James Henderson - Definitive St. Kitts and Nevis

Series Editor: James Henderson

Definitive World Guides Ltd

2013 Definitive World Guides Limited.

United Kingdom: Definitive World Guides, Festival House, Jessop Avenue, Cheltenham GL50 3SH

www.definitivecaribbean.com

email:

DWG publications are protected by international copyright laws. All rights are reserved. The copyright of all materials in this publication, except where otherwise stated, remains the property of the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, for whatever purpose, without the written permission of Definitive World Guides Ltd.

This material has been endorsed by The St. Kitts Tourism Authority and The Nevis Island Tourism Authority

Editor: Patricia Briggs

Development: Deana Bellamy

Cover design: Patricia Briggs and John Dickinson

Cover image: St. Kitts Tourism Authority

First published by Definitive World Guides 2013

Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders of material used in this eBook. If any has been inadvertently overlooked, we should be pleased to make any necessary amendments at the earliest opportunity.

ISBN: 978-0-9927090-1-3

It has been said that the destination of St. Kitts and Nevis represents the unspoilt gem in the Caribbean; a fitting description made time and again from the many visitors who come to our shores. Yet it is hard to believe that only eight years ago we made the ambitious decision to close our sugar industry and focus on embracing tourism as the major source of income. Today, while we welcome visitors from the major international markets such as the US and UK, to many travelers who have not yet visited this small and unspoilt country in the Eastern Caribbean, we are almost like the islands that time forgot, waiting to be discovered.

In my capacity as Minister for Tourism and International Transport, I therefore fully endorse this very first eGuide for St. Kitts and Nevis from Definitive Caribbean. Definitive St. Kitts and Nevis offers a comprehensive insight into a destination that is moving at a tremendous pace yet provides an authentic Caribbean experience that will enrich you as you discover and explore.

This is also an extremely well thought-out guide, which features contributions from international travel writers as well as specially commissioned maps and captivating photography. Its beauty lies in its up-to-date and informative content, so whether you are looking at how to get here, how to get around, or where to shop, stay or eat, you will not find information that was researched more than a year ago. Informative content is complemented with a comprehensive approach to getting the most out of your well-earned vacation, with its winning concept of What Shall We Do Today.

Its other asset is its convenience. Definitive St. Kitts and Nevis is part of the increasing trend of reading all your books in one place downloaded on your eReader, it becomes part of your holiday reading, with easy navigation to help you plan your week or weeks on a day-by-day basis, with detailed maps and directory information to help you on your way.

If you have already booked your travel or are simply previewing this eBook, choosing to come to these two sister islands in the Caribbean will prove to be a great choice while close in location to each other they present two very distinct personalities to visitors. We invite you to take a journey with us and discover our wealth of attractions and activities set against the backdrop of our natural beauty, our rich history, our culture and love of music and, above all, friendly and hospitable people.

It is my hope that you will enjoy every minute of your vacation on St. Kitts and Nevis and allow this eBook to guide you in planning the perfect itinerary.

Weve designed this eBook to be as easy to use as possible. The best way to navigate is by using the internal content index. We had thought about using internal hyperlinks, but some readers can get lost in the content and cant get back to where they were. Its your vacation, we thought you dont need that kind of irritation.

Weve created some new maps for you too to help orientate and plan your activities. You can refer back to the maps at any time using the content index, and then jump back to where you were using the same tool. We know that when youre travelling you dont need to know whats round every corner but prefer to know whats available to you thats why weve organised our content around the question: What shall we do today? Sometimes, when the weather is fine and the beach is calling, theres little point considering the alternatives, but if its cloudy or if you just feel like some mental stimulation, there are hundreds of interesting things to do and see and experience, and weve listed and evaluated just about all of them.

Finally, weve added a small directory of useful numbers at the end of the eBook, as you never know when youre going to need a dentist or a pharmacy, or have a sudden urge to go diving!

A publication such as this is the product of many hands and we are grateful to the following writers and Caribbean experts for their research, expertise and contributions:

Lead Author: Stephen Thorpe

A former Barbados and Jamaica resident, Stephen Thorpe is a UK-based author, journalist and photographer who has specialised in the Caribbean for over thirty years; after half a lifetime around the islands, his work has appeared in the Daily Telegraph, the Sunday Times, the Guardian, Independent and Scotsman and numerous international art and lifestyle magazines. As a full-time cricket scribe he covered the West Indian game during its halcyon fifteen-year era for every English broadsheet and Wisden, and currently writes on sustainable geo-tourism, resort planning and wildlife conservation in the region.

James Henderson

James Henderson has been a travel writer since 1988, when he was asked if he would like to write a guidebook to the Caribbean (Twist my arm, he said). Two years and 300,000 words later, his Cadogan Guide to the Caribbean and the Bahamasappeared, the first of six editions. Over the years he has travelled to more than 100 countries and written for the FT, the Telegraph, The Times, the Independent, Cond Nast Traveler and Harpers & Queen.

Deana Bellamy

Deana Bellamy has worked in the Caribbean travel industry for more than 30 years. Known for her encyclopaedic knowledge of the Caribbean, Deana has gleaned a unique insight of the Caribbean travel industry, covering everything from working as a bilingual tour guide on day trips out of Barbados to nearby islands, to setting up the activities department in a large resort, and, as a PR manager for a luxury hotel, from spending time with a local ground handler/DMC running the groups, incentives and tours department, to hotel marketing and representation in the UK and Europe.