Saint Kitts and Nevis

Hello my friends! In today’s video chat series, we are going to journey to the Caribbean and introduce you to a great opportunity to visit two islands that are literally two miles away from each other – yet offer two entirely different flavors. The islands? Saint Kitts and Nevis.

And joining me today to make the introduction is my fabulous colleague Greg Phillip – the CEO and Founder of Nevis Sun Tours Inc. – a destination management company based in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Greg’s enthusiasm, energy and infectious smile while talking to us about what these destinations offer is sure to have you texting me to ask when you can visit them in person.

Ready for takeoff? Well then buckle up because here we go!                            

**************************************************

About the Islands: Saint Kitts and Nevis are located just south of Puerto Rico, adjacent to Antigua, Barbuda and the Guadalupe Islands and north of Dominica – which means they are situated right in the heart of the Caribbean. Together Saint Kitts and Nevis are actually one country – a dual-island nation situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Nevis is the smaller of the two at only 36 square miles but according to Greg – the great thing about it is that once you’re there – it doesn’t feel as small as it actually is. Both islands offer you great beaches as well as beautiful panoramic views of the cloud shrouded mountains from pretty much anywhere you are.

Getting There: From the US mainland you fly directly into Saint Kitts – which as you probably have already surmised is the larger island of the duo. If you are staying in Nevis – the transfer from the Saint Kitts is seamless as you will be picked up at the airport via taxi and then proceed to get taken on one of the most wonderful introductory drives you can get in a destination that is new to you. The taxi takes you to the pier where you will board another taxi – this time a water taxi – over to Nevis. Now if you are concerned about being on boat – don’t be! The distance between the two islands is just two simple miles and it is only going to take around six minutes to get from one island to the other. And of course, being in the water is a great opportunity to see these gorgeous islands from another vantage point. The best part is that all of this is pre-arranged for you by myself and Greg as I build your itinerary – meaning you don’t have to worry about planning all of these moving pieces because we take care of you from beginning to end so all you have to do is just relax and enjoy!

Accommodations: There are a number of different resorts, homes and villas that are available for you to choose from as far as accommodations. Some are on the beach, some are in the mountains but pretty much all of the properties you will find in Saint Kitts and Nevis really provide an opportunity for some incredibly unique stays – as they are not like anything you’ve ever seen anywhere else in the world. And – being that they all have a different flavor of their own you have an opportunity to – as Greg put it – pick the one that really and truly tickles your fancy.

If you have booked with me before you know that even though there are branded properties available – I tend to steer you toward the non-branded properties – meaning a lot of my itineraries focus on the small, boutique properties that exude the local atmosphere. That doesn’t mean that if you want a branded property I can’t help – I absolutely can coordinate that for you, just keep in mind that I really want you to have that full cultural immersion experience so I’m going to offer you something with more of a local flair, that has a boutique feeling and is not cookie cutter – because with me and Book Here, Give Here it’s all about the curated travel experience.

All-Inclusive Packages (Sort Of):  So, let me start off by reiterating what Greg did – in Saint Kitts and Nevis there are no all-inclusive hotels. However – what Nevis Sun Tours has done is through their partnerships they’ve created all-inclusive stays on the island regardless of fact that there are no all-inclusive hotels. What they have come up with is really something that is a great innovation because what they essentially present is an opportunity for you to come to an island and not simply be confined to a single hotel property as you normally are in an all-inclusive resort. So, with Greg’s help I have an opportunity to have a package created just for your specific requests.

For instance – should you want to participate in some tours while you are there, we can set them up and include them in the price.  This means you are paying for only for the things that you decide that you want to experience. These packages also include your transportation and you get the chance to decide if you would like a car rental so that you can drive yourself around or if you prefer to take taxis. The same goes for dining – and Greg related a story about how creative they can be with these packages. Apparently in the past they had a group who decided that they preferred to eat specifically at one restaurant every evening for dinner – which was no problem for Greg and his team. They worked specifically with the restaurant to ensure that every evening there was a different menu so that it did not feel like they were dining in the same restaurant night after night.

Sightseeing and Activities: For those of you guys who like a little bit more activity there are all kinds of things you can do such as bike tours or walking tours. There is also a lot of history on the islands and the day trips Nevis Sun Tours offer are a perfect way to learn all about it. You can do a day trip in Nevis and a day trip in Saint Kitts – no matter which island you choose to stay on.
Greg also pointed out the one of the great things is that the islands cater to families with children. Which of course with more of you homeschooling the kiddos, you really have an opportunity here to make travel a learning classroom – and it is something that the kids will never forget. They will take with them as they grow older plus it helps to build that love of travel and adventure in them. Bonus – Nevis Sun Tours offers a day trip specifically geared towards families. It’s fashioned in such a way that the family gets to spend time together and they get to do things that everybody is actually interested in doing – making for a very meaningful experience together.

Fun Fact: Alexander Hamilton – who thanks to a little Broadway show you may have heard of – is quite the popular fellow now was born on the island of Nevis. And because of that there are a lot of historical things related to him that even the children will find interesting and hence they created an Alexander Hamilton Island tour. The tour takes you to places that would have been here only when he was born back in the 1700s – so essentially, you’re following in his footsteps. For instance, they can visit his birthplace, they can visit the place where he would have gone to school if he were able to go to school on Nevis and more. It’s really a great chance to have a fun vacation with your children.

For my athletes – you want to do a cross channel swim, a triathlon or run a marathon – Nevis has all of these things. And as Greg pointed out none of these events are events where they take themselves too seriously.  For example, the cross-channel swim – which is that two mile stretch between Saint Kitts and Nevis – may sound difficult and challenging, but he promises it’s something that’s absolutely fine and safe to do provided you can swim of course. There are different categories you can participate in – like one for those people who are serious and want to race and one for people who simply want to do it for fun. The organizers will let you do it in snorkel gear or with floaties or whatever else you come up with and they kayak along while everyone is in the water for safety and to provide assistance should you need it.

For my water babies and sun worshippers there are plenty of beaches. In fact, when I asked Greg how many beaches there are between the two islands he laughed and said they don’t count them. The reason is because honestly the beaches are everybody’s – there is not a single private beach between the two islands. Which means if you are out and about, just driving along and you see a beach you like – you are welcome to go to it.

And finally – don’t forget the famous Nevis Mango and Food Festival which is an entire weekend dedicated to that tasty little fruit – the mango – and the creative and oh so tasty cuisine made with it.

Side Note: Greg advised that really – no matter what time of year you visit – there’s a chance that there’s some significant activity happening at that you can actually join in.

Gastronomy: My favorite part of any trip is trying new cuisine and of course I posed one of the questions I always ask during my video chats – what is the national dish of Saint Kitts and Nevis? Greg advised that it is saltfish -in particular – saltfish with dumplings and noted that even though it’s something that you can get everyday there – it is unique to them and not something you are going to easily find – if at all – back home. One great way to experience cultural immersion via food is on the Village Food Tour. As Greg explained you actually go into a village where you have the opportunity to walk through it and talk with locals who share some very intimate, specific things about the village, the trees, the plants and so much more. Now, there are three food stops on the tour and these stops are all at local eateries – not posh restaurants. As a matter of fact, these are the places that the locals frequent making them one – off the beaten path and two – say it with me – cultural immersion through food! And as opposed to mainstream restaurants where yes – you are interacting with the staff who are locals – here’s your chance to see the locals not at work – but at the places they go when they want to get something to eat and hang out with friends – so you’re interacting with people who you wouldn’t have had a chance to interact with otherwise.

Saint Kitts or Nevis? Naturally, I asked Greg that if he had to pick between Saint Kitts and Nevis which island does he prefer and he did not hesitate in naming Nevis the winner. Why?  Because it’s smaller and thus more intimate. Physically it’s about half the size of Saint Kitts and 1/3 of the population. There are around 12,000 or so people that inhabit the island and the fact that they have such a small population on Nevis means that the island has a different personality than Saint Kitts. It’s not crowded – in fact, Greg said you are going to go to places and wonder where in the world everybody else is!  You’re going to find yourself on a beach and it’s the like the best beach you have ever been on and you are going to have it to yourself. In the meantime, somebody else is on another beach wondering where everyone is because it’s like the best beach ever. Sounds like the ultimate in social distancing to me!

Saint Kitts on the other hand is more hustle and bustle because there’s more people and there’s more activity there – making it a different type of atmosphere entirely. Per Greg it is so much more outgoing than Nevis with lots of opportunities to party and hit the bars and such. Not that there aren’t bars on Nevis – they just aren’t as hopping as Saint Kitts. There is also all different sort of activities that you can do on Saint Kitts that you won’t find on Nevis such as ziplining and all the other activities that you will find in most of the Caribbean destinations.
The best part according to Greg? You are experiencing these two vastly different, distinct environments without the hassle of having to go to the airport, taking out your passport and flying for hours – because it’s one country and once you are there you just get in a water taxi go.

Updated COVID-19 Information:  As of this writing only fully vaccinated travelers and non vaccinated children under 18 traveling with fully vaccinated parents or guardians will be allowed entry into St. Kitts & Nevis. A traveler is considered fully vaccinated, 14 days after their second dose of a two-dose vaccine series.

For the CDC’s most up to date information on COVID-19 click here. And for the most up to date entry requirements for Saint Kitts is click here and for and Nevis click here.                           

**************************************************

If you’re looking for both a relaxing and a unique experience that you’re truly going to remember the rest of your life – Greg promises you won’t be disappointed with Saint Kitts and Nevis – as they are small and are going to present you with things you probably haven’t considered before on a vacation.  As for me – I am thinking you want to get ahead of the game – especially if you want to be able to have a private villa or home – so now is the time to reach out to me to start planning your visit!

For more details on things to see and do in Saint Kitts and Nevis, where to stay, it’s price points and more – contact your Travel Guru! Oh, and if you need a payment plan to fund your travel adventure – we got those too!

Namaste!

Ready to Travel?

Ready to explore this amazing destination? Contact us today and plan the trip of a lifetime!