We were encouraged by several of the locals to stay long enough to attend the horse races that weekend. We were told it would be like nothing we had ever before seen. They were right, and we're very glad we took their advice.…Read More

We were encouraged by several of the locals to stay long enough to attend the horse races that weekend. We were told it would be like nothing we had ever before seen. They were right, and we're very glad we took their advice. It turned out to be our favorite Caribbean experience thus far.

The horse races on Nevis are more of a social event than a gambling arena although betting does take place. Families gather at the track that overlooks the ocean. Some set up charcoal barbecues and cook chicken and ribs, which they sell to other attendees. Also offered for sale are sodas that they've brought in coolers and a variety of chips and candies. In the time between races, which can be as much as an hour, everyone mills about, exchanging greetings and news of families and friends as well as placing bets. Nor were we excluded. The bartender of a restaurant we had dined at spotted us and offered to buy us a drink; a Nevisian whom we had met earlier that week at Sunshine's shared his "picks" with us; a dock worker stopped to chat with us; and one of the race's organizers called home to have his wife get the lastest weather report from the internet for us when he learned we planned to sail off the next day. But, on to the races, which seem only secondary.

There are no starting gates at this race track; instead, two flagmen stand some distance apart, and the jockey must get his horse under control by the time he reaches the second flagman or it becomes a false start. False starts were frequent, and more than one horse tried to unseat its jockey. There are not a large number of horses running. One race had as few as three horses, and the most that competed in any one race were six. The viewing bleachers are smaller than those of a rural school's football field. My husband and I had great seats that were no more than fifteen feet from the finish line.

The cheering is every bit as loud as you might hear at a race track in the United States, but missing are the stressed-out faces of those who may have over-extended themselves in their bets. The entire atmosphere is both convivial and relaxed. In other words, typical Nevis! Close

This little treasure island keeps getting hit by hurricanes, as many in the West Indies are wont to do, but somehow manages to get back on its feet. Nevis has the top-rated Four Seasons Resort as well as other less pricey places to stay, and…Read More

This little treasure island keeps getting hit by hurricanes, as many in the West Indies are wont to do, but somehow manages to get back on its feet. Nevis has the top-rated Four Seasons Resort as well as other less pricey places to stay, and plenty of reasons to do so. It's a tad difficult to reach (separated by a 10-minute ferry ride from St. Kitts, which houses the airport) so it prevents on-the-fence visitors. The ones who don't want to invest too much time getting here. Which is fine for those who know the value of being on this gem of an island.
It, like many of the other islands, has a troubling past, with its history of slave plantations and it creeped me out when I toured a few. But at least there's acknowledgement and an attempt to improve present relations. That said, it helps slow down to 'island time,' be patient and kind always, and it doesn't hurt to tip generously in order to stop the 'Ugly American' identity often associated with us 'rich' folk. After all, most natives don't vacation in your hometown, do they? And why should they, with their beautiful beaches, relaxed lifestyle and tolerant nature?Close

On my final stop on my cruise, I went to this island. Just like many of the Caribbean Islands, St. Kitts has its own style and flavor. I brought a tour to see most of this island.Tip: If taking a cruise and looking for an…Read More

On my final stop on my cruise, I went to this island. Just like many of the Caribbean Islands, St. Kitts has its own style and flavor. I brought a tour to see most of this island.

Tip: If taking a cruise and looking for an independent shore excursion, HAGGLE. You can possibly find an excursion for less than $30 per person.

Shockingly, this island was not my favorite of all the Caribbean Islands, and for many reasons. For example, if you are a tree-hugger or a beach lover, prepare to be stunned. The beaches are filled with garbage. Apparently, the inhabitants of this island dump their trash just about everywhere like a landfill. Sadly, this appearance took away the beauty of this island. I felt like I was on an island that was slipping in poverty.

There are some bright sports; however. The volcanoes, for instance, are worth seeing. When I saw these volcanoes, I felt like these volcanoes were like sleeping giants that were ready to awaken at any moment. The rocky cliffs that clashed with the waters mad me felt the power of mother nature and appreciate what she has given me.

Even though this island is not my favorite, it is worth visiting. There are many spots that are breathtaking as you will see in my pictures. Thus, the only way to experience is to visit.Close

Our trip to St. Kitts was quite a memorable one. Upon arriving on the island, we were greeted by the hotel concierge who took us to the very lovely Marriott hotel. The people were very nice, the place was pleasant, the weather was just awesome.…Read More

Our trip to St. Kitts was quite a memorable one. Upon arriving on the island, we were greeted by the hotel concierge who took us to the very lovely Marriott hotel. The people were very nice, the place was pleasant, the weather was just awesome. We enjoyed our time at the resort and had time to relax, play, and even golf. And what a course it was! We enjoyed dinner at Marshalls which was minutes away from the hotel, From there, we went to the strip where they have a line of bars. Good music and atmosphere. Among the other restaurants, we also dined at Mr. X's shiggidy shack, and might I add, they had the best lobster I have ever tasted. Monkey bar was fun, I learned that it is owned by world champion retired boxer, Roy Gumbs, and we got to chit chat with him, that was quite nice. We also took a trip to see the old Fortress called the Brimstone Hill and took a hike up to the volcano. That was quite an experience, so natural and so beautiful; we saw lots of monkeys. Of course, no trip would be complete without shopping! And that we did at the new Port Zante. A lot of duty-free stores but the one in particular which we felt the most comfortable was IC Jewelers Duty Free. From the moment we stepped into the store we felt welcome. We met the owner, Kamal, and his wife, Isha. The store was very beautiful and they have some very prestigious brands at very good prices. Swarovski, Mont Blanc, Baume & Mercier, Lladro, Longchamp, Hidalgo, Faberge, Waterford, Technomarine are what I can remember. I purchased from them, and now that I am back home, I realize how much I have saved. I highly recommend anyone who is looking to shop to definitely stop by them. Before we left, we took a trip to Turtle Beach on the last day and from there, took a boat tour to Nevis and back; a lovely island. All in all a very good trip and I will definitely go back to St. Kitts.Close

The island’s main industry was tourism and sugar export, but 2005 will be the last sugar cane crop. You see many lush fields of sugar cane, but we were not able to locate any vendors that sold the cane for a sweet treat.…Read More

The island’s main industry was tourism and sugar export, but 2005 will be the last sugar cane crop. You see many lush fields of sugar cane, but we were not able to locate any vendors that sold the cane for a sweet treat. The dominant volcano is the center of the island and is surrounded by tropical forests.

The official currency is EC (Eastern Caribbean Dollar), $1= 2.65 EC. US dollars are accepted widely throughout the island. The prices are higher than what they are in the States, especially on those items that are imported from the US. The prices on the resorts are even higher.

If you are looking for the slow-paced life, this is the island for you. The entire island moves at a relaxed pace, and no one is in a hurry for anything, including service at resorts. At least the scenery was nice as you waited.

Right next door to the Four Seasons is a little shack decorated with faded flags and Bob Marley posters. This is Sunshine's place. The most fabulous Caribbean bar. Wanna play volleyball? Go ahead...the court's right in front on the beach.…Read More

Right next door to the Four Seasons is a little shack decorated with faded flags and Bob Marley posters. This is Sunshine's place. The most fabulous Caribbean bar. Wanna play volleyball? Go ahead...the court's right in front on the beach. Need a great lobster lunch for $20 - this is the place. In fact, Windjammer cruises makes Sunshine's a stop on the island (but trust me, it's not touristy...)

The main thing you HAVE to do when you visit Sunshine's is try his famous Killer Bee drink. Don't bother asking what's in it 'cause he'll never tell. He pours it out of an Igloo into a little plastic cup. That little drink has a mighty sting! No visit to Sunshine's would be complete without this drink.

This is a strange island for me for a number of reasons. Despite it's beauty, there remains some controversy involving a veterinary school that I won't go into at the moment, thank you, but may be worth your while to research before heading here. It…Read More

This is a strange island for me for a number of reasons. Despite it's beauty, there remains some controversy involving a veterinary school that I won't go into at the moment, thank you, but may be worth your while to research before heading here. It also has the creepy former-slaves-were-here feeling all around that I couldn't shake, no matter how much I tried. Naturally, the people here are dependent on tourism, so it's a Catch-22 situation. Since it's a mere two minute plane ride from neighboring Nevis, you may want to come just to check out some of the artwork that you'll find. But I just wish the whole slavery part of the world's past didn't exist. We'd all be much better off. That said, I tasted my freshest mangoe here, had some 'real' conversations with local people and tried not to be yet another 'Ugly American.' After all, wherever we go, let's be Ambassadors of Kindness and Good Intentions. (And tipping doesn't hurt, either.)Close

We landed in Stkitts and spent 4 days at the Marriott ... I just love this island! From the moment we landed until we left we felt so safe secure and welcomeThe place I would recommend is Ciao for Italian food ...excellentAlso turtle beach is…Read More

We landed in Stkitts and spent 4 days at the Marriott ... I just love this island! From the moment we landed until we left we felt so safe secure and welcome
The place I would recommend is Ciao for Italian food ...excellent
Also turtle beach is lovely...we did o to nevis but the ferry ride to and fro, both ways was so late and delayed...
The highlight of my trip was my shopping at portzante especially Glitter Jewelry, I have in my past seen many jewelry stores but there prices and quality is simply unbelievable... I saw some really beautiful canary diamonds and also lots of white diamond jewelry and colored stone jewelry... I did buy a Canary Diamond from Seema and Gary (owners) at Glitter... The whole experience was fantastic
In the nites, however, the island sucks ..there isn't much of nite life however the club at Marriott if quite nice
And of course how can I miss the casino? ...Won at the roullette
In a nutshell, it was a great trip
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