St Kitts
Volcanic St Kitts is a delightful, quiet, sun kissed Caribbean island with some excellent beachs and . . . . rum!! It was named by it`s original discoverer Christopher Columbus in 1493 but the name was shortened by the Brits. They and the Spanish and French fought repeatedly over possession with many battles both on land and sea were fought around Frigate Bay - now a fab beach resort. After a long period of British rule St Kitts and Nevis (the next door island) became an independent nation as recently as 1967 - they inherited driving on the left and a love of cricket (like many Caribbean nations). Driven by slavery, sugar cane was the major product for centuries and whilst this is no longer the case there is still one relic from that era which continues to contribute to the St Kitts economy - the former narrow gauge sugar cane railway line has been revamped into a tourist`s scenic double decker railway which provides an excellent 3 hour view of the island`s scenery and culture. The upper level features a spacious open-air observation deck with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The lower level provides air-conditioned comfort with expansive six-foot vaulted windows. Island mood is reflected in the comfortable rattan furniture, free drinks (rum punch, daiquiris, soft drinks, fruit juices, and even water), island music sung by the Scenic Railway Choir, and a narrative history of the Caribbean.
Nowadays sugar cane has been replaced by tourism as the major earner of the country`s economy. They have dormant volcanoes and lush verdant rainforest vegitation which are perfect for tourism - particularly eco tourism, plus of course good sandy beaches. Wildlife is abundant and it even intrudes right into the centre of Bassterre. You will see in the gallery below that I managed to capture some good shots of local wildlife including a large gekko type lizard/iguana, humming birds and Frigate birds but there are also several heron species, green vervet monkeys, mongeese deer and bats - many introduced by early settlers. And then of course St. Kitts national bird, the brown pouch-less pelican. But it is the seas around this island where the real treasures are to be found including no less than four different turtle species and myriads of colourful coral fish. The construction of a cruise terminal and access by large cruise ships has created a good tourism boost in the capital - Bassterre. This has generated a good shopping and duty free zone without spoiling the traditional 17-18th century classic colonial buildings in the centre.
We found a great upstairs restaurant (Ballahoo) overlooking the very centre with it`s Piccadilly Circus look-alike roundabout and central green cast-iron clock tower and (of course) a classic British red telephone box. Established in 1982, the Ballahoo is Basseterre's most popular restaurant and meeting place. The menu is comprehensive, ranging from fresh local seafood to top quality U.S. steak and includes daily lunch and dinner specials, vegetarian selections and a wide array of snacks. From there we could watch/listen to local politicians addressing bored locals with their promises, right next to a guy with a small barrow selling local fruits to passers-by. They served great conch fritters and rum punch! What more could you ask for of any nation. Oh and the local Carib beer is not bad either.
At the southeast end of the island is the Great Salt Pond an unusual inland beach opening onto both the Atlantic Ocean in the north and the calmer Caribbean Sea to the south great for naturists. But if you are more of an active type then head for Turtle Bay which has good wind surfing. For snorkeling there are masses of fish around a sunken boat at White House Bay and of course as mentioned earlier plenty of water skiing, windsurfing and swimming around Frigate Bay. Swim alongside tropical fish as well as eagle rays, nurse sharks, stingrays and lobster at Booby Shoals or Nag's Head. Heading inland for views try Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a complex of bastions and barracks that the British built. On a clear day, the view includes six islands: Sint. Maarten/St Martin, Nevis, Saba, St. Barths, St. Eustatius and Montserrat.
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Browse through the picture galleries below relating to this page and you will get a much better idea than just reading my words! Each page has it`s own set of relevant images - where possible taken by us.