St Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis is an island country consisting of two islands, both located in the West Indies. This unexplored but luxurious twin-island country in the southern Caribbean is breathtaking. St. Kitts and Nevis invite to travellers looking for a mix of resort relaxation, picturesque landscapes, volcanic beaches in the north or the colourful city centre. The island’s first recorded name of Liamuiga, or “fertile land” which speaks to its natural abundance, and perfectly describes the 18 miles of lush land stretched across canopied rainforests that teem with gentle wildlife.

Highlights

Basseterre

Roger W, Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA 2.0)

giggel, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Diving and snorkelling

Beaches

David Stanley, Attribution (CC BY 2.0)

Isabelle Acatauassú Alves Almeida, Attribution (CC BY 2.0)

Nevis island

Christine Olson, (CC BY-ND 2.0)

ClatieK, (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Colonial heritage

Junior Samples, Attribution (CC BY 2.0)

Henry Zbyszynski, Attribution (CC BY 2.0)

Outdoor activities

David Stanley, Attribution (CC BY 2.0)

When to go

In St Kitts and Nevis, the climate is hot and tropical all year round, but the best time to visit generally is from December to May. This period experiences minimal rainfall, and pleasant temperatures ranging from 24°C to 29°C. This is an ideal time to visit as it has clear skies, calm seas perfect for water activities and various cultural festivals. However, traveling during this peak tourist season means higher accommodation rates and larger crowds.
The rainy season is officially from June to November. These period experiences higher humidity, increased rainfall, and the potential for hurricanes or tropical storms.

St. Kitts Nevis National Carnival or Sugar Mas: the island’s carnival brings locals and visitors an unmatched 6 weeks of fun including the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. It is the largest event in the Federation from November to January celebrating the history and culture of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Practical information

Currency

The Eastern Caribbean Dollar is the official currency. The exchange rate approximately is 1 Euro is between 2,62- 3,29 Eastern Caribbean Dollar, and 1 UD Dollar is 2,70 Eastern Caribbean Dollar. Most major hotel chains, large restaurants and shops accept US dollars, be prepared that the change will be given in local Easter Caribbean dollars

Language

English is the sole official language and Saint Kitts Creole is also widely spoken

Visa

Visitors to Saint Kitts and Nevis must obtain a visa, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries. US citizens, and other members of the Organization of American States (OAS) do not need a visa. As well, tourists from all other EU states and Switzerland are also visa exempt. Travellers from these countries will be granted a stay of up to 90 days for tourist purposes on arrival. All persons except citizens of the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States) traveling to St. Kitts are required to present a valid passport, and they must have six months validity at entry. Additionally, a proof of sufficient funds and a return or onward passage might be required.

Visitors from countries that require a visa can apply for an e-Visa. With a printed approval they are issued a visa on arrival by an Immigration Officer for a fee of USD 100. The maximum length of stay is 30 days.

If you are traveling to St. Kitts and Nevis, it is required that you complete the online Immigration and Customs ED Form before arrival. Upon completion, you will receive a receipt with a QR code that you must present upon arrival in St. Kitts. Your QR code can be printed out or scanned directly from your phone.

ATM & credit card

The most convenient bank, with ATM services, is the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank on Central Street in Basseterre. Other ATMs are at Port Zante, the shopping mall adjacent to the cruise-ship piers in downtown Basseterre, and at the Marriott Resort in Frigate Bay. Funds are dispensed, depending on the machine, in either U.S. dollars or Eastern Caribbean dollars. If you pay in US dollars, you will normally get change in EC dollars. Credit cards are widely accepted at hotels, restaurants and shops, the smaller shops and business is used less likely.

Opening times

Banks: Monday to Thursday 8am – 2pm; and Friday 8am – 4pm; Saturday 8:30am – 11am. Shops: Monday to Friday 8am – 4pm; Saturday 8am- 1pm. Restaurants from 7pm to 10pm.

Time: GMT -4 hours.

Main airports

Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport (is an international airport located just northeast of Basseterre, on the island of Saint Kitts. The distance from the airport to the centre of Basseterre is 2,6 kilometres. By car, it takes 3 minutes to get to the centre)

Vance W. Amory International Airport (serves the island of Nevis in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The airport has a single runway, which the airport is located just west of the village Newcastle. The distance from the airport to the centre of Newcastle is 1,3 kilometres. By car, it takes 3 minutes to get to the centre)

Public transport

The best way to get around St. Kitts and Nevis is by taxi, which can be easily found in front of the islands’ airports, as well as lined up at the cruise ship docks in Basseterre, and in front of most hotels and major attractions. Other options include minibuses or rental cars, although both can be limiting depending on your needs. When you are ready to island hop, private boat companies are available at Basseterre in St. Kitts and Charlestown in Nevis. On the island of Nevis, public transportation services are limited. Taxies are costly.

TAXI & MINIBUS

Taxi drivers wait outside the major hotels. However, you must agree on the price, taxis are not metered. Also, ask if the rates are in U.S. or Eastern Caribbean dollars. Taxis in Saint Kitts and Nevis are available in most of the important spots of the city. You can find taxi stands at the Circus in Basseterre, Port Zante, Frigate Bay, and the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport. To ensure your safety while travelling, it is important to only use taxis that are licensed. WATER TAXI: is a chartered service that provides trips from St. Kitts to Nevis and vice versa. The ferries operate from Reggae Beach Pier at Cockleshell Bay and at Christophe Harbour’s Marina. Operations on Nevis are from Fort Seasons Pier and Oualie Beach. The duration of each trip is between 10-15 minutes. Water taxis can be hired to make runs at times that charters to your schedule. When it comes to public transportation in Saint Kitts and Nevis, another option is the bus. They called “H Buses.” These are small buses, which you can identify by their green license plates. There are two bus stations in Basseterre, one serving the east side and the other serving the west. The buses stop at designated spots, but they also stop elsewhere on request or at the discretion of the driver, on payment of a small extra charge. Public buses are privately owned, but government-licensed, vans. There are 5 main bus routes on St. Kitts: Basseterre to Sandy Point travelling west, starting at the Ferry Terminal, Basseterre to Capesterre travelling west, starting at the Ferry Terminal, Basseterre to St. Peter’s travelling north, starting at College Street Ghaut, Basseterre to Molyneux travelling east, starting at Baker’s Corner, Basseterre to Saddler’s travelling east, starting at Baker’s Corner. No public buses travel southwards to the main resort areas in Frigate Bay and the Southeast Peninsula of St. Kitts.

On Nevis, buses run both ways along the main ring-road around the island. All buses start off, and eventually finish up, in the capital of Nevis, Charlestown.

FERRY

The ferry ride between St. Kitts and Nevis takes about 45 minutes and provides beautiful views of both islands. There are six ferries operating between the islands: MV Caribe Queen; MV Carib Breeze; MV Carib Surf; MV Mark Twain; MV Sea Hustler and the Sea Bridge. These vessels work together to provide service between Basseterre and Charlestown, leaving from the Southeast Peninsula and transporting vehicles to Nevis and back. Port Zante, in the centre of Basseterre Bay, is for use of docking cruise ships only. The Port can accommodate the largest cruise ships in the world. It also has a marina facility. A relatively new (started in 2007) car ferry, which can take up to 35 cars and takes pedestrian passengers, is called the “Sea Bridge” ferry, and is in operation between the two islands. This ferry traverses the narrow, 2-mile wide straight named ‘The Narrows’ between the two islands in 25 minutes, from Major’s Bay in St. Kitts (at the tip of the southeastern peninsula), to Cades Bay in Nevis. Cars can also be carried by the “Sea Hustler” ferry, which operates out of Basseterre.

By car, driving is on the left. You will need a local driver’s license, which can be obtained at the Traffic Department, on Cayon Street in Basseterre, for $24. Usually, a member of the staff at your car rental agency will drive you to the Traffic Department to get one.

Railway

St. Kitts has a 29 km narrow-gauge railway, which centres in the capital, Basseterre, and circles the island. The railway line was originally built between 1912 and 1926 to transport sugar cane to the central sugar factory in Basseterre. Since 2003 the railway has offered a circle tour of the island aboard specially designed open-air, double-decker coaches primarily for tourists. The St. Kitts Scenic Railway train currently runs from Sandy Point to Basseterre, travelling east.

Things to avoid

Always have some local currency on hand for buses and taxis, many drivers do not accept credit cards

Taxis do not run on a meter, so you always need to agree on a price before you travel. Prices from the airport in St Kitts are fixed, and you can find the tariffs in the terminal building

After dark, avoid isolated areas including beaches and take care when walking off main roads

If you rent a car, do not stop if pedestrians flag you down and keep car doors locked

It is illegal for anyone, including children, to dress in camouflage clothing

LGBTQ+ visitors should avoid displays of physical affection when in public areas as St. Kitts and Nevis are part of the Caribbean nations that have outlawed homosexual relations

Food

The local gastronomy is infused with plenty of seafood and meat options, including the absolutely-adored conch, demonstrating the two islands’ strong Caribbean, Asian, Spanish, and Moroccan influences. Expect spicy dishes and flavours augmented with the addition of the vegetables and fruits that grow on Saint Kitts and Nevis, such as soursop, peas, and pumpkins, which are the finest in the entire Western Hemisphere. Here are some popular Saint Kitts & Nevis dishes: “Goat Water” (delicious soup, is quite spicy and prized across the Caribbean and is made from flavourful goat meat, water, tomatoes, chilies, yams, onions, papaya, and other locally-grown, fresh ingredients. The tasty stew is usually served along with rice or bread rolls and may even contain a tomato-based stock), “Saltfish and Dumplings” (is made from stewed saltfish, which is combined with other ingredients, the most common of which are spicy plantains, seasoned breadfruit, and coconut dumplings), “Cook-up or Pelau” (is a dish consisting of a savoury blend of pigtail, beef, salt fish, or another type of meat that is combined with a variety of vegetables, pigeon peas, coconut milk, sugar, and rice), “Coconut rum bread pudding” (a pudding made with raisins, cinnamon, vanilla, and wheat bread that is then topped with a rum-butter sauce and coconut)

Electricity and plug types

For St. Kitts and Nevis there are two associated plug types, D and G. Plug type D is the plug which has three round pins in a triangular pattern and type G is the plug which has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern. St. Kitts and Nevis operates on a 230V supply voltage and 60Hz.

Health and insurance

There is no national health insurance in Saint Kitts and Nevis. However, citizens, children under the age of 18 years and persons over the age of 62 years are exempt from all medical charges. Instead, the government subsidizes most medical services, which are at a low cost, in some cases, free to residents.

In St Kitts and Nevis healthcare system comprises a network of private medical clinics, some of which are affiliated with public hospitals, other operate independently. The private sector also offers several health insurance options for individuals and groups for whom wider coverage and choice may be necessary. Medical services and hospitals provide essential general healthcare services such as primary care, emergency, maternity, surgery, etc. However, specialized medical services are limited. Due to the limitations of the public healthcare system is highly advisable to get a private health insurance for a good access to private healthcare facilities, because it may offer specialized care and quicker access to services or in case of emergency situations, without the burden of high out-of-pocket expenses.

There are a few pharmacies in the central area of Basseterre and an in the centre of Charlestown in Nevis. If you need to purchase medication, it is also possible to buy certain over-the-counter medications in grocery shops.

Some vaccines are recommended or required for Saint Kitts and Nevis. The CDC and WHO recommend the following vaccinations for Saint Kitts and Nevis: typhoid, hepatitis A, polio, yellow fever, chikungunya, rabies, hepatitis B, influenza, COVID-19, pneumonia, meningitis, chickenpox, shingles, Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). Travellers should ideally arrange an appointment with their health professional at least four to six weeks before travel.

Guard against bug bites by wearing appropriate clothing and applying repellents with DEET, picaridin, or OLE.

Other

Tipping in St Kitts and Nevis Islands is discretionary and should reflect the service you have received, however, tipping around 10 – 15% is recommended. In restaurants, in most cases, a 10%-15% Service Charge is added to the bill, which is divided among the waitstaff. If the surcharge was not included in the bill, kindly leave anywhere between 10%-15% on top of the final invoice. If you have good service, you certainly can leave an additional tip, this is at your discretion. Hotel Staff: Normally, the hotels will add a 10%-15% service charge to all their bills. Carefully inspect before paying, and in case the gratuity was not included, leave at least 15% for the staff. Taxi Drivers: tipping taxi drivers in St. Kitts and Nevis is expected. You should aim to tip about 10%. Taxi drivers get 10% of the trip fare, and if he/she went out of their way and acted as your tour guide or helped you with your heavy luggage, feel free to leave a few extra dollars.