Hopper sells Caribelle Batik’s famous dresses, caftans, wraps and wall murals. The Caribelle Batik studio, where these fashions are designed and made, is located at Romney Manor, a 17th century great house and plantation, northwest of Basseterre. At the Pelican Mall on the downtown waterfront you can find a philatelic bureau selling colourful collectors issues of postage stamps. Local art can be bought in the Spencer Cameron Gallery on North Independence Square, and Kate Spencer’s studio and gallery is at the northwest end of the island near Rawlins Plantation.
Beyond Brimstone Hill, at the northwest end of St Kitts, are scenic sugarcane plantations and estates. At Black Rocks, on the northwest coast, you can view black cliffs and boulders formed by lava flowing from Mount Liamuiga and eroded by a pounding sea.
Nevis is a friendly little island with a rural character, green and serene, a haven for nature lovers from the peak of its mountain to the reefs offshore. There are many remains of the island’s history on the land – old sugar plantations, windmills, and churches. Visitors come for its peace, quiet, and tranquil beauty. But the natural wonders and historic areas can become exciting adventures, whether out on the reefs, exploring the rainforest, or finding out more about the history of the island through its ruins. |
||||||
 |
||||||
 |
